Saturday, September 16, 2006
STRANGE ENCOUNTER WITH URDU WRITER RAJENDER SINGH BEDI
March 5, 1997
The Editor
The Times of India
Mumbai
Though Deepak Hiranandani had to go out of city limits to enjoy strange landmarks to reach their destination (Rocky Trail ,5/3), years back, while trying to find late Rajendra Singh Bedi’s residence at King’s Circle to invite him to preside over Anjuman -e- Urdu function at Sydenham, we had a very unusual experience. Mr. Kaifi Azmi had not given detailed address and asked us to proceed to King’s Circle and assured us we’d have no difficulty.
With several streets spreading out from the hub, we were at a loss as how to proceed. Providentially it started to drizzle and we hurriedly took shelter with a grocer. When we enquired about Bedi Saheb, he asked us to wait till the drizzle stopped, and he would send his man to show us the residence. We were impressed. Our guide turned out to be delivering coal with a sack on his back and we blindly followed him to the back door of Bedi Saheb’s kitchen. Bedi Saheb was there with only his kuchchha, munching on some snack, when we introduced ourselves. He was taken aback, but quickly recovered asking us to come through the front door. So eventually we did find him through our coal-delivering guide. But we can never forget our unusual first encounter with the great Urdu writer.
#242
The Editor
The Times of India
Mumbai
Though Deepak Hiranandani had to go out of city limits to enjoy strange landmarks to reach their destination (Rocky Trail ,5/3), years back, while trying to find late Rajendra Singh Bedi’s residence at King’s Circle to invite him to preside over Anjuman -e- Urdu function at Sydenham, we had a very unusual experience. Mr. Kaifi Azmi had not given detailed address and asked us to proceed to King’s Circle and assured us we’d have no difficulty.
With several streets spreading out from the hub, we were at a loss as how to proceed. Providentially it started to drizzle and we hurriedly took shelter with a grocer. When we enquired about Bedi Saheb, he asked us to wait till the drizzle stopped, and he would send his man to show us the residence. We were impressed. Our guide turned out to be delivering coal with a sack on his back and we blindly followed him to the back door of Bedi Saheb’s kitchen. Bedi Saheb was there with only his kuchchha, munching on some snack, when we introduced ourselves. He was taken aback, but quickly recovered asking us to come through the front door. So eventually we did find him through our coal-delivering guide. But we can never forget our unusual first encounter with the great Urdu writer.
#242
