Communication through music...

Today we will talk about communication through music and how communication plays an important role in our day to day life. Communication is only possible when two or more persons are there. One who speaks, if he/she is capable of making other person understand, it is said that the communication works. In music specially in vocal music, proper understanding between the artist and the listener leads the way of successful communication.  Today I will just talk about the Indian Classical Vocal.

     The great tradition of Indian Classical Music is no more hidden from the world today. We, Indians, take pride in our rich culture and tradition. There is an easy availability of Folk Music and Classical Music in India. Of course,

Folk and Classical are meant for mass and class respectively, this is why a large amount of people taste Folk and Light Music as they relate with them easily. But this does not mean that the number of listeners in Classical Music is at all less. Indian Classical Music deals with Ragas and the Raginis. ‘Raga’ is the  heart and soul of Indian music which expresses the appropriate sentiment and mood. Forms of hindustani Classical Vocal Music such as Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Tappa, Thumri etc. In these, Dhrupad, Dhamar and Khayal are such forms by which the essence or the true flavour of the raga may properly be expressed. Tappa, Thumri etc are semi-classical forms and were included into classical concerts later on. Communication in Hindustani Classical Vocal Music comprises three factors- the performer, the listener and the music. A good performer is a good communicator always. He, besides being aware of the tradition of Hindustani Classical Music, also catches up the mood of the listeners and moulds his music accordingly. The moulding of music according to the mood of listeners makes music a good way of communication between the performer and the listener. The great poet and musician Rabindranath Tagaore says- ‘Art is never an exhibition but a revelation.’ The great hindustani classical vocalist Vidushi Kishori Amonkar says-‘ Sing to express not to impress.’ The purpose of all kinds of music is to express different moods. Similarly, every branch of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music follows this condition.

    To conclude, music is one of the few ways in which people can connect with each other without language. I remember when I had went to the Sankat Mochan Music Festival in Varanasi and Pt Jasraj was singing, many people from other countries were sitting and listening to him with their eyes closed. Even me remember everything Pt Jasraj sang that day though I was just 4 year old that time. So, this shows us how powerful is the communication through music. There’s something inside humans, and other animals, that recognises and responds to sound known as music. According to me music is even more important than language in helping people from different cultures to connect and understand one another.

 So, this is all for today and we will continue talking about music in the future posts.

वाह...उस्ताद... वाह!

जिनकी तबले की धुन पर दुनिया कहती है “वाह उस्ताद”! महज 12 साल की उम्र से ही जिन्होंने संगीत की दुनिया में अपने तबले की आवाज़ को बिखेरना शुरू कर दिया था। जिन्हें तबला विरासत में मिली है। हाँ! मैं बात कर रहा हूँ “उस्ताद ज़ाकिर हूसेन” की। १९५१ में उस्ताद अल्लाह रक्खा के घर जन्मे उस्ताद ज़ाकिर हूसेन आज तबले का पर्यायवाची बन चुके हैं। उस्ताद जी भारत में तो विख्यात हैं ही साथ ही उन्होंने दुनिया के कई कोनों में भी अपने तबले की धुन से लोगों को अभिभूत किया है। उस्ताद जीं ने अपने इंटरनेशनल करियर की शुरूआत बहुत छोटी उम्र में अमरीका से की। उन्होंने वहां

कई कॉन्सर्ट किए। उन्होंने मलयालम फिल्म वनाप्रसतम में भारतीय म्यूजिक एडवाइजर के रूप में कंपोज, परफॉर्म और एक्ट किया। इस फिल्म ने 2000 इस्तानबुल इंटरनेशनल फिल्म फेस्टिवल (टर्की), 2000 मुंबई इंटरनेशनल फिल्म फेस्टिवल (इंडिया) और 2000 नेशनल फिल्म अवॉर्ड (इंडिया) जीता। इन्हें सन २००२ (2002) में भारत सरकार द्वारा कला के क्षेत्र में पद्म भूषण से भी सम्मानित किया जा चुका है। उस्ताद ज़ाकिर हूसेन ने अपनी शिक्षा सेंट ज़ेवीअर कॉलेज मुंबई से पूरी की है। बचपन में उस्ताद जी के पिताजी उन्हें पखावज की तालीम दिया करते थे। उस्ताद जी तबले के पंजाब  घराने से आते हैं। एक इंटर्व्यू में जब उस्ताद जी से पूछा गया की उन्हें तबले के अलवा और कौन से वाद्य पसंद हैं तो उन्होंने जवाब दिया कि उन्हें पीऐनो भी बहुत पसंद है। उस्ताद जी ने दुनिया भर के नाम- चीन कलाकारों के साथ यादगार प्रस्तुतियाँ दीं हैं। मुझे उस्ताद जी और पंडित जसराज की जुगलबंदी सबसे ज़्यादा पसंद है।
अगर बात करें उस्ताद जी की तबले की धुन से तो वे ट्रेन की चलने की आवाज़ से ले कर घोड़े की दौड़ने की आवाज़ तक तबले से निकाल सकते हैं। मुझे अभी तक उन्हें सामने से सुनने का सौभाग्य नहीं मिला है किंतु, मैं उनकी जितनी रिकॉर्डिंग सुनता हूँ उतना ही उन्हें सामने से सुनने की इच्छा बढ़ती जाती है।
    उस्ताद जी की उपलब्धियां एक पन्ने में समेटने लायक नहीं है इसलिय आज के लिए बस इतना ही। आगे फिर मिलेंगे और संगीत पर चर्चा जारी रखेंगे।।

Orientation at Xavier University...

The Xavier University is set in the outskirts of Bhubaneshwar. The campus of the college is enough to make a student want to be a part of this institution. Managed by the Jesuit Educational Society the university is one of the most premier institution in the country. 

    I feel myself lucky to be a student at this university. I joined the Xavier School of

Communications to fulfil my dreams of becoming a journalist and writing about the rich tradition and ethos of the indian culture. Since I have been a regular blogger for about last couple of years so I have an inclination towards becoming a print journalist. 

  Coming to the initial day of me coming to the university. It was really a well planned program for the orientation to welcome the new comers to the Xavier School of Communications. The day started with we getting roses from the senior students of this school. Later some photographs of we freshers were clicked so that it remains in our memory for whole of our life. Now we were asked to enter the class room for the start of the formal function of the orientation. A formal welcome speech for us was conveyed by the Dean and then Fr. Tony acquainted us with the goals of the University and in a very simple way he described the university’s logos and symbols. After that a small break was given to us and then there was formal lightning of the lamp by the VC of University and the special guest the MD of Orissa TV Ms Jagi Mangal Panda. Ms Panda tried explaining us about the wonderful career we could have in the field of communications and she also told us few things how one can be a successful media person. Later we interacted with the seniors of our course. And it was the time for lunch and the session ended. The second session started with the Dean explaining us the Manual Of Polices we need to follow for the whole year. Then, there was a session on future perspectives of media industry by Prof. Raj Kishore Patra. He with his stats and datas tried explaining us how the media is growing in the present years. By the time we were tired  and just wanted to return back to our hostels but then there was a session with Prof Vijay titled “Lets Play”. In this session Prof Vijay divided the whole batch into two groups and made us play few simple games. This session was really enjoyed by every individual new comer. Even the Prof. promised some gifts for the winning team. This is how the first day of our orientation ended. 

     The second day of our orientation started with we being asked to speak about ourselves in front of the camera. For me it was really tough to do since I have always been phobic to speak in front of camera that too in front of the batch mates as audiences. Some how I managed to speak and the session ended with Prof. Nadira Khatun acquainting us with how to speak out our thoughts in a creative way.After that we were taken for the tour of the rich library of the university. I really found some of the amazing books there and I am looking forward to read them during my stay at the campus. Then we were brought back to the class and it was the time for the orientation to end and Fr Lourduraj, the dean said the final words for the orientation ceremony to end. It was really great to be the part of the orientation ceremony. I look forward for my stay at the campus in the coming years.