Sofia - Kyundestil, Rila, Melnik, Gotse Delchev, Dospat, Pompograd, Brachov Monastery, Plovidv - SOfia
The wonderlands of Southwestern Bulgaria - near Dospat
Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Sofia
A wild dog at a water hole in the Rodopi MountainsWednesday, November 14, 2007
More photos from Bulgaria
Sofia - Kyundestil, Rila, Melnik, Gotse Delchev, Dospat, Pompograd, Brachov Monastery, Plovidv - SOfiaThe wonderlands of Southwestern Bulgaria - near DospatA wild dog at a water hole in the Rodopi Mountains
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Romania & Bulgaria
I'm back after a fantastic visit to Romania and Bulgaria.
Romania, offshoot of Rome, with a fabulous 'dark' history, Dracula (Vlad Tepes) and more, with very beautiful women and dark Metros.... here is a photo of a Romanian tapestry work I took there.
A visit to two enchanting countries with rich histories and cultures.
Bulgaria turned out to be paradis on earth. I went around Southwestern Bulgaria and took many pictures. I found the people very nice and friendly and the landscape breathtaking. From Pernik, to Kyundestyl, to Melnik, to Getse Delchev to Dospat to Asenograd to Plovdiv and back - the whole experience was enchanting. Do visit.
A little bridge near Dospat
The church at Asenovgrad Fort....
Romania, offshoot of Rome, with a fabulous 'dark' history, Dracula (Vlad Tepes) and more, with very beautiful women and dark Metros.... here is a photo of a Romanian tapestry work I took there.
A visit to two enchanting countries with rich histories and cultures.
Bulgaria turned out to be paradis on earth. I went around Southwestern Bulgaria and took many pictures. I found the people very nice and friendly and the landscape breathtaking. From Pernik, to Kyundestyl, to Melnik, to Getse Delchev to Dospat to Asenograd to Plovdiv and back - the whole experience was enchanting. Do visit.
A little bridge near Dospat
The church at Asenovgrad Fort....
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Switzerland
I spent a few great days in Switzerland on work. But I managed to see a fair bit.
The place is, of course, ridiculously clean! I liked the fact that this seemed to be a nation of dog lovers. But the people were not particularly friendly.
In Zurich I visited the downtown area and the lake - what do you think of the swan? A little shopping, dozens of photos.
I also went to Bern where I visited Einstein's museum. The whole matter was quite something and very absorbing. Its a great little city, entirely deserted on a Sunday.
Then Interlachen and Jungfrau - great train rides and astounding scenery.
Had a cool time!
Friday, August 03, 2007
At the Dhrupad Gurukul, Bhopal
I spent a fantastic week at the Dhrupad Academy outside Bhopal with the Gundecha Brothers. It seems clear now that everything else is irrelevant compared to music.
These brothers have revived an ancient form and popularized it. Students of one pair of the Dagar brothers, they have innovated as well, using the poems of Tulsidas and others in new Dhrupad compositions.
Anyway, I had a great time - no phone, no email, no newspaper - only fresh air, silence and music. It became rapidly clear that my concepts of certain Raags - Jhinjhoti, Khamaj and Bihag were rather primitive. I now take greater care in musing over single notes rather than worry about the whole. Word has it that my violin sounds bearable now. I even ventured to learn some vocal music and exercised my rather rusted vocal cords. The human voice is certainly a better instrument than any man-made contrivance. This is best understood by listening to the Gundecha brothers glide seemingly endlessly between notes.
Music starts early in the morning with the boys singing low notes. The sounds of the Tanpura fill the building. Classes in the morning and a collective simple lunch. Many students from remote towns in India stay at the Academy on small scholarships, and - what is more gratifying - with the complete support of their families. The future of Music in India is bright.
I have to thank David for introducing me to the Gundecha Brothers.
My last day with them had Khamaj on the menu. I learnt many 'tricks' and understood a lot more. I thought I would leave extracts about Khamaj from a never-to-be-published book.
------------------------------------
My Dear Daughter,
You will read this letter only after I have gone, I know. Do not grieve. I am happy in the other world, which is full of music. If it had been otherwise, I would have returned! Of course, I shall miss you, my musical companion and most wonderful daughter. But you have your duties and must teach music to someone before you can join me so that we can be together forever, enjoying music in the place where it was created to begin with.
Have you seen the photograph of the two of us? It was in Benaras. I had always dreamed of taking you there with me where we could enjoy music. You were very young then and might have even forgotten by now. So I am going to write about it to remind you.
My greatest failing was that I never introduced you to the lovely Raaga Khamaj. I did not know it well enough and was perhaps temperamentally unsuited for it. But it seemed unfair that you should be deprived of some knowledge of this Raaga. I wanted you to hear it in Benaras, where Thumris, Tappas, Chaitis and other musical forms are almost invariably based on Khamaj.
And so, during a school vacation, I took you away. It was difficult as you will now understand. There was little money, and travel in those days was not easy. But I did it. Others did not like it but my mission was more important than the insults of others.
...
...
Then gradually, the mood shifted to music and an old man sang some old Thumris. The magic of Khamaj suddenly fell on all of us. Sinuous, winding, beautiful – the old man seemed capable of finding unexpected twists and turns in the Raaga. Just when we thought he could not possibly do anything new, he composed a new pattern, amazing himself and the audience! This was your first introduction to Khamaj, shorn of theory. He handled the Shuddha and Komal Nishads of the Raaga with a delicacy inconceivable. When you heard it first, you clutched my hand hard with your little fingers. Then I truly knew that music meant the same to you as it had meant to me!
....
....
He stopped dramatically. Then he continued in a whisper, Shadaj, extending it long and soft. Then with a jerk, he crept down, singing Komal Nishad, like the bending branch of a Mango tree! He approached the note and seemed to study it from all angles – literally! He bent this way and that, stood up and looked downwards, fingers still on the harmonium. He looked sideways and then forward. He looked backwards and lowered his voice! He was possessed by the magic of the Nishads, traversing all the millions of ways in which they could be reached.
“Look”, he shouted, suddenly turning to us. “Have you seen a more exasperating and cunning Raaga? I have spent fifty years trying to master it and still it eludes me! Today I was sure I would finally learn. But it smiles and goes away! It is a whore, whom all can love and enjoy and none possess! It is a gift of the Gods!
Why do we avoid Shuddha Rishabh when so much of feeling is soaked in it? Hear the pleading, the desire, the appeal in it! Must I shed tears daily that I sing this note and no one cares?
...
...
Mother of so many Raagas, Khamaj vibrates with mysteries and beauty. Komal Nishad, shy and enchanting, never far away from its elder sister, Shuddha Nishad, much bolder and protective, with a radiant beauty that turns the head of the cows and calves nearby …. the gateway to higher octaves…ah! How I love this note! Have you not seen the animals sitting outside, unable to eat or sleep, tortured by the Nishads? Try to feed them and see them refuse…they want only the Nishads of Khamaj by which their plaintive pleas to God might be heard. Many of them have passed on, with God unmoved by their cries of agony. And, the dancing girls whose art is expressed through the pleading lyrics in Khamaj – what would their existence be like without the Nishads? The men who come to watch them dance and sing and then come to them – they have been seduced by the Nishads, hapless unknowing victims, guided by Khamaj, their souls laid bare, their pasts visible to all. The doors of their chambers close and the Raaga displays itself in the higher octave. Sing they might Shadaj, Shuddha Rishabh, Shuddha Gandhar, Shuddha Madhyam and Shuddha Gandhar (Sa Re Ga Ma Ga), but they turn and look at the sisters, who in turn look at each other and smile. And so the men seek them, but the enchanting Nishads turn away, pointing instead at the images of God on the walls.
...
...
We stood up and quietly left. It was true; a small collection of cows and dogs stood outside silently, listening, their eyes closed. We walked past them respectfully. We said not a word as we walked back to Mishraji’s home. And though we went to many other concerts over the next few days, this experience remained with us throughout.
We returned to our little town, with Khamaj following. And as you grew up and I watched you, it seemed that Khamaj had left a lasting impression, colouring everything you said or did. You became more sensitive, more mature, wiser, and more beautiful.
These brothers have revived an ancient form and popularized it. Students of one pair of the Dagar brothers, they have innovated as well, using the poems of Tulsidas and others in new Dhrupad compositions.
Anyway, I had a great time - no phone, no email, no newspaper - only fresh air, silence and music. It became rapidly clear that my concepts of certain Raags - Jhinjhoti, Khamaj and Bihag were rather primitive. I now take greater care in musing over single notes rather than worry about the whole. Word has it that my violin sounds bearable now. I even ventured to learn some vocal music and exercised my rather rusted vocal cords. The human voice is certainly a better instrument than any man-made contrivance. This is best understood by listening to the Gundecha brothers glide seemingly endlessly between notes.
Music starts early in the morning with the boys singing low notes. The sounds of the Tanpura fill the building. Classes in the morning and a collective simple lunch. Many students from remote towns in India stay at the Academy on small scholarships, and - what is more gratifying - with the complete support of their families. The future of Music in India is bright.
I have to thank David for introducing me to the Gundecha Brothers.
My last day with them had Khamaj on the menu. I learnt many 'tricks' and understood a lot more. I thought I would leave extracts about Khamaj from a never-to-be-published book.
------------------------------------
My Dear Daughter,
You will read this letter only after I have gone, I know. Do not grieve. I am happy in the other world, which is full of music. If it had been otherwise, I would have returned! Of course, I shall miss you, my musical companion and most wonderful daughter. But you have your duties and must teach music to someone before you can join me so that we can be together forever, enjoying music in the place where it was created to begin with.
Have you seen the photograph of the two of us? It was in Benaras. I had always dreamed of taking you there with me where we could enjoy music. You were very young then and might have even forgotten by now. So I am going to write about it to remind you.
My greatest failing was that I never introduced you to the lovely Raaga Khamaj. I did not know it well enough and was perhaps temperamentally unsuited for it. But it seemed unfair that you should be deprived of some knowledge of this Raaga. I wanted you to hear it in Benaras, where Thumris, Tappas, Chaitis and other musical forms are almost invariably based on Khamaj.
And so, during a school vacation, I took you away. It was difficult as you will now understand. There was little money, and travel in those days was not easy. But I did it. Others did not like it but my mission was more important than the insults of others.
...
...
Then gradually, the mood shifted to music and an old man sang some old Thumris. The magic of Khamaj suddenly fell on all of us. Sinuous, winding, beautiful – the old man seemed capable of finding unexpected twists and turns in the Raaga. Just when we thought he could not possibly do anything new, he composed a new pattern, amazing himself and the audience! This was your first introduction to Khamaj, shorn of theory. He handled the Shuddha and Komal Nishads of the Raaga with a delicacy inconceivable. When you heard it first, you clutched my hand hard with your little fingers. Then I truly knew that music meant the same to you as it had meant to me!
....
....
He stopped dramatically. Then he continued in a whisper, Shadaj, extending it long and soft. Then with a jerk, he crept down, singing Komal Nishad, like the bending branch of a Mango tree! He approached the note and seemed to study it from all angles – literally! He bent this way and that, stood up and looked downwards, fingers still on the harmonium. He looked sideways and then forward. He looked backwards and lowered his voice! He was possessed by the magic of the Nishads, traversing all the millions of ways in which they could be reached.
“Look”, he shouted, suddenly turning to us. “Have you seen a more exasperating and cunning Raaga? I have spent fifty years trying to master it and still it eludes me! Today I was sure I would finally learn. But it smiles and goes away! It is a whore, whom all can love and enjoy and none possess! It is a gift of the Gods!
Why do we avoid Shuddha Rishabh when so much of feeling is soaked in it? Hear the pleading, the desire, the appeal in it! Must I shed tears daily that I sing this note and no one cares?
...
...
Mother of so many Raagas, Khamaj vibrates with mysteries and beauty. Komal Nishad, shy and enchanting, never far away from its elder sister, Shuddha Nishad, much bolder and protective, with a radiant beauty that turns the head of the cows and calves nearby …. the gateway to higher octaves…ah! How I love this note! Have you not seen the animals sitting outside, unable to eat or sleep, tortured by the Nishads? Try to feed them and see them refuse…they want only the Nishads of Khamaj by which their plaintive pleas to God might be heard. Many of them have passed on, with God unmoved by their cries of agony. And, the dancing girls whose art is expressed through the pleading lyrics in Khamaj – what would their existence be like without the Nishads? The men who come to watch them dance and sing and then come to them – they have been seduced by the Nishads, hapless unknowing victims, guided by Khamaj, their souls laid bare, their pasts visible to all. The doors of their chambers close and the Raaga displays itself in the higher octave. Sing they might Shadaj, Shuddha Rishabh, Shuddha Gandhar, Shuddha Madhyam and Shuddha Gandhar (Sa Re Ga Ma Ga), but they turn and look at the sisters, who in turn look at each other and smile. And so the men seek them, but the enchanting Nishads turn away, pointing instead at the images of God on the walls.
...
...
We stood up and quietly left. It was true; a small collection of cows and dogs stood outside silently, listening, their eyes closed. We walked past them respectfully. We said not a word as we walked back to Mishraji’s home. And though we went to many other concerts over the next few days, this experience remained with us throughout.
We returned to our little town, with Khamaj following. And as you grew up and I watched you, it seemed that Khamaj had left a lasting impression, colouring everything you said or did. You became more sensitive, more mature, wiser, and more beautiful.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Music with David Israel
My good friend David Israel is here with me these days. He's working on a Dhrupad
documentary while also practicing on his Sarangi. Now how many people do you know
who might give up everything and spend months at the Dhrupad Academy in Bhopal
learning Dhrupad from the Gundecha Brothers? Inspired by him, I plan to spend a MUCH
briefer period there, learning what little I can.
David and I have been enjoying extended music sessions for several days now. Both of us explore solitary notes together and find some nameless joy in getting a sequence right. Who will listen to us? God knows. I don't think we have any hopes of ever hitting the rock circuit and developing a crazed teenage following. But we enjoy the long and lonely CORRECT note and thats quite enough, thank you.
His Sarangi is most interesting and it responds well to his efforts. The placement of fingers is almost there, and I enjoy his discoveries of interesting movements between notes. Its fascinating. He amiably accepts tentative suggestions I make for corrections, and has not yet hurled his sarangi at me in frustration. We have explored Yaman, Bhairav, Bhupali, Bageshree, Tilak Kamod, Nand and Bhairavi, in small doses. I would certainly like to have a fraction of his open mind and intense curiosity about music and more. I have gained more from this series of musical encounters than he has, for sure.
documentary while also practicing on his Sarangi. Now how many people do you know
who might give up everything and spend months at the Dhrupad Academy in Bhopal
learning Dhrupad from the Gundecha Brothers? Inspired by him, I plan to spend a MUCH
briefer period there, learning what little I can.
David and I have been enjoying extended music sessions for several days now. Both of us explore solitary notes together and find some nameless joy in getting a sequence right. Who will listen to us? God knows. I don't think we have any hopes of ever hitting the rock circuit and developing a crazed teenage following. But we enjoy the long and lonely CORRECT note and thats quite enough, thank you.
His Sarangi is most interesting and it responds well to his efforts. The placement of fingers is almost there, and I enjoy his discoveries of interesting movements between notes. Its fascinating. He amiably accepts tentative suggestions I make for corrections, and has not yet hurled his sarangi at me in frustration. We have explored Yaman, Bhairav, Bhupali, Bageshree, Tilak Kamod, Nand and Bhairavi, in small doses. I would certainly like to have a fraction of his open mind and intense curiosity about music and more. I have gained more from this series of musical encounters than he has, for sure.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Yaman - The Infinite
Yaman is a very sweet and popular evening Raaga. It is very vast
and can be explored endlessly without getting bored. Many teachers
start off their students with this Raaga, though that is not true in
Carnatic music where the Raaga of choice is Mayamalawagowla.
Evening Raagas employ the Teevra (Sharp) Madhyam for good effect.
The beauty of Yaman is the invisible presence of this note without
it actually being played till much later, thus building up a climax
of sorts. The eventual playing of this note brings great relief
and relaxation as though heralding the close of a long day.
In Yaman Kalyan, we see the presence of both Madhyams. Another
popular Raaga is Yamani Bilawal. This is an evergreen Raaga easily
deployed in Ghazals, Light Music and more.
Here is a description from an unknown book
"And so it refers to Pancham and begins again. Yaman floats within
and without. And like the pearl that Shuddha Nishad and Shuddha
Rishab hid, I see Teevra Madhyam! Present in its own absence, glittering
when invoked, I bow to this note. Tears have flown down from unseeing
eyes, ecstatic with happiness. My feet disappear, my legs grow numb,
and my hands waste away. I do not know what is above or below, left
or right. Nothing has meaning anymore, because everything now is
understood. I float in a pool of music. There is no thought of an end,
of the passage of time. God has mercy on me now and allows Pancham and
Shuddha Gandhar to veil this note again. And with a slow flourish,
the explanation for this act of mercy is given: Shuddha Nishad,
Shuddha Rishabh, Pancham, Shuddha Rishabh and Shadaj!
My daughter lies asleep in my bed, an unnatural glow radiating from her.
Her innocent heart has heard and understood Yaman better than I possibly
could. I look at her with loving pride.
The movement of life has altered my ability to understand music and where
I find references to reality in music and perhaps miss the point altogether,
she easily understands grander things without being awed!
Is there now a rhythm, a cadence? My heart mimics it in vain, hoping to
understand Yaman this way. My eyelids grow heavy; my ability to think has
been taken away. The notes of Yaman reduce everything to irrelevance.
Can I understand Shuddha Gandhar? Can I understand its twin, Shuddha Nishad?
My blood runs cold for a second as a fleeting understanding invades my
soul. Finding me unable to withstand its import, ignorance floods in again
and I feel only the peace that I can handle without any destruction. I
lift my numb arms to heaven, in hopelessness. Oh God! Why did you do this?
I see a smile on my sleeping daughter's face. Then she shifts in her sleep
and turns her face away from mine. God has spoken through her again and I
have been spared. The echoes of Yaman must diminish to a level I can
withstand."
Listen to Yaman
Shubra Guha - Yaman Kalyan
Rashid Khan
Girija Devi
Shujaat Hussain Khan (Sitar - very classy) Yaman Kalyan
Steve Gorn (yes!) Flute
Imdad Khan
Amir Khan
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
Mohammad Hussain Sarahang
Aminuddin Dagar
Nasseruddin Sami
Ustad Halim Jaffar Khan - Yaman Kalyan
Malini Rajurkar
Pannalal Ghosh - the Definitive
D K Datar
Mehdi Hasan
Film Songs
One Two Three Four
Five Six Seven Eight
Cordially
VM
Monday, February 12, 2007
Drugged by Darbari
Drugged by Darbari
One speculates on the hypnotic power of music to create
mirages in the mind. Times of the day, intangible emotions
like love, sorrow and romance, seasons ... sound does it
all. Indian Classical Music has gone deep into the matter
and produced theory and practice that is thrilling though
ultimately dissatisfying (because its never enough).
Darbari is a Raag that alludes to the court or the Darbar.
Its expression should recreate the ambience of a Royal Court
with pomp and grandeur. And in fact it does. How?
Its root, oddly, is from the Asavary "Thaat". Odd because
Asavary hails from the morning while Darbari is a
distinctly night Raag. But those are the oddities of the
weaker Taxonomy of Hindustani Classical Music, as compared
to the uncompromisingly more rigorous and scientific Carnatic
system. I digress.
The story is that Tansen, the court musician of Emperor
Akbar, created the Raag. Sounds plausible. The key to this Raag
is the undulating "Dhaivat" a note that should be slow and
leisurely, especially in the lower octave. That is, the
"slope" between the dhaivaths needs to be very very low. It
is this expression of the note that causes a sense of
ponderous weight and therefore creates the atmosphere of a
court. Other signature groups are Nishad-Pancham,
Gandhar-Madhyam-Rishab-Shadaj.
Darbari is also referred to as "Darbari Kanada". Thats
because it also possesses a particular movement of the
Gandhars that is specific to what is the called the Kanada-
'ang'. Thats what you'll find common between Kausi Kanada, Abhogi
Kanada, Bageshri Kanada, Gara Kanada and Nayaki Kanada.
Nayaki Kanada is Darbari Kanada minus the Dhaivath, a
mystifying matter, but pretty effective. Its cadence is faster
and its exposition is in the middle octave.
Across the octave, transcending space and time, is Raag Adana,
popularized by Vani Jairam in this song.
So sit back and be the Emperor of all you survey. Listen to
Raag Darbari Kanada.
1. (Faster than I might have liked, but who am I to
challenge this genius?) Faiyaz Khan
2. (The right tempo) Mashkoor Ali Khan
3. Ajay Chakrabarty
4. Adana by Mashkoor Ali Khan
5. Shakoor Khan
6. Alla Rakha - Sarangi
7. Adana by Amanat Ali and Fateh Ali
8. Darbari by the same
9. Sarod by Amjad Ali Khan
10. The MOST wonderful Darbari Flute you can ever hope to
hear. Pannalal Ghosh.
11. An odd mixture of the South and the North
12. A version by Jagjit Singh (not bad at all)
13. Salamat and Nazakat - consider death. Its a good idea.
14. John Higgins via the Carnatic angle.
Notice that women hardly ever sing this Raag. It does need
a deep and low voice for better effect. But Adana works well
for women artistes.
Regards
VM
ps: I know nothing about Classical Music. You can write
whatever you see above if you have the patience and desire to.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Malkauns - The King of Raagas
Music: Malkauns, the King of Raagas
There are some Raagas of such great depth that mere lifetimes
reveal next to nothing. Bhairavi is one such and so are Marwa,
Shree and Darbari.
But Malkauns....if honey were to be distilled into music,
it would result in Malkauns. Such is the spectacular greatness
of this Raaga, such is its haunting addictive quality that
the body and mind writhe in agony, unable to tolerate
sheer wonder of such magnitude.
Here is Malkauns.
Why so? There are so many Pentatonic Raags. None produce
the narcotic effect as pronounced as Malkauns. A nearby Raaga,
Chandrakauns, is a mere half note away and cannot reach as
soul-plumbing depths, though it is brilliant. The sustained
genius of Raaga Malkauns may perhaps reside in the flattened
Gandhar, Madhyam, Dhaivat and Nishad. But of what use is
such analysis? If music goads the spirit towards spiritual
release, then listen only to this Raaga.
A performance can analyze the approach to each note from
countless directions, revealing new roads and new wonders.
I recall the lovely sight of the late Pandit Shymal Bose
demonstrating a fascinating composition in Malkauns to me
many years ago in his flat in Kolkata. Mathematics,
melody...how wonderful it was. His right hand waved gently
in the air as he followed notes as they emerged.
There was no Tanpura, no tabla. And how fantastic it was.
Only Kumar Gandharva made the bold attempt to introduce
the note Pancham in Malkauns but it is not possible for
most musicians to do so and get away with it.
Here is an extract from an my book, describing Malkauns
I rule over the emotions. I cause the deepest and gravest
feelings to swirl slowly around you, just as the Milky
Way with millions of stars moves imperceptibly around a
central point.
Komal Dhaivat gives peace, calm and order to the troubled
turbulent mind. The movement between notes is slow and
gradual, like an elephant bearing me as I survey my
Kingdom of lesser Raags. Each note blends into the next
without breaking. All that I do must show reason.
Nothing capricious can exist when I am sung.
Sing every note slowly and peacefully. All manner
of existence come to me with their own tale of sorrow
or joy and all are consumed within me. And so to one
I can appear to describe the flowers in a garden. To
another I seem to describe Nataraj performing his
shattering Tandav Nritya. To yet another, I describe
the beauty of the night. I am mature, all knowing,
suffused in wisdom from aeons past.
Listen to more Malkauns compositions
Here's one
A Sarangi piece
Another one
Another One.
The Ultimate
My best wishes to all of you in 2007. May Malkauns be with you.
Cordially
VM
Friday, October 20, 2006
Pandit Jog this Diwali
Today, for some reason, my thoughts have been full of my late
Guru, Pandit V G Jog. And someone dropped by out of the blue
after several years and handed me a CD of a couple of his All
India Radio recordings.
In articles about Gurus and other legendary figures, I have
observed that the writer often hints of himself or herself
as the Chosen One. Since I wasn't the Chosen One, that should
not be a problem. But bear with me if I mention myself a
couple of times if its relevant to the tale.
Pandit Jog was a wonderful man. He was born on February 14
1922 in Bombay. His mother was the first musical influence
on him, if I recall right. Thereafter, after learning vocal,
tabla and harmonium, he gravitated towards the violin and
made it big. I'll skip information you can easily find on
the net. Let me focus on the man and the Guru.
The difficulty with this man was that he could not turn away
students. His tiny music room in Kolkata was always full of
admirers and students and unknown drifters. The image that
remains is of a short, stout man sitting on a sofa, guiding
a student (or two) or writing sequences of notes endlessly.
A talkative and social man, you could always expect a joke
or amusing anecdote from him. He suffered fools (like me)
and lived a life immersed in an ocean of music not available
to us.
He would take students on stage and actually give lessons
in real time. There was no possibility of making errors.
That tenuous link of student and guru was possibly invisible
to everyone else; something ethereal marked the moment. A
communique via notes, via silence, a deliberately missed beat
...how can one explain that? Such magical moments are beyond
private - they are divine. Needless to say, the times I
played with him in public remain cherished memories, not so
much because I played in public but that he had faith in me.
I am sure my other fellow students had the same thoughts
when he called upon them.
Sometimes its tiresome to read endless praises about
someone. On the other hand, its easy to write endlessly
about someone one really loved and admired. I loved him
very much and he loved me in turn, as he loved all his
students. His brilliance as a teacher was mindblowing.
A gesture, an inflection in voice, a sudden digression
to explain an analog elsewhere; it was easy to be conned
into believing it was purely logical and simple. Such were
his subtle hints about Gara and Jaijaiwanti, the links between
Maru Bihag, Hamir, Alhaiya Bilawal, Gaur Sarang and more,
Bilaskhani Todi and Bhairavi. It does not matter that he
has gone, everything is vivid and will go when I do. The
foulest student could be polished into a maestro by such
a teacher.
I have avoided saying anything personal to which I was
privy. But I cannot help recalling with deep sorrow his
last painful years. It happened that I was in Kolkata as
he was sinking (though not at the end). Much was exchanged
as he drifted in and out of consciousness. His bright eyes
smiled for him as nature went ahead with her plans.
I was very lucky, of that I have no doubt. Guru, musician,
gentleman all rolled in one. That was Pandit Jog, whose
violin's sweet notes still remain in my heart. I wish
everyone the same fortune this Diwali.
I leave you with his Bhairavi.
Cordially
VM
The Colours of Jhinjhoti
I borrowed that title from a mind-blowing album of the same
name by the late Ustad Vilayat Khan.
I often hear deeply wrenching Raagas that leave me baffled.
Simple scales, a complex seeding of emotions in its patterns,
an infuriating dead-end in its analysis…well, you've got to
be there to really understand, otherwise I probably seem to
be talking nonsense.
Jhinjhoti is a fantastic Raaga that can cause a lot of
distress. Two other Raagas that do the same to me are
Charukesi and
Bhairavi but that's not for now.
Here is Jhinjhoti by Shubra Guha. Notice how the composition
is "off-beat" and also ends on the Shuddha Gandhar, talked
about below.
Nevertheless, let's move on. Jhinjhoti belongs to the
Khamaj root. Saying so implies the existence of Komal Nishaad,
which is certainly the case. Shuddha Nishaad is rare,
though it can show up. But the pivot is Shuddha Gandhar.
Like a powerful magnet, it attracts all patterns a musician
might want to create such that the emphasis is on that
note again and again. You just can't get away from it.
Many Raags have this 'annoying' problem and some mistake
it for a weary repetitiveness, which is far from the case.
Shuddha Gandhar has a powerful magic in many Raagas that
causes it seem almost primordial. It happens to be my
favourite note. You'll find its beauty in Charukesi too.
In Jhinjhoti, the note's beautiful counterpoint is the
drooping Komal Nishaad, though some would argue its the
Shuddha Dhaivat.
Like other Raags that sound good in a particular octave,
Jhinjhoti is beautiful in the middle one, that which comes
naturally.
This seems a particular favourite of the Vilayat Khan clan,
I think. I have heard pieces by Imrat Khan and others too.
I have a wonderful delicate Jhinjhoti piece of the late
Pandit Jog and Zakir Hussain which never fails to bring
tears to my eyes.
Here are examples
- N. Rajam
- Hari Prasad Chaurasia
- Roshanara Begum
- Abdul Karim Khan
- A nice intro
- A Jhinjhoti mix from Mere Mehboob - click on the first one
- Something from Kishore Kumar - click on the last one
- Mehdi Hasan
I do speak of Jhinjhoti in the penultimate chapter of my
book "What the Raags told me" where I try to describe it
is the Raaga of Memories. That's why the title "Colours
of Jhinjhoti" also made perfect sense. There is truly a
huge variety of emotions that Jhinjhoti describes well;
you'll see it in plenty of Thumris, for example. For
that reason, a lot of people feels it's a 'light' Raaga,
though I personally do not think so. Maybe it just shows
how versatile it is.
Enjoy Jhinjhoti, the Raaga of Memories!
VM
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
I won my case against Valley School
Fourth Additional District Consumers Disputes Redressal Forum
Bangalore Urban District
Sahakara Bhavan
Cunningham Road
Bangalore 560052
31-May-2006
Sri Siddanagoud, President and C. Ramachandrappa, Member allowed complaint 1648/2005
by Vasudev Murthy against the Valley School, KFI, Haridvanam, Thatguni, Bangalore 560062 for recovery of Rs. 25,000 with costs.
Contact me if you want to know more.
Bangalore Urban District
Sahakara Bhavan
Cunningham Road
Bangalore 560052
31-May-2006
Sri Siddanagoud, President and C. Ramachandrappa, Member allowed complaint 1648/2005
by Vasudev Murthy against the Valley School, KFI, Haridvanam, Thatguni, Bangalore 560062 for recovery of Rs. 25,000 with costs.
Contact me if you want to know more.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
'Small' Raagas
Small Raagas
There are a few Raagas which may be called 'small', for lack of
a better term. 'Limiting' might be another word option, but that
would wrong as well.
These Raagas have an implosive quality which tend to force a
performer to sound cramped. Playing this for more than a short
period causes a sense of deja vue, because it sounds like the
same sequence of notes is being repeated again and again. This
may be a flaw of the performer too, true, but something undefinable
in the Raaga serves to make it sound best when performed for brief
periods.
This is not a function of a number of the notes in the Raaga
at all; Malkauns and Bhupali are oceans despite having limited
notes. It may be a reflection of the movement within a Raaga;
you can only do so much.
Here are a few examples
Dhaani
This Raaga is a short step away from Bhimpalasi, a vast Raaga.
Dhaani misses the Dhaivat and so the rendition of the Raag is
fraught with the danger of a performer slipping in that note,
because its so tempting. Listen to Bhimpalasi first; Click on
the last option 'Prabhu Tero Naam'.
(Bhimpalasi is a deeply moving Raaga - I read somewhere that
Ali Akbar Khan said it could make even animals cry. The structure
of Bhimpalasi is here. )
Kirwani
A migrant from Carnatic Music, its become quite popular in the
Hindustani realm. Here is the formal scale.
On the violin, its a real challenge. That's because, if your
violin is tuned as S-P-S-P, shifting between strings causes
continuous changes in the middle and ring fingers. Hard to
explain. Nevertheless, its a lovely and deeply pleasing Raaga
and very exciting. Its quite popular in Marathi Natya Sangeet
Here are a few examples
- Example 1
- Example 2 (Nikhil Banerjee - what a guy!!)
- Example 3
- Example 4 - Yaad na jaaye beete dinon ki
- Example 5 - Pandit V G Jog. This brings back memories of the
very first time I accompanied him in Dallas, circa 1992
Kalavati
A sweet Raaga, here's a rendition by Amir Khan.
Here's an example by Shiv Kumar Sharma.
And a classical Hindi film (a tiny sample) favourite.
Slightly away is a Janasammohini;
Here is a lovely song in the Raaga.
Shivaranjani
Okay, this is easy. Here's the structure.
This is another popular Raaga and used frequently in film
songs. It gets a bit tedious because it gets melancholy-
that's my point. We can take these only in short doses.
You'll remember the famous song from Mera Naam Joker.
Notice the wailing violin pieces. Its tough to believe
that the mere softening of a single note (Gandhar) of
the more energetic Bhupali makes this melancholy Raaga.
Mishra Shivaranjani is more amenable - the 'Mishra'
implying the mixing of foreign notes for effect.
Here's Shiv Kumar Sharma again.
Maand
Is this a small Raaga? Its difficult to make the claim except
to say that this is a very earthy Raaga, basic to the folk tunes
of India. You'll hear this mostly as a light interlude in some
concerts.
Here's the structure.
Examples:
- Padma Talwalkar - a nice Bhajan
- Girija Devi
An extract from my book, about Raag Maand:
When the men of our land went to fight wars as soldiers for
Kings they had never seen, we prayed for them and welcomes them
back with tunes composed in me. When the rains came and the first
tender shoots of sugarcane poked inquiringly through the soil
searching for the sun, I was there. I am Raag Mand, the Raag of
Mother Earth.
Disclaimer: I know nothing about music. With a little
effort, you can write something quite similar.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Desh - Sorath - Tilak Kamod
Desh - Sorath - Tilak Kamod
In a previous post, I mused that Malhar seems to bring out the monsoon
season so swiftly. No wonder that Raaga was named such; no otherwould
have done justice to the rains.
The naming of Raagas must have been done by some very gifted and
blessed individuals. Take a look at Raaga Desh. Does the fact that the
word translates to 'country' or 'land' give the scale a patriotic tinge or
is it the other way around - that such a scale could only have been
named Desh?
Some thought leads me to believe that the extended Shuddha Nishadh
gives this Raaga a distinctive Patriotic flavour.
Here is an introduction to Desh - Shubra Guha.
The term 'pakad' (which Shubra speaks of briefly) refers to a
distinctive signature that every Raaga possesses. The awesome
Paluskar has a fantastic set of small pieces which present the
essence of each Raaga within a few seconds of beginning.
Here are more examples, each showing the power of music to
invoke (sometimes irrational) emotions in us. The Nine Rasas
(or emotions /feelings) are captured exquisitely in our music,
though of course, we would want to avoid music that invokes
fear and loathing in us (though it is possible; please visit me in
Bangalore and I shall play the violin for you. Fear will strike your
heart, he he).
- Example - the late Pandit V G Jog
- Example - Rashid Khan
- Example - Girija Devi
- Example - the late Roshanara Begum
- Example - Munir Khan
- Example - Amjad Ali Khan
- Example - Hari Prasad Chaurasia
- Example - Shamim Ahmad Khan
- A Carnatic Example - Devotional.
- Saxophone by Kadri Gopinath
Desh is not to be confused with Deshkar, which is a pentatonic
Raaga similar to Bhupali but with a devotional tinge. It should
also not be confused with Desi. Another fantastic example of
Desi is of Nikhil Banerjee.
The span of Desh works well across all octaves, unlike Malhar
or Darbari which sound more effective in the lower octaves.
Desh and Malhar blend beautifully to give us Desh Malhar; the
technicalities can be skipped. I was not able to find a sample.
Moving along, we find Sorath, a more delicate and timeless
version of Desh. Sorath is employed in Sikh Shabads to excellent
effect. Desh is more popular because it gives a more room to
manoeuver. I am not in complete agreement with the version
sung here, but Shruti Sadolikar obviously knows best.
I am quite taken by this piece by Bundu Khan.
From http://searchgurbani.com/raags/raag_sorathi.php I find
this description
This raga is sung at the third part of the night i.e., from 12 a.m.
to 3 a.m. The season of its recitation is winter (sharad) i.e.,
during October and November. In Guru Granth Sahib it has hymns
from pages 595 - 659 (64 pages).
Here is a Sikh Shabad in Sorath.
Another nice example.
Here is something I wrote about Sorath in my worst-selling book.
"How beautiful the focused, calm mind is. No thought dares disturb
the mind that has found peace through singing me. The eternal
truths are twined within every phrase you make and create within
me and they do not see the need to hide or be elusive. Why be
reborn? You can commit no evil when you sing me. Your sins melt
and drip away as you go past Nishad and into the next octave,
exploring, exploring, asking the same questions over and over and
waiting to listen to the answers again and again because they are
so clear. Your mind will dive deeper and deeper into the depths of
your soul, finding more and more and yet returning effortlessly to
the present, understanding that the restlessness of the outer world
is an illusion that has to be endured till your soul is ready to move
on from its temporary home. Your body does not seek your attention
anymore. Your mind becomes the incense for the outside world.
After singing me, listen to silence and see that there was no
difference after all."
Tilak Kamod is a great favourite of mine. This lovely Raaga is ideal
for putting babies to sleep and I remember composing a few tunes
in this Raaga when my son was small. He did not sleep too well,
unfortunately, hehe.
Tilak Kamod is quite close to Desh but has interesting variations. The
duo Pa->Sa is a signal. Re-Ma(extended)- Ga is the lullaby touch. And
so is Sa->Ni
Here are some examples
- Shubra Guha again.
- Ashwini Bhide - a nice fast piece in Ek Taal.
- Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan in a rare taal, Chachar.
- Shobha Gurtu - a wonderful Thumri
- Bhimsen Joshi
- Rais Khan shines, as always.
- The late great Pannalal Ghosh - may I die please, asap?
- Vishwa Mohan Bhat - a Lori (lullaby).
- A wonderful example by Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Here are some words I wrote on Tilak Kamod a long time ago.
The moon sighs with delight as the rays of its light gently
fall upon the face of your child. The glowing innocence on its
face is a challenge to its own beauty, and the moon smiles. It
seems as if the whispering cadence of the notes of this comforting
Raaga will never end as long as the child sleeps, with dreams
filled with flowers, colours and the ever-present love of its
parent.
Subtle differences make for unfathomable joy. The reader who has
not had the fortune of learning formally should not feel intimidated.
Plenty of listening is just as good. Do not let regrets bog you down.
Let music fill your home, car, thoughts and heart.
Cordially
VM
WARNING:
Do not be misled. I know nothing about music and cannot accept
liability for decisions or conclusions reached because you were
tricked by this article. Listen at your own risk.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Malhar
Withal, Eftsoons and Quotidian Certitudinaly, this is dedicated to our James Joyce.
A light rain in Bangalore and thoughts turn to Malhar.
This beautiful family of Raags is extremely fulfilling when heard during the monsoon. Something in Malhar captures moisture and the touch of wet earth, of grass in ecstasy as water caresses it, of trees in love with nature and fresh clean air. The birds sit quietly on branches letting the heavens bless them with water.
Malhar emerges from the Kafi thaat (root), noted for its use of both Gandhars. But the beauty is actually in the slowly undulating Nishaads; thats wherethe actual Malhar effect comes in. The cadence is slow and unhurried. The glide from one Nishaad to the other is constant but gradual, so gradual.
Played in the middle octave, Malhar is one of the most effective in capturing seasons. There are others like Basant and Hemant, true, but the association of Malhar and rain is immediate.
Here is Mian Ki Malhar by Ramakrishna Bua Vaze. A nice one by Mashkoor Ali Khan. An outstanding example on the Sarangi by Abdul Latif Khan.
Here is Ramdasi Malhar by Mashkoor Ali Khan (and a short extract from my 'book')
And then, without warning, came that brilliant movement between the two Gandhars!
Shuddha Gandhar trembled, caught between the quicksand of the Komal and the embrace of Shuddha Madhyam. Without a break, the Gandhar dipped and rose, serpentine, beautiful, glorious, brushing against the Madhyam. What joy! What wonder! The other notes seemed to hold their breath and watch, from across the other octaves. The Nishads must have asked who these usurpers were, behaving as they themselves were supposed to, but an arms length away!
I felt my father's chest shudder. His breath stopped and his heart beat faster. I looked up in alarm. His eyes were open and he was rigid. He looked down at me and exclaimed, "Did you hear? Did you hear?" And without waiting for my response, he fell back in his armchair, breathing deeply, smiling the sweetest of smiles.
And here is Surdasi Malhar (Sur Malhar) by Vinayakrao Patwardhan. And another example by Mashkoor Ali Khan.
Faster expositions, but distinctive Nishad movements; perhaps you noticed something.
We also have Anand Malhar, here by Kishori Amonkar.
Megh (Malhar) is another Rain Raag, again resting on the Nishaads, but bearing mild theoretical similarity with Brindavani Sarang.Amir Khan's Megh is here. Another example, Purnima Sen.
Bahar: This Raag is pretty much like Malhar except that it has a restless character and is executed more effectively in the upper octaves. Bahar is famous for its grafting with Basant to give Basant Bahar, a brilliant but hideously difficut Raaga to play. Another stunning example of Basant.
(Digression: Songs from that great movie Basant Bahar are here; you'll have to click selections.)
Here is Mian Ki Malhar followed by Gaur Malhar by Amir Khan. Another couple of examples of Gaur Malhar.
Shubra Guha
Buddhadeb Dasgupta
This monsoon, enjoy Malhar.
WARNING: I am not an expert. Do not follow any suggestions or misleading information here. Just enjoy, if you care to.
A light rain in Bangalore and thoughts turn to Malhar.
This beautiful family of Raags is extremely fulfilling when heard during the monsoon. Something in Malhar captures moisture and the touch of wet earth, of grass in ecstasy as water caresses it, of trees in love with nature and fresh clean air. The birds sit quietly on branches letting the heavens bless them with water.
Malhar emerges from the Kafi thaat (root), noted for its use of both Gandhars. But the beauty is actually in the slowly undulating Nishaads; thats wherethe actual Malhar effect comes in. The cadence is slow and unhurried. The glide from one Nishaad to the other is constant but gradual, so gradual.
Played in the middle octave, Malhar is one of the most effective in capturing seasons. There are others like Basant and Hemant, true, but the association of Malhar and rain is immediate.
Here is Mian Ki Malhar by Ramakrishna Bua Vaze. A nice one by Mashkoor Ali Khan. An outstanding example on the Sarangi by Abdul Latif Khan.
Here is Ramdasi Malhar by Mashkoor Ali Khan (and a short extract from my 'book')
And then, without warning, came that brilliant movement between the two Gandhars!
Shuddha Gandhar trembled, caught between the quicksand of the Komal and the embrace of Shuddha Madhyam. Without a break, the Gandhar dipped and rose, serpentine, beautiful, glorious, brushing against the Madhyam. What joy! What wonder! The other notes seemed to hold their breath and watch, from across the other octaves. The Nishads must have asked who these usurpers were, behaving as they themselves were supposed to, but an arms length away!
I felt my father's chest shudder. His breath stopped and his heart beat faster. I looked up in alarm. His eyes were open and he was rigid. He looked down at me and exclaimed, "Did you hear? Did you hear?" And without waiting for my response, he fell back in his armchair, breathing deeply, smiling the sweetest of smiles.
And here is Surdasi Malhar (Sur Malhar) by Vinayakrao Patwardhan. And another example by Mashkoor Ali Khan.
Faster expositions, but distinctive Nishad movements; perhaps you noticed something.
We also have Anand Malhar, here by Kishori Amonkar.
Megh (Malhar) is another Rain Raag, again resting on the Nishaads, but bearing mild theoretical similarity with Brindavani Sarang.Amir Khan's Megh is here. Another example, Purnima Sen.
Bahar: This Raag is pretty much like Malhar except that it has a restless character and is executed more effectively in the upper octaves. Bahar is famous for its grafting with Basant to give Basant Bahar, a brilliant but hideously difficut Raaga to play. Another stunning example of Basant.
(Digression: Songs from that great movie Basant Bahar are here; you'll have to click selections.)
Here is Mian Ki Malhar followed by Gaur Malhar by Amir Khan. Another couple of examples of Gaur Malhar.
Shubra Guha
Buddhadeb Dasgupta
This monsoon, enjoy Malhar.
WARNING: I am not an expert. Do not follow any suggestions or misleading information here. Just enjoy, if you care to.
Marwa - wah!
Here are some small extract from one of my books on Raaga Marwa, a deep and grave Raaga. Marwa is related to Sohini.
You can listen to some examples of Raaga Marwa here. Warning - its a very very grand Raaga. Contemplative to the extreme. You may no longer see the value of living.
Baksh Gullo http://sarangi.info/sarangi/vocal/bakhsh_marwa.wma
Munir Khan http://sarangi.info/sarangi/sarangi/munir_marwa2.wma
Nikhil Banerjee
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/EUXxx7czP9.As1NMvHdW/
Bhajan Sopori
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/MqXxnB_mYS.As1NMvHdW/
Rais Khan
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/c4bxHGp6ad.As1NMvHdW/
-------------------------------------------------
Father was obviously a deeply spiritual person; he saw divine plans in the infinite permutations of the notes. A true student to the end, each new discovery enthralled him and he gasped aloud like a child, even in public, when a phrase manifested itself in his mind. What must it be like, I remember thinking enviously, to be so thoroughly soaked in music, and yet find contentment in keeping it private?
In the evenings, Father and I used to stroll down to a lake about a mile away from our house. It was my special treat. Whether or not he was able to tear himself away from the obsession that ruled his life, I had him all to myself. One day it would be silence as he thought of this or the other Raaga, another day a discussion of my friends and what I had learned at school. The long walk to the lake, the half an hour or so sitting at our favourite spot feeding a few ducks and then the return just after sunset – these vignettes remained vivid in my mind as I grew. The association of his Tanpura was so strong that when he lifted me in his arms to begin the walk, I thought the sounds actually originated from him. His arms and chest seemed to vibrate with the Tanpura’s notes. In my innocence, I used to think that the Tanpura was echoing Father!
I cannot ever forget those walks. Secure in my father’s arms when very young and then walking with my hand in his as I grew, it was an experience intrinsic to my own existence. It helped me to understand him very early on. And it helped me to love that most complex and satisfying Raaga, Marwa.
Father would hum Marwa very seldom. He held it in awe and felt he should hum it only when it came to him on its own; he did not think he could evoke it himself, or that he had any right. “Such majesty!” he would say, “Much more than I can safely handle. And certainly not for a little girl like you!”
One such magical evening, when I was still small enough to be held easily by my father, we walked down the small path to our lake. Father was silent. The Tanpura within him sounded different. I pressed my ear to his chest. The Pancham had vanished, replaced by Nishad. Even the Shadaj seemed reluctant to express itself. Even I, a mere child, could detect that something was different. The canvas of the Raaga was being laid. In the sky, birds were returning to their nests after a long day. In the trees that we passed, they chirped loudly, preparing to roost.
:
:
:
“Marwa.
Deep and grand, mysterious and grave. With rules few can understand and fewer act on. Do you seek peace and tranquillity in the evening? Do you seek shelter from the heat of Life? Do you crave an existence without turbulence? Do you find wisdom in a rock, waiting patiently for aeons for a reason for its being? Then I, Marwa, command you to sing me."
:
:
:
Marwa! The evening’s signature, bidding goodbye to light while preparing for the night. How bold, how indifferent! Teevra Madhyam seems to be the source of energy, hinting at secrets and solutions. See how the water in the lake seems to be less fluid as it moves imperceptibly towards this man sitting by the edge. The trees above are almost frozen and the birds on the boughs are silenced by these notes, though the wind blows powerfully, responding to the disturbing challenge of me, Marwa. Each note within me radiates boldness, power, gravity and understanding. They challenge the mind that seeks self-control. The notes merge with each other without haste, savouring each other.
Meditate. Be still. Let your mind cease to think.
Let your mind cease.
Cease.
:
:
:
The Swans, thus far in attendance, lowered their slender necks in homage, turned and slid away silently into the water. It was almost night, and so my father got up, held my hand and we started our walk back home, in silence.
Behind me, it seemed that the still waters of the lake still hummed Marwa.
You can listen to some examples of Raaga Marwa here. Warning - its a very very grand Raaga. Contemplative to the extreme. You may no longer see the value of living.
Baksh Gullo http://sarangi.info/sarangi/vocal/bakhsh_marwa.wma
Munir Khan http://sarangi.info/sarangi/sarangi/munir_marwa2.wma
Nikhil Banerjee
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/EUXxx7czP9.As1NMvHdW/
Bhajan Sopori
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/MqXxnB_mYS.As1NMvHdW/
Rais Khan
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/c4bxHGp6ad.As1NMvHdW/
-------------------------------------------------
Father was obviously a deeply spiritual person; he saw divine plans in the infinite permutations of the notes. A true student to the end, each new discovery enthralled him and he gasped aloud like a child, even in public, when a phrase manifested itself in his mind. What must it be like, I remember thinking enviously, to be so thoroughly soaked in music, and yet find contentment in keeping it private?
In the evenings, Father and I used to stroll down to a lake about a mile away from our house. It was my special treat. Whether or not he was able to tear himself away from the obsession that ruled his life, I had him all to myself. One day it would be silence as he thought of this or the other Raaga, another day a discussion of my friends and what I had learned at school. The long walk to the lake, the half an hour or so sitting at our favourite spot feeding a few ducks and then the return just after sunset – these vignettes remained vivid in my mind as I grew. The association of his Tanpura was so strong that when he lifted me in his arms to begin the walk, I thought the sounds actually originated from him. His arms and chest seemed to vibrate with the Tanpura’s notes. In my innocence, I used to think that the Tanpura was echoing Father!
I cannot ever forget those walks. Secure in my father’s arms when very young and then walking with my hand in his as I grew, it was an experience intrinsic to my own existence. It helped me to understand him very early on. And it helped me to love that most complex and satisfying Raaga, Marwa.
Father would hum Marwa very seldom. He held it in awe and felt he should hum it only when it came to him on its own; he did not think he could evoke it himself, or that he had any right. “Such majesty!” he would say, “Much more than I can safely handle. And certainly not for a little girl like you!”
One such magical evening, when I was still small enough to be held easily by my father, we walked down the small path to our lake. Father was silent. The Tanpura within him sounded different. I pressed my ear to his chest. The Pancham had vanished, replaced by Nishad. Even the Shadaj seemed reluctant to express itself. Even I, a mere child, could detect that something was different. The canvas of the Raaga was being laid. In the sky, birds were returning to their nests after a long day. In the trees that we passed, they chirped loudly, preparing to roost.
:
:
:
“Marwa.
Deep and grand, mysterious and grave. With rules few can understand and fewer act on. Do you seek peace and tranquillity in the evening? Do you seek shelter from the heat of Life? Do you crave an existence without turbulence? Do you find wisdom in a rock, waiting patiently for aeons for a reason for its being? Then I, Marwa, command you to sing me."
:
:
:
Marwa! The evening’s signature, bidding goodbye to light while preparing for the night. How bold, how indifferent! Teevra Madhyam seems to be the source of energy, hinting at secrets and solutions. See how the water in the lake seems to be less fluid as it moves imperceptibly towards this man sitting by the edge. The trees above are almost frozen and the birds on the boughs are silenced by these notes, though the wind blows powerfully, responding to the disturbing challenge of me, Marwa. Each note within me radiates boldness, power, gravity and understanding. They challenge the mind that seeks self-control. The notes merge with each other without haste, savouring each other.
Meditate. Be still. Let your mind cease to think.
Let your mind cease.
Cease.
:
:
:
The Swans, thus far in attendance, lowered their slender necks in homage, turned and slid away silently into the water. It was almost night, and so my father got up, held my hand and we started our walk back home, in silence.
Behind me, it seemed that the still waters of the lake still hummed Marwa.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Dying Cactus
Eftsoons a harsh day
A whirlwind of unheard pain
The love of a childA piquant summer
Suppression of all desire
Fragrance of Java
Irritants withal
a chance to reconsider
The comfort of timeGlacial Summers
Winter, many drops of sweat
An imploding mind
Now time moves backwards
Filaments of lonely words
A dying cactusIridescent love
A fraying Satin blanket
A blind hate consumes
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Introduction to Eternity
Much too soon, the elegant end
arrives - detached, indifferent
to the sounds of panic
A welcoming cloak of finality
about me; mixed feelings swirl
Memories and dreams collapse.
And point
to a black hole in the future
pulling,
pulling,
pulling
And littered at the entrance,
bouquets
of black flowers,
wilting to a dark sun's
reluctant gifts.
Smoky cadavers of the good
and the kind
Trampled and pushed aside
For you see,
in death too, evil wins -
Annihilation is faster.
I shall search for them
in this darkness
Those I had met in the light
A desire mutated,
by comforting solitude.
Then I shall see, I hope
A single sharp unending tone of beauty
cleaving through the clouds
I shall hold on to it
and ride in lonely comfort
into the darkness.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Black Clouds and Haikus
Black clouds, black edges
The future, a memory
Infinite blankness
Troubled mind in grief
Blue concave shapes of sorrow
A lone eagle glides
Slippery roads glide
Mocking masks breathing contempt
Black dog licks cold feet
Echoing jeers
bounce off cold merciless walls
Blossoms in concrete
The smell of wet blood
Malevolent bubbles form
A child holds my hands
A fermenting thought
An accelerating clock
A welcoming void
How then shall this end?
cold steel disguised in soft words
The Eagle takes flight
Monday, July 03, 2006
Wat Pho in Bangkok
Wat Pho in Bangkok
The wonderful thing about many Buddhist temples (Wat/Vat) are the lovely paintings and murals on the walls, reaching to the ceiling. It takes an enormous amount of time to fully understand how the narration goes - for it is a narration, not one static painting. Wat Pho has such paintings.The Buddha itself is reclining, in the state of near death. The feet are decorated with mother of pearl and the designs have esoteric significance.
Then there is a museum with Royal Jewellery, coins and memorabilia. I was surprised to learn that the King was actually born in Boston. He is the oldest reigning monarch and the 60th anniversary of his ascension to the throne had just concluded.
We finally left, determined to reach this exotic Vegetarian restaurant called Alloy near the palace. After a lot of meandering about, we did reach it. The fare was disappointing; the staff and management were engrossed in a discussion and were not pleased to have clientele.
We left, ate Guavas and Pineapples, and retired to Peachy.
What for should we visit Bangkok?
Its a truly great city. Quite clean for the most part but
turn a corner and there'll be this amazingly filthy canal,
absolutely black, stinking to high heaven. Otherwise there
are quite a few waterways and plenty offerries and many
transport options. The people are quite nice and there's
plenty to see.So then, after an excellent time in coma at Peachy, we
decided to visit a few more sights. We had been forewarned
that there would be many confidence tricksters about.
We went down to the Chao Praya River Express dock to get
onto the ferry toTha Thien, the stop for the Wat Pho and Wat
Phre Kaew temples - and also the Palace. Along the way we
were accosted by a confidence trickster (who I asked for
directions - a mistake) who assured me that the Ferry stop
was closed and he would accompany us to the next place.
We ignored him. Sure enough, the ferry stop was right there
and functioning well.
It was a pleasant enough ride along choppy waters and we got
off without incident at Tha Thien. First stop - Wat Pho, famous
for its gold-plated reclining Buddha.
As we crossed the road to the Entrance, a gentleman accosted us.
"Wat Pho? Closed today. You come this way", he said, pointing
vaguely,far away.
We ignored him and walked on, which was good. The Wat Entrance
was Open. We bought our tickets and went in.
Here is a glimpse of the huge Reclining Buddha, an absolutely
mind boggling sight.
The wonderful thing about many Buddhist temples (Wat/Vat) are the lovely paintings and murals on the walls, reaching to the ceiling. It takes an enormous amount of time to fully understand how the narration goes - for it is a narration, not one static painting. Wat Pho has such paintings.The Buddha itself is reclining, in the state of near death. The feet are decorated with mother of pearl and the designs have esoteric significance.
I decided to take a National Geographic-suitable photo of the temple and setup the angle and spoke for some time about perspectives, light, composition etc. I finally got the frame I wanted to. I clicked.
Sadly, the batteries had run out.
I purchased very expensive batteries and returned. But now it was raining, so I failed to get that once in a lifetime shot.
Onwards to the Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, both of which happened to be nearby.
Along the way we were accosted by many individuals who offered to show us the Emerald Buddha. We strode on.
As we turned the corner heading to the entrance of the palace, we found this huge sign
Entrance to Temple of Emerald Buddha
0.0 m (<---- zero point zero metres)
We had apparently reached. It seemed credible.
A smart lady and a smart guy came up and asked us what we wanted.
"We want to see Palace and Emerald Buddha", I announced.
"Closed today", said the man, shaking his head, grieving for me. The lady clicked her tongue, disappointed for us.
"Why?" I asked.
He pointed to his watch and said "Look at time! Now ceremonies. Closed!"
He laughed a gay light laugh, rubbing it in, incredulous that I didn't know this elementary fact.
It was 11 am and it seemed a strange time for ceremonies.
The lady said "No problem. I show you Standing Buddha. I belong to Royal Palace. Don't worry. Standing Buddha that way." She pointed to an area away from the Palace.
Smelling rats, we declined the offer and strode on, feeling sad that we had missed seeing the Emerald Buddha.
But wait, right in front of us were a bunch of tourists streaming in andout of the Palace gates. I was befuddled. I inquired with the guard and he waved me in saying "Tickets inside".
So evidently we had just escaped being victims of a rather brazen scam. (On a serious note, scam artists are really doing well in Bangkok, announcing the closure of attractions and then taking you elsewhere and getting you mixed up in buying fake gems. Here is a link to a story about exactly that.)
Wat Phra Kaew is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha within the Palace Grounds. It seems to have a very interesting history, having been found centuries ago and been taken away by marauding Laotian soldiers to Vientiene and then recovered after almost three centuries. The Buddha is actually made of Green Jade, not Emerald, but the name has stuck.
The Palace is quite fantastic with way too much to describe here. Worth mentioning are the Indian legends beautifully painted on all four walls. The Ramayana is particular is very important to the Thais. Here is an example of a mural. Its a scene from Ayodhya though I don't recall what it is about.
And here is a picture of the palace from an unusual angle.
Then there is a museum with Royal Jewellery, coins and memorabilia. I was surprised to learn that the King was actually born in Boston. He is the oldest reigning monarch and the 60th anniversary of his ascension to the throne had just concluded.
We finally left, determined to reach this exotic Vegetarian restaurant called Alloy near the palace. After a lot of meandering about, we did reach it. The fare was disappointing; the staff and management were engrossed in a discussion and were not pleased to have clientele.
We left, ate Guavas and Pineapples, and retired to Peachy.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Travel Notes - Bangalore-Bangkok-Phnom Penh
Travelling to Siem Reap
Right after immigration in
On collecting your forex, IGNORE everyone who accosts you within the airport building, and head outside. You’ll find a public taxi stall, which is safer and better controlled.
Tell the guy at the counter you need to go to Mo Chit Bus Terminal and he’ll hail one of the dozens of cabs waiting and get you on the way. Mention clearly – Meter Taxi. The minimum is 35 baht. You will find that the meter would say about 100 bhat when you reach Mo Chit. You need to additionally pay 50 baht to the driver for the airport tax. On the way from the airport is a tollway that you can choose to take or not – the cab driver should ask you. He will ask you to pay 20 baht at that point.
That means that the journey from the airport to Mo Chit should have taken you about 170 Thai Bhat.
Once you get there, go INSIDE the building on the ground floor and proceed to counter 31 for the Aranyaprathet buses – this is the last town just before the border crossing into the Cambodian town of
The journey takes about 4 hours in a comfortable bus on smooth roads..
Let's assume you reach Aranyaprathet in the late evening or even at night. Head straight out of the bus station exit where you’ll see a few tuk-tuk guys waiting to pounce on you.
Your best bet is to ignore them if you are backpacking, as we did, and head due LEFT along the main road. After a longish walk of about 15 minutes, you should reach Hotel Thupthonckum (037) 21679, a large white building on your right.
The rooms are okay for the purpose and they have an adjoining little restaurant. We paid 300 baht for a double bed room.
Head out by 615 AM to the border crossing to the Cambodian town of
You should get to the crossing BEFORE it opens at
I hear Cambodian visas are easy to get at the border, but again, why take a chance. Get it before hand. Cambodian immigration seems to be modern and fairly fast. Once you are through, keep walking till you reach a small traffic island/circle. There is a free shuttle bus available to take you to the government transport area from where you should take a shared taxi to Siem Reap. A friendly Cambodian Tourism authority guy helped us to get there – free - and even put us in a shared taxi without cheating us - but that might have been our luck, so don't trust anyone. Shared taxi to Siem Reap should cost between USD 10-15 per person, or 45 for the whole taxi.
The road is extremely bad and you can be assured of at least one travel-sick co-passenger before you are through.
Though the shared taxi guy says he will drop you to your guest house, he may mysteriously say on arrival at Siem Reap (after 4 hours) that he has never heard of that place. Insist that he call them and they send their tuk-tuk guy before you exit the taxi and hand over the stub of your receipt to him (he will need that to get his money from the boss in Poipet). We stayed at a wonderful place called 
Ticket to Angkor Vat - $20 per day or $40 for 3 days. A photo is required, so take along plenty or you will have to pay quite a bit for local service. The sequence to visit Angkor Vat is usually this way
Day 0: PM: ticket formalities and issue of an ID card. Sunset at Phnom Bakhen.
Day 1: Bayon/Baphuon/Phimeanakhas/Palace of the Leper King/Terrace of Elephants/ Angkor Vat in the afternoon/evening
Day 2: Banteay Srey, East Mabon etc
Day 3: Phrea Khan etc.
Do not travel to Angkor Vat if you have a problem with heat, are not in good enough physical condition to walk very long distances in the heat and do not like heights. The stone steps in most temples are only about 6-8 inches across and ascend at a terrifying angle of 70 degrees or so. One slip and you’re gone.
50 Street 113 - Phnom Penh
Tel: (011) 854 430;
boddhitree_pp@hotmail.com
http://www.boddhitree.com
Avoid Dera Reang Seay Hotel, where we stayed the first night. Its absolutely horrible, though recommended by the PP Hotel Association or something. We ran out the very next morning and paid exactly the same amount ($10) for a much much better place (shared bathroom though with three other rooms).
A generally good idea is to hire a Tuk-Tuk for about $7 - $10 for the whole day. Always bargain.
Phnom Penh is a small town. To get from one place to another by a tuk-tuk should cost between 200o Riells to 6000 Riels (1 USD is about 4000 Cambodian Riels).
There are two main and busy markets in Phnom Penh - the old one Psar Thmey and the Russian market. You can get a lot from either of these places doing some fierce bargaining and being willing to walk away. We bought a Ta Khei, a traditional Cambodian instrument from the Central Old market.
There is a decent Indian Restaurant called Madras Cafe near the old market. Vegetarian options are few in Cambodia. Do not go by the recommendations of Lonely Planet in this department for sure. They have recommended a lousy place in PP which serves amazingly bad food.
Tuk-Tuk to the airport will cost you a standard $5 fro practically anywhere in PP. The airport is clean and modern and everything there is quite impressive. There is a $25 airport departure tax to be paid. Its 500 Baht at Bangkok.
Check out Air Asia for bargain deals ($10) between PP and Bangkok.
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