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.

Yoga & Music...

"Music proves that we are more than physical beings, music is evidence of our divinity." Music is considered divine in whole world be it the Indian culture or the Western Culture. Music provides human mind such peace and tranquility which nothing else can provide.
 On the other hand, Yoga a 5000 year old spiritual science is now considered one of the essential path to lead a happy and healthy life. Today is 21st of June and today we celebrate two important events-" World Music Day" and "International Yoga Day". On December 11 in 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. On the other hand the concept of a united day for musicians to mark summer solstice was first proposed by American artiste Joel Cohen back in 1976. But it was France that first incorporated World Music Day as a day of national importance, which was later adopted by many countries.
         It's proven that Yoga has physical benefits such as increased flexibility, improved cardio and circulatory health, improved respiration, among many others. Aside from physical benefits, Yoga also helps manage stress by the power of meditation and breathing.  Music is also a creative tool to improve and develop the mental and physical well being of a person. " Music is a way of expressing

our experiences. Music is a way of outward activity and inward activity”  (According to Music Therapy Association of British Columbia). Like the different aasanas in yoga have different effects on our body so in the case with the Indian music; different raagas have different effect on our body. Raaga Gurjari Todi has a capacity to cool down the liver and Raga  Gurjari Todi and Yaman has a power of sustenance. Both raagas have a power to stabilize the wandering attention  which is very important for the meditation. Raaga Abhogi helps  to  stimulate the digestion process. Raaga Bhairav and Durga have a power of divine bliss and  protection. Raaga Jaijaiwanti helps to  controls five sense organs. Raag Malhar is useful in the treatment of asthma and sunstroke.Music  can bring a person to tears. It can make a person laugh. Most definitely, it is our world’s purest universal language.
    On the other hand Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation for relaxation.Yoga may help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and lower your heart rate. Like music  yoga also has many physical benefits such as increased flexibility, improved cardio and circulatory health, improved respiration, and many others. Since time immemorial music has ran in the veins of humans. The first musical instrument was the human voice.
Now we have come to the end of the article. To conclude, in the fast moving world where stress has become a part of the lifestyle of most of the people, yoga and music can be a great instrument for eliminating stress and inducing peace in the human minds.

Western Music...

Whichever be the music. Be it the Indian Music or the Western Music each one of them is based on melody and rhythm. But there are certain differences in these music forms. Lets elaborate some distinct distinction between the two popular form of music.
   The first is based on melody-single notes played in a given order, while the second is harmonic: a group of notes called chords played simultaneously. Western music may be defined as organized instrumentation and sound created and produced in Europe, the United States, and other societies established and shaped by European

immigrants. This includes a wide range of musical genres, from classical music and jazz to rock and roll and country-western music. The late Dr. Rabindranath Tagore who was a musician himself and knew both the systems put it this way: "The world by day is like Europeans music-a flowing concourse of vast harmony, composed of concord and discord and many disconnected fragments. And the night world is our Indian music: one purem deep and tender raga.Our music draws the listener away beyond the limits of every day human joys and sorrows and takes us to the lonely region of renunciation which lies at the root of the universe, while European music leads us to a variegated dance through the endless rise and fall of human grief and joy.” Basically Indian music evokes a spiritual sentiment and discipline in a person. Vocal singing is an act of worship and not the display of mastery over raga-technique. In the West, the singing of a song is a formal exercise, not involving devotion like the Indian Music. Guru-shishya tradition is responsible for the deep attachment and dedication of the student to the teacher. In the West, usually a music teacher is just a person hired for giving lessons and there is no a relation of guru-shishya between the teacher and the student.
Indian music, like Western music, is based on melody and rhythm, but it has no foundation of harmony like the western music. The Indian system is horizontal, one note following the other, while the European is vertical-several notes at a time. Yehudi Menuhin, the noted composer and musicologist, highlights the difference between the two systems by describing Indian music thus: "The appreciate Indian music, one has to adopt a completely different sense of values... one must orientate oneself and at least for the period concerned, forget there is a time-clock ticking away and merely sink into a kind of subjective, almost hypnotic trance. In that condition, the repetitive features of Indian music, both rhythmic and melodic, acquire an extraordinary fascination and charm... despite the domination of this hypnotic mood, a characteristic of Indian music is that far from deadening the intellect, it actively liberates the mind."The popularity of western movies (singing or no singing) and cowboy music had died down by the '60s. However, contemporary western artists like Ian Tyson, Riders in the Sky, and Tom Russell still enjoy cowboy festivals (featuring both poetry and music) attract surprisingly large and enthusiastic crowds.

Jaipur Gharana...

There is a rich tradition of Gharanas in classical Hindustani music. The music Gharanas are also called styles. These schools or Gharanas have their unique styles in the traditional mode of musical training and education. Every Gharana has its own distinct features. The main area of difference between Gharanas is the manner in which the notes are sung. The concept of a Guru- Shishya parampara leads to the development of Gharanas.
         It is considered that this gharana was brought to life by Ustaad Alladiya Khan. Ustaad Alladiya

Ustaad Alladiya Khan

Khan was a resident of Uniyara, a small place in Rajasthan. His forefathers were also musicians. They were dhrupadiyas. But Ustaad ji himself started singing khayals and he taught his sons and disciples khayal. His main disciples were his famous younger brother Haider Khan, Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale and his own sons. It is said that the gayaki of his forefathers were similar to that of the gwalior gharana gayaki. It is also said that Ustad Ji himself sang his fore fathers' gayaki at younger age, it was later that he switched to khayal gayaki. Ustad Jee would practice for so long time that his voice started to crack. Everyone started believing that he could not continue singing anymore. But he went to jodhpur and a hakim treated him and gradually his voice started becoming like before. Since, he was treated in the state of Rajasthan so he named the gharana "Jaipur gharana".
    The gharana which gave our country some of the finest musicians like Vidushi Kishori Amonkar, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Vidushi Kesarbai Kerkar and many more
   Now lets talk about the gayaki of this gharana. What are it's specialties? The gharana is characterised by the low tempo aalapchari like dhrupad. It is also known for the small bol tans. In Jaipur gayaki the words of bandishes are pronounced with so much of sweetness that the listeners are instantly connected to the singer. Not only are the notes sung in rhythm with the taal but progress between the matras (beats) is in fractions of quarters and one-eighths. While being mindful of so many factors, musicians of this gharana still have a graceful way of arriving at the sam without having matras to spare!  At last I would conclude with these lines that very few gharanas pay so much attention to the esthetics and laykaari in singing bol-alaaps and bol-taans Jaipur gharana is one of them which has paid such attention.

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गिरिजा...

वाणी प्रकाशन से प्रकाशित "गिरिजा" नामक पुस्तक जिसको की श्री यतीन्द्र मिश्र जी ने लिखा है, एक बेहद सरल और रोचक ढंग से लिखा विदुषी गिरजा देवी जी के व्यक्तित्व पर आधारित एक पुस्तक है। 

    विदुषी गिरजा देवी जी के व्यक्तित्व के कई आयामों के बारे में बताया है लेखक ने।पुस्तक में गिरजा देवी जी के पान खाने की आदत से ले कर, उनके बचपन की कई क़िस्सों तक की बातें की गई है। 

   शुरुआत में लेखक ने गिरजा देवी जी की बनारस वाली आवास का चर्चा किया है की वहाँ कैसा माहौल होता था जब गिरजा देवी जीं रियाज़ करती थीं अथवा अपने विद्यार्थियों को संगीत की तालीम दिया करती थीं।इस पुस्तक में इनकी गाई गयीं कई चर्चित बंदिशों की भी चर्चा है जैसे- अप्पा की गाई बहुप्रशंसित चैती- "एहीं ठैंया मोतिया हेराय गईली रामा, कहवाँ मैं ढूढूँ"।गिरजा देवी जीं जिन गायकों अवं गायिकाओं से प्रेरित थी उनमें डी॰वी॰ पलुसकर, केसरबाई केरकर, रसूलन बाई जैसे दिग्गज मजूद हैं। इस पुस्तक में गिरजा देवी ने यह भी बताया है की क्यों वे इन दिग्गजों से प्रभावित थीं। अप्पा के तालीम देने की तरीक़े के बारे में भी बताया गया है,कैसे वे बंदिश की अदाएगी के बारे अपने शिस्यों को बड़े प्यार से समझाती हैं।दादरा, टप्पा , ख़याल, ध्रुपद, धम्मार सभी विधाओं की तालीम देती हैं अप्पा। गिरजा देवी जीं के लिए कोई भी राग ज़्यादा प्रिय नहीं, किंतु वे राग भैरव को सबसे अधिक गातीं हैं। उन्हें भैरव में गाई जाने वालीं बंदिशें बेहद पसंद हैं। अप्पा को काशी प्रिय है और वे शिव जी की उपासिका हैं। और मान्यता ऐसी है की भगवान शिव की प्रिय राग भैरव है इसलिए गिरजा देवी जी को भी यह राग से काफ़ी लगाव है। गिरजा देवी जीं का मानना है कि गायन में भावों की सरलता ही उनकी गायकी को सबसे भिन्न बनाती है। ऐसी कई बातें हैं इस पुस्तक में विदुषी गिरजा देवी जीं के बारे में जो पहली बार हम जैसे संगीत-प्रेमी के सामने आयीं हैं इस पुस्तक के माध्यम से।

   पुस्तक के अंतिम भाग में विदुषी गिरजा देवी जी से लेखक की वार्तालाप है, जिसमें अप्पा जी ने अपने बारे में कई रोचक बातें बताईं हैं। लोक गायन से लेकर शास्त्रीय गायक तक, गुरु- शिष्य परम्परा से लेकर अप्पा की पसंदीदा बंदिशों तक सभी पर चर्चा की गयी हैं इस वार्तालाप में।

  हर संगीत प्रेमी को निश्चित ही इस पुस्तक को पढ़ना चाहिए। बहुत कुछ नया जानने को मिल सकता है इस दिग्गज विदुषी और शास्त्रीय संगीत के विषय में।।