USS DOPAHAR KO AMITABH NE MUJHE SABSE KEEMTI TOHFA DILWAAYA , APNE BABUJI KE HAATH

In the s 70s , 80s and 90s , I was a part of all the important and eventful functions and festivals and birthdays of everyone in the Bachchan family - Ali Peter John

And most of the functions were held and celebrated in the large garden outside Prateeksha and Amitabh was mostly the host and sometimes it was both Amitabh and Jaya .

I was also a part of the Diwaali and Holi celebrations and felt very fortunate to be with the Bacchans , which they made sure by sending personal invitations to me .

Amitabh had quit politics within months after winning the elections to the Lok Sabha from Allahabad, where he trounced the most powerful politician in UP Mr H N Bahuguna and became the strongest leader of the Congress Party .

He was so disgusted when his name was dragged into the Bofors Gun scandal that he called politics " a cesspool " .

But , if he felt that he could wash his hands off politics , he was wrong. The Bofors case kept haunting him and his name was in the headlines every morning , afternoon and evening , till his aging father , Dr Harivanshrai Bachchan called him to his room in Prateeksha and asked him , " Munna , ye sab jo main sun raha hoon , kya sach hai ?

" And Amitabh had walked out of his father's room promising himself that he would see his father again only after he had cleared his name from the Bofors scandal.

He kept the oath made to himself and returned to his father's room only after all charges against him in the Bofors case were dismissed by the World Court.

Amitabh had made some friends even in politics and among them were the founder of the Samajwadi Party , Mulayam Singh Yadav and his then" righthand" man , Amar Singh.

It was a part of a political game being played by the Samajwadi Party and some like - minded parties and they had chosen Prateeksha to be the venue of the meeting and I too as usual was invited , even though Amitabh knew that I was interested in politics only till Sunil Dutt and he were involved .

But , I went to Prateeksha on a hot afternoon and saw some of the most prominent political leaders in the garden of Prateeksha .

High tea was served with some of the most delicious snacks from different parts of the country being served by men in white uniform .

I was not interested in talking to any of the politicians who I was convinced were what I always called dirty politicians .

On the other side , I saw Amitabh standing alone or walking alone which was a clear sign that he was not interested , but had to take care to see that nothing went wrong at a crucial political event in his house .

I knew that Dr Harivanshrai's new book , his autobiography in English , " In The Afternoon Of Life " had just been released . And I went up to Amitabh and asked him if I could have a copy of the book .

Amitabh didn't say a word to me or to anyone else present . He just left the meeting and I could see him walking up the stairs and I knew that he was nearing his father's room on the first floor.

I got busy with my snacks and tea , when I was taken aback when I saw Amitabh bringing his father down in a wheel chair.

I went into a rapid flashback and remembered Dr Harivanshrai Bachchan when he was younger and recited his poetry like a prophet on a mission on earth and the way he had complete control on the work and other activities of Amitaabh and Ajitabh.

And now he was here looking lost and a pale shadow of that active and agile Dr Bachchan .

Amitabh called me and I didn't know what was waiting for me till I saw a copy of " In The Afternoon Of Life " on the lap of Dr Bachchan with his weak hands firmly holding it .

Amitabh drew the wheel chair towards me and asked me to come closer . The eyes of all the important guests were on this unexpected scene.

Amitabh introduced me to Dr Bachchan and said , "Babuji , ye Ali hai , mere bahut acche mitr hai ".

And Dr Bachchan took out his pen and signed an autograph for me which read " Bachchan " and the date which he remembered and handed over the book to me. I thanked both the father and the son and Amitabh led his sick father to his room.

And I kept looking at Dr Bachchan's photograph and couldn't believe that such an unbelievable thing could happen to me who was , (no hollow humility ) nothing and a nobody between the two gaints of two different generations.

That evening , I had a celebration of my own at one of my favourite Udipi hotels with the best snacks and " special tea"

I still have the copy of the book and whenever I feel I have not done anything in life, I take out the book from my own little library and keep looking at the signature in a steady hand and consider myself to be one of the luckiest men in my world .

Dr Bachchan has left for that other world no one knows anything about . Amitabh is now as old as his father was once .

Amar Singh has also gone away and the country and the world has changed so drastically , but that signature of Dr Bachchan on my copy of his book still stands like a royal insignia which cannot be erased or wiped out as long as I breathe .

MERI ZINDAGI AISE KHUBSURAT AUR AMAR HAADSO SE BHARA HUVA HAI , AE KHUDAH, TERA LAAKH LAAKH SHUKRIYA . AISE HAADSE NA PAHLE KABHI AAYE HAI, NA PHIR AAYENGE MERI ZINDAGI MEIN . AGAR KABHI MUJHME THODI SI BHI GHAMAND AA JAAYE , TOH ISS HAADSE KI WAJAH SE AA SAKTI HAI. AUR AGAR AAGAYA GHAMAND, TOH MUJHKO YAARO MAAF KAR DENA .