Traditions...Traditions

Traditions...traditions...without traditions, our lives will be as shaky as...the Fiddler on the Roof.

I consider myself unfortunate that I did not know of the great actor: Topol. When the name appeared on the screen amidst the lively "Traditions...Traditions" monologue, I almost missed it. When I asked a fellow seated next to me if he knew Topol, he nodded, yes. He even told me the story of Al Pacino who acknowledged Topol during his Oscar speech, "I wish I could act half as well as Topol" (or such).

After the three-hour long musical was over, Topol had made a permanent impression.

Fiddler on the Roof is a timeless classic. It is a story of jewish community of early 20th century, enjoying life in a small village, Anatevka, in Russia. The air is heavy with winds of change. Tevye, the head of a poor jew family, a father of five daughters, singing "If I were a Rich Man", has to cope with the changes. Changes in faith, changes in beliefs. The tragedy unfolds through many a songs, dances and even a hilarious nightmare! The revolution is round the corner, and the heat finally burns the jewish families. They are made to leave the town they lived in for years. They are made to leave the relations behind and find a new life, where? Even they don't know.

And in such testing times, only one fellow, shaky as ever, stands by them : The Fiddler on the Roof. The moment calls for tears, but Tevye, dancing to the Fiddler's tune, with a heavy burden of his belongings, and parting on his shoulders, brings a smile on our faces, makes our belief in the life stronger : yet again in a span of only three hours.