Started taking lessons in Music

If I would not have been running an IT company, I would have been a Musician - I have said this multiple times. Since childhood, I was fond of music. The musical notes would suck me in a different world. Many people usually get distracted by noise but I actually ended up having background music played right through my 10th and 12th exams and even in college.

I used to go in vacations to Kotyark Temple and I remember we played 'Aantakshari' then. Lots of friends Chital, Maulesh, Kalindi, Kalpita, my brother Ankur, cousins - we all used to play 'Aantakshari' till very late and I remember that I had a huge collection of old songs and the team which I used to belong usually used to win the game.

With passage of time and busy schedule, I sort of forgot this. When songs got played in my office, they did not get played in my cabin. I always had shortage of time running multiple companies. Suddenly, things started changing. Sulay got admission in 'Saraswati Music Classes' to learn music in summer vacation. In 1 week, his progress was amazing. He had so much control on 'keyboard' that it amazed me. I thought - all these years, I had purchased and collected, 'Casio', 'Yamaha Keyboard', 'Guitar' and never mastered it - and here my 11 year old has been going regularly - working 8 hours a day in his vacation doing 'Riyaz' and not feeling tired. The classes were bit expensive for someone like Sulay who would never concentrate for more than 15 mins. With annual fees of Rs. 40,000 for music classes one things I noticed was that Sulay started watching less TV - got more maturity and became little more serious towards his studies and responsibilities. I never gave a second thought on this fees. The personal attention that he got at classes showed results in his confidence and his understanding between right and wrong which today even matured people of adult age don't.

At the same time, another thing happened. We 20 members of our family went to Sasan Gir - this summer vacation. It was a great vacation where we hardly talked about business stuff but just gave ourselves time to enjoy living in nature eating natural food and bathing in 'Hoj'. We used to sleep in open air under the Sun in 'Khatla' ( yester-year cots ). Upon our return back to Ahmedabad, we decided to play Aantakshari - 'Girls v/s Boys'. I was tired and didn't want o play because I hardly listened to music that I used to years ago. But my cousin 'Rushi' challenged the females in our bus that whichever team has Roshan will win and he convinced me that I would still be a great asset to the team. Our Aantakshari lasted 7.5 hours and we actually ended up defeating the ladies.
I remembered old days and thought that all running around in business is good but not at the sake of not having anything for fun in life.

I enquired for my admission in 'Saraswati Classes' a week later and was taken in as a student. My 'Sur' and 'Sangeet' Gyan in increasing. While I was a bathroom singer, I never knew about 'Ragas' and the depth that I am learning today. I am NOT a regular student despite paying full fees but whenever I go, I give my 100%. There is no age to learn a new skill. At 37, I am glad that I am doing what I should have done years ago.

Sulay has challenged me that he will always stay ahead and have 1-Up on me on music and he probably has got too ahead on piano. On Vocal, I still beat him but I know he is improving day by day. Competition that motivates and supports one another is always good thing to have.