Ode to MJ - RIP

I grew up watching hindi movies and listening to hindi songs. My taste for music was shaped in a era where the effervescent Laxmi Pyarelalmusic was waning and we were introduced to the techo jazz of Viju shah & Co. The dance education forte was handled by Evergreen Govinda - yes he is an Dinosaur. Our only window to outside world except my oriya newspaper Sambad and English Telegraph was hourly long programme called "World this week" hosted by Black bearded Pranoy Roy. It was in the later part of 1990 when there was a segment on the launching of MJ's new album - Black Or white. For the first time, i saw a frail looking guy whom the world considered the best dancer of the world. I watched the entire song. In that song, he danced with a Odissi dancer- which again filled a sense of pride within me - He chose Odissi over other - Bharat natyam, Kuchipudi and the log laundry list...Yes....

And it was in mid 1990's where i had to sleep hungry one full night to pester my Dad to get our cable connection ,, which consisted of only 2 channels - strange isnt it .......One was Zee and the other MTV. With the limited time i had watching TV......no points guessing on the choice i had to make to watch the TV. I did an statistic research - 60% of the time , it was MJ only. He had just released remised version to his new Album- "History" - " Blood on the Dance Floor". Man the song was a craze. Simulataneously, i was exposed for the first time to all his all time hits. I just realised that person who was in late thirties had an music career spanning 3 decades- he was already a celebrity at the age of 5!!. He was the first black artist to feature in MTV. MTV changed their logo to "MJ TV". He had unprecendented world following - Raj Thakerey was the person who escorted him when we came to India!!!! I was truly amazed by the caliber of the person. Even the beatles couldnt survive 2 decades of glory and here was a person who was danced and sang his way to glory till date.

he had to undergo a lot of tribulations on personal and proffessional front, but his greatness is still pristine. MJ , you still dance in our hearts.