My one regret will always be that my sister with her ‘Arangetram’ performed on the Ravindra Bharathi stage before I did.

But that apart, RB (as the auditorium is popularly known) has a lot of memories attached.

The many times I have been on its stage basking in the glow of applause, the many more times when I have hosted performances for the Hindu, Qadir Ali Baig, the State Culture Department etc.

Even the odd times when I have been part of an appreciative audience.

These are moments that have lit up my life. As they have for thousands of artists and performers.

There are generations of people in the creative arena whose ambition was to reach a pinnacle called RB.

Sure we knew about the problems that it had, but nonetheless Ravindra Bharathi was where we dreamed of performing.

The aspirations of thousands of people over so many years have crystallised into a Mecca of Theatre/Dance/Music thought.

Maybe it is difficult for a younger generation to understand the sentiment RB represents. Maybe they are more unforgiving of its shortcomings.

And maybe that is why they are not reacting to the news that RB has been marked for demolition.

Maybe it will not be of any assurance to them when I tell them that last night, a friend clarified that while news of the Telangana Kala Bhavan was true, and a mega cultural centre was being planned next to Indira Park, there was no plan to demolish Ravindra Bharathi. In fact there are plans to refurbish it.

Monuments are not necessarily old, brilliantly designed, marvellously sculpted structures. Even plain, unimpressive, flawed buildings can become monuments that should not be brought down. They are temples of a God or Gods of a different generation.