To the citizens of the world!

Varied attires, zillions of languages and trillion dialects, beaches with the golden sun on one hand and snow treated mountain ranges on the other, brown skins and blonde locks, recital of the Holy Quran, or the Bible, SareGaMa or DoReMiFa, Persian Poetry on the one hand, and Roman richness in the literature on the other...
But wait a second…means of expression, of communion with God, through prayers and Music, and through
the mighty word…
Well, if you are wondering why I have back-packed my article through the world, and spent quarter of a page trying to make sense, then it’s because, I have been just wondering about the myriad ways in which all of creation differs from one another, but wondering all the more about the obvious ways in which all of it
is one and the same!!
Since this edition of our newsletter has been dedicated to marvel at the multi cultural diversity that exists all around us, I would also like to take this opportunity to revel at how this diversity has been witnessed by all of us at junctures of all sorts (especially, since we have had the opportunity to work in such an environment here), and how it has always been a culturally stimulating and enriching experience.
If a vibrant ‘Hola!’ from a Spanish damsel can make your day, then it’s equally heartening to hear a ‘ohayoou gozaimasu’ in the land of the rising sun. And, while ‘Marhaban’ might sound like
the next farah-khan-choreographedkatrina-kaif-starring masquerade, it is also used to ‘hello’ each other in the Arab parts of the world!
Similarly, another aspect that inevitably comes to mind while talking about cultures is art, which spans the entire history of humankind, from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century. From Michel Angelo’s magnum opus ‘Sistine Chapel’ and Picasso’s masterpieces, to Waris Shah’s ‘Heer’ and Shakespeare’s
Macbeth, and to Cameron’s ‘Titanic’ and even the crudest version of ‘Ramleela’ staged by the street children in your locality, have all been uncountable means of fulfilling, drenched in their unique cultural colours, the most innate desire, to express and communicate.
And of course while pondering about all of this, how can we not gorge on juicy bytes of our favourite fetish called food! The truth of the matter is, that with every geographical boundary you cross in this (round) world, the distance between your taste buds and a truly gratifying meal can only get smaller (confusing..eh?). From pizzas and parathas to macaroons and macaroni, our love for a delicious meal surely goes a long way in helping us bridge the sometimes-a-tough cultural barrier.
And then, one thing that all this discussion would surely be incomplete without is the ultimate wonder, God. It is indeed fascinating to me (all of us, I believe) that irrespective of our coordinates on earth, the human race, out of the love of Him, has interpreted the Almighty in countless ways, through prayers, music, religion, hymns, and religious scriptures. But what remains absolutely wonderful is the oneness of God is then ultimately reflected in the inherent essence of all these different attempts to comprehend Him. Doesn’t
matter if you express it through the Gita, or through a Sufi whirl, through the Torah or through meditative sessions, God is one, incomprehensible, eternal, omni-present and a part of Him resides in all of us, no matter where we belong!
So, easy to conclude we guess, that no matter how much the diversity, the essence of all humanity has been
centred towards a common objective, and we being the different people we are, are a part of the same whole. So then, if you find yourself stranded one fine morning on a beautiful beach, with no language to speak, and no gestures to greet with, then just let a big genuine smile do all the talking :)
P.S. And while I was also wondering about how to make this article more interesting, a friend pointed this amazing fact out to me: our favourite happy birthday song is crooned in the same notes across all (almost) the languages and cultures! (Go you-tube it for yourself)

To C or not to C?

There are often a lot of junctures where you find yourself standing apart from your contemporaries, during your journey of self-discovery, during many facets of being human. And it is the questions that you ask yourself during these times which define you, shape you, lead to your evolution, take you deeper within yourselves. In my attempt to explore myself as an artist and a connosieur, I have been intrigued by many such questions. And I wish to visit one of these in this article of mine.

“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values”. The quality of being able to entertain a new thought without having to accept it, is a quality I really admire, and one that I am trying to entertain myself. I have often been quite rigid at the thought of having to let new ideas into my life, at the mere prospect of an exposition of them, not realising that the 2 things are completely different, until recently. And hence, a casual discussion during a coffee break with 2 of my colleagues turns into my 300 word blog entry!

The trigger for this thought was, when one of my ‘youngish-normal-guy-next-door’ colleagues made a wow remark about one of the latest bollywood item dance numbers. You know, the shallow-mono-syllabics-lyrcs-turn-me-off kind of song. Firstly as an artst, I would not let any singer who deviates from the 220-scale sit on my ipod. As a person who has worked hard to get her scales right, and for whom an untuned note fallen on the ear would literally create an unrest in the mind, this mindset comes quite naturally to me. And hence, the instinctive flinchy reaction, which sits on my nose ready to be provoked at the mention of any such abuse of music.

But there was something I had not considered earlier on. His reaction to my reaction. Is the primary objective of any piece of art not entertainment? As long as it gets my feet tapping, would I or should I bother about anything else? And it is important the music reflects and represents the prevailing culture, trend of the society, voice of the youth, which implicitly means the usage of slang, abuse… After all, art is the portrayal of reality….

I think these 2 perspectives and takes have been around ever since man began to use art as a means to communicate, only in varying degrees and intensities. And I really do not think there can be an end to an argument of such a circular nature. All we can do is try to find our personal balance in between the 2 polarities, and see where our sensibility fits the graph most appropriately, and then try to convince others of this viewpoint through an article!

So it got me thinking, this argument. Every art form has an intricate science which forms its foundation. And every artist masters this science to a certain level, either formally or otherwise, before they begin their personal jouney of self exploration by using this science for self expression. And deviating slighly from the point at hand, at times an artist also does get too engrossed in displaying his technical prowess, rather than understanding the essence of art.  This applies to any kind of fine art or performing Art imaginable, be it painting, theatre, pottery, music, whatever would come to mind. The extent of this mastery depends on various factors, including the artist’s inclination towards a given form of art, their influences from the 

world outside, their aptitude and appetite for knowledge etc.

And the argument here is how important is this technical dexterity before one calls out to the world. Without trying to start with a viewpoint which sounds too partial or biased, wouldn’t one instinctively say ofcourse it is very crucial!  Firstly, it is but natural for the human race to find excellence, and consistently bypass boundaries of it. It is the journey of strife for excellence which leads to profound experiences of contentment, something which the human spirit so craves for. And why should this realm be not a part of the same experience? To add to this, it is much easier to pick and choose from a wider palette of colours, and much more appropriate to select precisely the colour and stroke which is required to paint one’s imagination. But it is essential to gain access to it first. Even if a painting would use the coarsest of brush strokes, and the most limited of colors, it is important for an artist to know precisely that it will, and apply these colours after having reviewed and discarding the finer possibilities, and not because of the lack of choice of the same. This is what technical finesse achieves.

As a musician, it is sddening to see the deterioration of quality of music being produced, because of the ease of production and ignorance of many popular artists. One could argue that the quality being produced is the one which is desired by the masses, and that the music is simply a reflection of the trend of its society. But, I think the opposite could also be true. It may be true that the audience simply chooses from what it gets. If there is awareness about fineesse, and an access to it, one would certainly rev up his/her conenosieur-al standards.

So, while it is true that even or rudimentary or elementary or no technical knowledge could also lead to creation of gems, this kind of phenomenon, without trying to sound cynical, would be rare. At the same time, it is equally important to always keep in mind that the foremost intent of equipping yourself with the tools is to form bedrock on which your creation will rest. Although this will form a very vital part, it is not the all of your creation. What will make it complete and beautiful is giving the unqiuest part of yourself to it, following your instinct and imparting it your exclusivity, a piece of your persona which has imbibed innumerable influences since its birth, and is ready to add its own bit to create something for generations to relish.  This, is what I would call a masterpiece.

Random

Trying to see where this evolution and experience would take me...
Trying to see if that was the real me, or this one, or it would only be a better me...
Trying to stand straight on my feet, but Do not want to love the feeling too much...
Trying to fit destiny into the mould of inevitability
Trying to tame my emotions and make them make sense...
Trying to see the "bigger picture"
Is it you, or am I speaking to my soul?

Deciphering Music a little more...

"The world by daylight stands for Western music which is a flowing concourse of vast harmony, composed of concord and discord and many disconnected fragments. And the night world stands for Indian music: one pure, deep and tender raga. Both touch our heart, and yet both are contradictory in spirit. But this is natural. Nature, at the very root is divided into two, day and night, unity and variety, finite and infinite”. / Dr. Rabindranath Tagore/
When I start thinking about it, my thoughts ponder from the extreme where this is a perfectly scientific, explainable, mathematical occurrence to the other pole where there is nothing as intangible as this could be. From the point where I could enrol for a class and learn about the chromatic scale in a span of 30 minutes to, of course, wondering about how my entire lifetime would not suffice if I made an attempt to comprehend its vastness and grandeur. About how it can cause my mind to be in a tranquil, delightful or animated (among others) states of mind, simply by altering its own avatar or, the other way round, about how different it is from itself. About how it resembles everything natural, intricate but is also so simple. Or just how different the recipe may be, this food is nourishment for every soul on the planet. Simply love music!
Music has been a part of humankind’s existence for as long as human itself. And though as clichéd as it may sound, every culture, society, and race on earth has evolved through this medium of expression in different ways. The word music derives from the Greek word ‘mousa’ meaning muse. And although music is a subjectively perceived phenomenon, there is a close connection between music and mathematics. According to Wikipedia, music has been defined as an art form whose medium is silence and sound.
The ocean like enormity that it encompasses, it would definitely be an extremely feeble attempt to summarise it in an article or edition like this one. However, having spent some time around in the European ambience, perhaps it would be interesting if we outlined a few aspects which would help you differentiate European music from our very own Indian sangeet. So let’s get started!
One of the basic organizing principles of the western music, of all kinds, has been harmony. This means that, for centuries, the intricacy and complexity of compositions of western music has been derived from multiple musical notes played or sung together at the same time. This ‘vertical’ simultaneous play of notes then creates a beautiful intriguing sound, because of the relationship that these musical notes share with each other. On the other hand Indian music has been primarily based upon the principle of monophony, which means, based on a single base note, consisting of a single melody, often accompanied by a rhythm. Indian classical music lies on the same principles where the singer or the musician takes the lead, performing the raga vocally or through their instrument, accompanied by a ‘tabla’ or ‘pakhawaj’ or other instruments, which ‘support’ the main melody being performed.
Another interesting concept that characterises Indian music is the one relating to improvisation/documentation. The tradition of Indian music has been known to be orally imparted over generations through the teacher-disciple discipline, or the ‘guru-shishya parampara’. Indian classical music has rested strongly on the foundation of the raga, which is a framework that has developed and evolved itself through the passages of time. Very broadly speaking, a set of notes in a scale, when sung or played within the demarcation of some defined set of rules, becomes a raga. And as stated, raga is just a framework, which an Indian classical performer is expected to ‘imbibe’ by learning about these rules, and then present his/her own interpretation of it, by staying within this framework, yet putting his/her creativity, innovation and skills to use. A learned Indian classical vocalist or musician often begins a performance by stating an outline of the raga they intend to perform, followed by intricate variations, often in an extempore fashion. This is what is known as improvisation. Because the art of improvisation is very tightly coupled with being well versed with Indian Classical Music, one often finds that the method of writing or documenting Indian music, although exists, is not as extensive and detailed as its European counterpart, which is stated next.
From a slightly different perspective, European music has almost been synonymous with the notation system (the method of documenting music) since about the 9th century. The modern staff notation system, which developed in Europe in the Classical era, holds the capability of translating every fine nuance of the composition into ink-on-paper. From broad parameters like the scale and tempo of the composition, to finer dynamics, like the variations of volume, accents, fine pauses are all meticulously penned down by the composer, thereby rendering the composition an eternal existence. Once written, this composition can then be re-created by a performer, who would make an attempt to reconstruct the composition by looking at what’s written. Now, although every performer who would play a ‘Beethoven’ would inevitably impart individuality to the performance by interpreting it in a unique way, however, this method of composition/performance primarily focuses on reproduction of the original masterpiece to the closest possible precision, leaving lesser room for improvisation. Also, after some reading, I noted that the skill/importance of improvisation has held an important place in European music, but has been waning over time. Today, the one genre in western music, which could be strongly characterised with improvisation, is Jazz, where the artist spontaneously creates fresh melodies over the continuously repeating cycle of chord changes of a tune.
The third difference that could be of notable significance is that western music identifies an octave as divided into 12 notes, or semi-tomes as the building blocks, upon which all the musical creation has rested. These notes, scientifically speaking, are 12 equally spaced frequencies. An ‘A’ note on a standard scale, for example, would be played with a frequency of 440 Hz. Although Indian music is also broadly categorized into 12 ‘swars’, which correspond to these 12 notes, however, there is a finer classification, which identifies an octave to be comprised of 22 microtones, or ‘shrutis’. This is because, although these ‘shrutis’ would be hard to find in an instrument such as the harmonium (where notes are clear-cut and well defined, and there is no ‘transition’ from one note to the other), these are often articulated well by an experienced stringed instrument player, such as the ‘sarangi’. From an aesthetic point of view, these finer microtones have developed over time, to be able to communicate the ‘color’ or temperament of a raga more effectively. In Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar’s words, a raga is the projection of the artist's inner spirit, a manifestation of his most profound sentiments and sensibilities brought forth through tones and melodies. Therefore, any 2 ragas may make use of 2 different versions (or ‘shrutis’) of the same note, to effectively communicate a feeling of melancholy or glee, or any other intended emotion.
And for their adornment and evolution, these 2 genres of music have constantly made an attempt to derive from each other. As far as the Indian music industry goes, Music composers like Naushad, C. Ramchandra, Salil Chowdhury, A. R. Rahman, Ilaiyaraja and S. D. Burman were known to use western orchestration, and employ the principles of harmony while retaining classical and folk flavour of Indian music. In the western parts of the world, the arrival of Ali Akbar Khan in 1955 marked the beginning of Indian influences in genres like the rock and roll or jazz. Today, one can witness increasing imprints of the western concepts of harmonization, along with the advent of a cappella like groups on the Indian music scene, which, needless to say, have been instrumental in taking our music to the next level, helping it reach out to a wider base of audience.
Therefore, although these 2 vast abundant repositories of creative energy are divergent in a few aspects and some more, they resemble any 2 parts that compliment each other while being a part of the same whole. And this cohesive force of music can be used to pull together all humanity, while these differences only add to the embellishments of this universal language. Only one thing, then, comes to my mind: Let’s all speak Music.

Kya likhoon?

Kis geet mein kudrat bayaan karoon, aur kya bol likhoon,
qaaynaat ke baare mein kya kahoon, takhleeq ka kya mol likhoon,

Sur, jo hai rimjhim main, ya dhadkan ki taal likhoon,
ya panchiyon ki udaan ko kudrat ka kamaal likhoon,

Roz ek nayee subah, nayee shuruaat ki umang likhoon,
ya chaand par har roz naye ik rang ka rang likhoon

Ladakpan ki maasomiyat, ya jawani ki rawani likhoon,
ya ek se doosra hai, us ki kahani likhoon,

Phool jo khilte hain, aur mausam badalte hain,
unpe hairat karoon, ya baadalon ki bauchaar likhoon,

Aasmaan mein parinda, dariya mein machli,
jangal mein mrig, ya rooh mein rabb likhoon

Mohabbat ke ehsaas mein dil ki dhadkan,
aankhon ki muskan, ya khamoshi ki guftagu likhoon,

Main aur meri kahani, tum aur tumhari khushiyan,
woh aur uski dastaan, ya hum aur hamara wajood likhoon.

Babaloobaba books!

I am, a bound bunch of papers, and some printed or handwritten group of symbols thrown in.
OR
I am the wings to your imagination, the treasure house to your knowledge, the rush of your adrenaline, the proof of your genius, and…your fairy tale, your favorite detective, your super hero…and…the guide to your culinary skills, your literature quotient, your language learning guide, your religious guru…and…phew I’m tired!!
I am the book!!!
Amazed? You better be.
Call it by any of the definitions above, but the book has been one of the simplest, profound, and absolutely indispensable forms of expression ever known to mankind. The social being that human is, there has been no better medium to emote, express, preach, preserve and transfer knowledge, and even rebel, other than through this incredible device. And while we’re wondering in amazement about this all time favorite companion, here’s a list of randomly picked 5 paperbacks from across various genres, which reflect the contributions made by the print media to the world:

‘A tale of 2 cities’ by Charles Dickens – Genre: Historical fiction
Touted as the most printed original English book, this work is considered as one of the most appreciated and popular works of fiction by this eminent author. Set in the backdrop of London and Paris, the book gives an insight into circumstances in the 2 cities in the late eighteenth century that led to the French revolution. Well, if you’re curious about history, but don’t like to turn to conventional history books, historical fiction is just for you.

‘A brief history of time’ by Stephan Hawking – Genre: Science
Subtitled ‘From Big Bang to Black Holes’, this book covers various topics related to cosmology that have been considered elusive and thus intriguing. Ranging from simple overview of concepts of the space to complex mathematical and physics formulae, the book covers a wide variety of readers.

‘Mein Kamph’ by Adolf Hitler – Genre: Autobiography
The title that literally translates to ’My struggle’ in English, has been one of the most controversial titles belonging to one of the equally controversial political leaders that history knows of. The book is said to have given an insight into Hitler’ physche, and a different perspective of the historical events that led to what we know as one of the most tragic and atrocious events in the books of history.

Sophie’s world *– philosophy fiction
Set in a fictional background, the book aims to provide an introduction to philosophy to people who want to take to take a plunge into the philosophical ocean, but do not want to delve into deep waters. That would be most of us, I guess. Again, aimed at a 15 year old fictional character, the wide range of topics covered have been illuminating without getting intimidating.

‘Ramayana’ by Vyasa – Genre – Mythology
The Ramayan, along with the ‘Mahabharata’ has been one of the most influential litrerary works from the ancient Indian treasure house. Penned by Vyasa, the book is one of its kinds because of its style of writing (poetrical). Containing 24,000 verses across 7 books, the epic has always been considered as a touchstone work representing the qualities of an ideal human being in all respects.

‘From the earth to the moon’ by Jules Verne – Genre - Science Fantasy
Considered as one of the first entries in the genre, the book is about the central fictional characters, launching a space mission to the moon. What takes by surprise about the book is that, although fictional, the author seems to have had a close understanding of the concepts governing the journey to the moon, and on introspection, it is discovered, that there are indeed a lot of striking similarities in the calculations described in the book, and the ones that were used in the actual space mission to moon.

‘Futility’ by Morgan Robertson (1898)
Relax, I haven’t lost count. As an afterthought, adding this title to the list seemed irresistible, after I read about it while browsing for books. Subtitled, ‘the wreck of the Titan’, the book seems like a striking prophecy, when it describes a ship named ‘Titan’, the largest ocean liner of its times, and unsinkable, drowns in the Atlantic ocean after being struck by an iceberg, taking claming thousands of lives with it. Apart from the striking similarity to the name ‘Titanic’, the books bears other likenesses to the tragedy which happened 14 years later, in the very same Atlantic Ocean. Could you call it coincidence?

Well, the contribution that the book has made to the very mankind is not only indescribable, but also indispensable. This best buddy has always been at our side, providing us with repositories of knowledge and much more, in the most simple and affordable manner. And we better appreciate this boon, while we last! So, when you are gifting yourself the book?

Muse..muse..music!

You go to a friend’s wedding, all set to groove to the latest bollywood numbers and rock it. Or, after a hectic week at work, you look forward to a concert on the Saturday evening by your favorite band. Or better still, your favorite old hindi film song plays in your car radio, and life seems beautiful, all over again.

It’s all over the place, at every juncture and every occasion. It captures your imagination, whether you’re set to ask that life changing question you have been rehearsing for so long to that special someone, or you seek the Almighty and want no one but you and Him to converse together through this divine form. It has been written about in the Indian Vedic texts, and the Bible, and the Arabic texts, at different points in different geographies and different times. And yet, there is no bigger unifying force than the power of this ultimate wonder. Welcome to the world of music.

And although we are ever-excited about updating the newest musical additions on our iPods, music goes much beyond in terms of genres, and expression, as an art form, maybe beyond our comprehensions. And it can become a much better enriching and enhancing experience, if it’s introduced to us in a better manner.

Technically, music is mainly made up of pitch and rhythm, including other components. Pitch is defined as one of the main auditory attributes of sound, the perceived frequency of sound. And rhythm, is any symmetrical movement, which here applies to a symmetry in sound. And although music has been written (and written about) since the prehistoric era by musicians and scholars all around the world in disparate different forms ranging from classical to jazz to rock to blues and country folk, it’s almost unbelievable to believe that the main foundation of music lays on just 12 musical notes (or pitches). And the various interpretations of these notes lead to the most incredible auditory, emotional, even mystical experiences to almost every single soul on earth.

Music is a form of expression, which can be cultural, religious, emotional, and even attitudinal and therapeutic. A branch of music, Music therapy, has been proven to improve the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. But music can be therapeutic is more than these ways. It when we realize that the basis of differences can be various, but just one cohesive force of music can pull everything together and heal all. So, let’s speak the language everyone understands, and spread the word of love through the medium…Lets speak Music.