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| Kuldeep Barve (r) and me. |
- Brian Mendonca
Independence Day was a rainy day - at least in the morning. The sky was wet and sometimes it got wild.
But Kuldeep was in town. Rajan had informed me that he was breezing through. But would I have time to meet him?
Yes, I know 15th August is a holiday. But we were hitting almost 2 p.m. and our meeting had not yet happened. Heading to Panjim in the chaotic traffic jam in the morning (every year due to the I-day celebs on the river front) had left me quite drained.
Sitting outside Delfino I called Kuldeep at 11.30 a.m. He picked up. I was amazed when he said he was putting up down one of the lanes on CHOGM road. That was practically a stone's throw away from our place. He also said he was leaving the next day. There was a warmth in his voice you could not push away. 'You're coming na?' he had texted later.
If I had to meet him it had to be today.
I parked on the main road and descended to Green Valley. It was a joy meeting Kuldeep after seeing him last at Pune many years back. Kuldeep is a classical guitarist with a penchant for Satie. The first thing he asked me was, 'Are you still playing?' I had to say no.
The beautiful cottage he led me into had a warm vibe. We sat comfortably on the cushions and spoke about the intervening years.
He said he was into the French composer and pianist Eric Satie now, doing arrangements for classical guitar. Xuefei Yang brought out an album this year, reimagining Satie on guitar for the centenary of his passing.
Listening to Kuldeep on YouTube perform the 'Barcarolle' by the Polish composer Alexandre Tansman, I too am inspired to get back to CG. The beautiful live recording on a chessboard-corridored floor at Pune University made me recall the days when I was doing my MPhil in English at PU (1989-1993).
He asked about Goan music and I played the Konkani medley on the guitar starting with Undra Mhojea Mama. I also shared the meaning of the words of the dulpods.
I took my leave as I was needed to play at a retro evening at our church nearby in 2 hours. It had started raining again. I began walking up the steep slope telling myself there was just one lane more to go.
I am glad we met. It just happened. Well, not really. I used to like a line in school, 'If you want something to happen, make space for it.'
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Pic taken on 15 August 2025. Courtesy Kuldeep Barve. Updated 17/8/25.
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