Sometime in September 2000, the Kannada tabloid ‘Lankesh Patrike’ had invited it’s readers a small write up on the topic ‘My favourite movie’ called ’Nanna Mechina Cinema’.
I had just then watched the English movie ‘Benhur’ and was mighty impressed by its epic making. I wrote a small write up in Kannada about the movie ‘Benhur’. I had also written saying if any movie in Kannada could be compared it was ‘Mayura’.
On the last day of the deadline, I decided give it in hand to Lankesh Patrike’s office. I went to their office with my writeup. As it was already late in the evening I was hesitant to go inside.
Just then I noticed a lady near the gate. I approached the gate and it was Gauri Lankesh herself. I told her about the write up and she said ‘Post maadbahudithalappa’ (You could have posted) . I said it was the last day and hence came personally. She said ‘Kodappa’ and took the envelop.
Later, the write up was published in the tabloid which happened to be my first write up published in any main periodical. Being the first published one, it always stayed in my memory and so was the incident of Gauri madam taking the envelop from me.
Now she has become a ‘memory’, though her thoughts and struggles will always remain.
It is so strange yet so beautiful that things which have no relation independently become so inter-related down our memory lanes due to situations. Otherwise there could be no way I would remember Gauri Lankesh whenever I see a ‘Benhur’ poster or whenever my recent writeup gets published in any periodicals.
RIP madam.
