While
reporting on the ‘Last Journey’ of Sridevi,
the Diva of Indian Cinema, its supposedly first female SuperStar, Editorials of
Indian News Papers went gaga over how the spontaneous
outpouring of thousands at her funeral, accompanied by the mourning of many more in
neighboring Pakistan, Afghanistan and other parts of South Asia, was everyone's envy. What they
conveniently forgot is that the last journey was not on the roads of Mumbai on
28 Feb; rather it was on 24th evening when her soul departed inside Jumeirah
Emirates Tower. Little did Rishi Kapoor, an industry senior and a distant
relative, realize it when he took exception, to what was brought from Dubai
being referred to as 'the body' or 'the mortal remains' of Sridevi. What was
also missing, if this was indeed a journey, is the thought about the 'next hop'
or the 'ultimate destination'!
This raised a pertinent question in
my mind. For all journeys we undertake, we undergo a lot of preparation. We
decide to buy thermal wear if we are heading to a country with a cold weather.
We decide to pack more clothes for changing, if we know that we will not have
laundry facilities during our stay there. But, are we not paying scant regard
to our very LAST JOURNEY?
Entertainers may be the ones who
least think about it; the glitz and glamor surrounding them deafening their
ears to warnings of, and blinding their eyes to, an approaching reality -Death.
Watching what transpired over the last few days, reminded me of the lives and
deaths of Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley before her. And
these entertainers also ensure that the vast majority that are enthralled by
their presence and performance, pay no regard to their own LAST JOURNEYS as
well.
Whitney Houston, known as Queen of Pop passed away
in very similar fashion 6 years ago. She was a recording artist, actress,
producer and model. She was known for her golden voice. During the
1980s, while Michael Jackson ended the dominance of white male artists in Music
entertainment, Houston broke the color-barrier for black female artists.
Whitney was
just 48 when she died. Her life had been stuffed out too soon. On
11th February, 2012, just a day ahead of the 2012 Grammy Awards function,
Houston was found dead in her guest room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in
California, USA, submerged in the bathtub. Her last performance on stage had
been on 9th February in Hollywood, California.
Investigation into the
cause of her death concluded that her death was caused by accidental drowning, but heart disease and cocaine use were contributing factors. Bottles of prescription pills were found
inside her hotel room and are said to have included an anti-anxiety medication,
an antibiotic for an upper respiratory infection, and a pain medication. She
had also been drinking champagne in the days leading up to her death, including
at a pre-Grammy party on 9th February.
Pop’s King
Michael Jackson had passed away in similar
circumstances about 3 years prior to that, when he was just 50. Jackson
had been rehearsing at the Staples Center, on the night before his concert
titled ‘This Is It’ but was found dead in his bedroom in the morning. He
had suffered a respiratory arrest on 25th June, 1999 at his home on North
Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighborhood in Los Angeles. His
death too was from a combination of drugs in his body. He had a known
history of drug abuse – overdose of steroids, stimulants, and pain-killer
drugs.
Both MJ and
Houston had lived troubled lives. Aspects of Jackson's personal life,
including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, had
generated controversy. In 1993, he had been accused of child sexual
abuse. Houston had started as a "good girl" with a perfect
image in the 1980s and early 1990s, but by the late 1990s, her behavior had
changed. She was often hours late for interviews, photo shoots and
rehearsals, and canceling concerts and talk-show appearances. With the
missed performances and weight loss, rumors about Houston using drugs with her
husband circulated. In 2000, airport security guards had discovered marijuana
in both Houston's and husband Bobby Brown's luggage at a Hawaii airport.
King of Rock and Roll
The tragic
lives of Houston and Jackson remind one of someone who dominated the
entertainment industry a generation ago. It is Elvis Presley often referred to as the "King of Rock and
Roll" or simply "the King". Hugely successful, he too had
succumbed to drug abuse. By early 1977, he had become a grotesque
caricature of his sleek, energetic former self. Hugely overweight, his
mind dulled by the pharmacopoeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull
himself through his abbreviated concerts. At times during concerts, he
was impossible to understand and on other occasions, he was so nervous, he
could hardly talk. By middle of 1977, he suffered from multiple ailments:
glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon, each aggravated—and
possibly caused—by drug abuse. On the evening of 16th August 16,
1977, he was scheduled to fly out of Memphis to begin a tour. That afternoon,
he was found unresponsive on his bathroom floor. Attempts to revive him
failed, and he was officially pronounced dead in the hospital, when he was just
42,
Empty on the inside
All these
stars have been the heart-throb of the youth of their time. On the
surface, they were highly successful and the envy of a whole generation, but on
the inside they were stalked by loneliness and benumbed by emptiness. Jesus
was very right when he said “A man’s life
does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15).”
It is having Christ in your heart and life that matters. Jesus said “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and
drink. Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within
him.” The Holy Spirit who comes to indwell those who place their trust on
Jesus, will remove all emptiness and provide purpose and meaning to our lives.
It is time, the youth all over the world, paid heed to the wise counsel of the
all-knowing God.
