‘यदा जीवेत सुखं जीवेत, ऋणं कृत्वा, घृतं पिबेत्’
Yes, GB, you lived life, had lots of ghee (and much else too), enjoying every moment. I wish we could have had that collaboration we spoke about. And I will miss all the times you tried to ‘fix me up’ with some publication or the other by being my cheerleader, once even conspiring to print something I had written under your name only to prove a point to the editors who kept refusing my writings. You do know that only an enlightened being very secure in their art can actually recommend others the way you did. Always fulsome in praise for things and people you loved, you never minced words when it came to condemnation or even mockery of plainly unreasonable things and people you saw more clearly before others would and wrote about more succinctly than others could.
Your meat, of course, was minced, into kababs and fries, curries and sukha, and presented with such joy on your page that one would be forgiven for believing every word you said about being a hardcore Epicurean. There was ghee, for sure. Indeed, the food porn on your page recently did raise some eyebrows, and questions. I remember on our last call (where you strongly recommended Eshna Benegal to me when I was looking for a short-film-maker) when I brought it up, you reminded me of your philosophy and our discussion on Carvaka.
Yes, about the other part of that philosophy: borrowing freely and piling on debt, I think you missed this one. At least with me, you were on the other side of the table, because the only debt I can see between your relationship with me (and many others) is due from us towards you. And if I know you even slightly, I know that you will expect, nay demand that we show and practice the same intellectual honesty and candour as you did in your time, as repayment.
Thank you, Gautam Benegal. You’re a rock star. And you lived and conducted yourself like one: ‘यदा जीवेत सुखं जीवेत’ indeed.
P.S: I could not write for a full 24 hours. But since then, I have grieved. I am now fine. And I shall continue to write once again. GB wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
