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Sunday, January 31, 2010

How Indian Classical Music engulfed me!

Here I am in a mood to write something about my beloved Indian Classical Music! Needless to stress here that I am listening to it, while I write this....as that is the thing I have been doing regularly, along with my sleep and food, for the past eleven years! But suddenly, while listening to Pt. Bhimsen Joshi's raag basant bahar, I was moved back eleven years...the time when there was a huge transition in me! I was in my eighth standard of school. I clearly remember singing songs of films like Josh in my first semester before Diwali vacations. The song 'Apun Bola tu meri laila. woh boli phekta hain saala' was famous that time. I wonder, nine years later, whether such creations can be even categorized as songs! But after Diwali vacation ended, and the new semester started...I started to sing classical 'bandishs', natyageets, thumris, instrumental dhuns...with a simultaneous 'taal' rhythm on the bench! But what happened between those days? What made this transition possible? How, a person...within a single vacation of 25 days....could change his outlook towards music? Well, yes! There was a moment...a moment which defined my future music taste! A moment, which I am glad to admit, is making me feel relieved that it came to me! Because, had it not been for me....I would not have experienced the ultimate joy that I can experience now. But before that I would like to throw some light on my life, before this moment!

My maternal uncle has a great love for Indian Classical Music. That is because his maternal grandfather....i.e my great maternal grandfather had the same type of craze! He used to live at Girgaon, where I was told a young 15-16 year old Kumar gandharva used to give concerts! I remember my maternal grandmother telling me that Kumar, dressed in a half pant and half sleeve shirt, would give concerts for hours! So, this is how, due to a rich musical environment, my mother got a taste of Indian Classical Music, from her childhood. My mother, though, not a hardcore classical music lover, has a very good understanding of music. She knows how much of a joy can you experience through music. She is a very good singer, though she does not sing in public. But had she sung, she would have drawn a good fan following! I remember, in my childhood, she used to call me and insist, 'aashu, chal tula gaana shikavte' ( aashay, I will teach you a song)....only in resulting me running away from the place! How I regret those moments! Had I learned that time, I would not have the biggest regret of my life, of me not able to sing! But to be frank, I would enjoy some hindi and marathi songs played around me. But yet, I had not listened to something, giving me an absolute joy. A joy, that I could relish every clock-ticking moment of my life! A feeling that I could relate with every passing moment around me. That music was yet awaiting me. In such circumstances, my mother asked me whether I would like to learn singing, or learn any instrument of the Tabla or the Harmonium. That was in the third standard. I admit, at that time I was mostly a shy person. So, vocals was out of question! I chose the harmonium, and with that choice, I was asked to go to Shri Vinayak Samant, a harmonium teacher living right opposite our apartment! I still remember that first day of class.... I was asked by him to count the beats of the 'teentaal rhythm'...the rhythmic cycle was being played on a machine. ( There are 16 beats in this taal)...My answer ranged from 18 to 25...! Such a poor chap I was in music! But with that day, I started to learn harmonium under him. Those were the days of extreme unwillingness to learn that instrument. I seriously had no interest in harmonium, no interest in Indian Classical Music....I just wanted to go and play cricket outside! But still, I started to learn something....till the eighth standard. Meanwhile, I passed three exams in Harmonium, the first one with a first class and the rest two with a distinction. And my harmonium playing improved somewhat, I must admit. But as far as music is concerned, I was a person with a confused state! I used to bring cassettes of film- songs, only to keep them unlistened. Because, after listening to maybe 1-2 times, I would loose interest in them.

I remember, my maternal uncle had a cassette series titled '50 glorious years of Indian Classical Music'...which had recordings, from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan to Ustad Zakir Hussain. He used to frequently play those recordings when I used to visit his place. I remember, one such night, when he was playing a record of Pt. Kumar Gandharva, from that series. The bandish was "rajan, ab toh aa ja re". from raag nand. Mama introduced me to the singer...."he Kumar Gandharva ahet". I was not knowing, that I am listening to a singer, who I would be idolizing in the next few years time. I responded him with an uninterested nod. But I would say, that recording made a slight impact on me. Though I was not interested, I could make out that those sur (musical notes) had something to say. They had a language, which could make a communication with any soul, that was non-prejudiced towards them. They had a flamboyance, a majestic touch, a confident appeal, and yet a tenderness within them! This I guess was a start, a stimulation, towards me getting an interest in Indian Classical Music. But the biggest moment was yet to come! In those years, i.e in my seventh and start of eight standard....I attended some of the small music concerts in Panvel. Those were the one organized by Panvel Cultural Centre. So poor was I in ICM those days, that I remember in one such concerts, my cousin shantanu telling me 'hi Bhairavi ahe, hi concert chya end madhye gaatat" ( this is raag bhairavi, this is sung at the end of the concert)! Some concerts were like, I used to run away in between, ensuring that my maternal uncle would not see me leaving. It feels so much ironical, that a person, so much in love with music,would run from concerts in those days.

But then what are moments for? Even the great Sachin Tendulkar decided to get the cricket bat in his hand, when he saw the Indian cricket team lifting the world cup 1983. That was the moment for him....the moment which defined his attitude towards life...towards cricket. He himself admits that this was what made him play cricket...and the Sachin what we see today is all because of this. And a similar moment came in my life too.....that was in perhaps november-december. As I said, the recording of Kumar ji, made some inroads into my life. Those inroads were to such an extent, that I brought that cassette at my place to listen to. I was not sure, why I was doing this. It was not as if this recording had changed my life. I still listened to film-songs like my friends did....still talked about movies....but this recording had occupied an iota of space in my mind. This was unknowingly true! But at home, my mom was listening to that cassette more than me. But one night, when I was going to my mom's room to say her good-night, she was listening to that cassette. And as I was standing there...yeah...I still remember....the small black tape-recorder, atop the black 3-drawer small cupboard....was rendering a recording. The recording was 'jaoon mein tope balihari'. Fiery taans marked the recording, with also rendering of some very fierce, but sweet alaaps. The recording was too catchy to avoid. In my harmonium classes, I learned how to play the taans....which is the fast tempo rendering of the musical notes. As it requires some very skillful use of the fingers while playing the harmonium, it requires an amazing breath control, while singing. But here, in this recording....the artist seemed not to stop in his taans. They were just too lengthy to believe! I was tempted to ask my mom ' Kon ahe ha artist?' My mom immediately replied "Bhimsen Joshi."

Next morning was a day like everyday....school! One girl was reading some paper in the value education lecture. I was expected to pay attention to what was being read. But while trying to pay attention, I suddenly remembered the recording I listened last night. I could hear that recording within me...I could hear those taans....I could hear those words....and most importantly I could hear that VOICE. I could do nothing but to start humming the tune.This continued almost throughout the lecture. After some 2-3 lectures, here that voice was again to haunt me. Again I found myself humming that dhun, with that voice in my mind. I was not able to understand why I am remembering that recording again and again. I understood that there is something inside me that is compelling me to go home and listen to the recording again and again. Yeah, and that was true, as the first thing I did after going home and taking lunch, was that I listened to the recording. After lunch, was the time to go for classes....but again before leaving home, I made it a point to listen to that recording. It was a funny experience for a person who was phobic to Indian Classical Music over these days. But then this was the moment which defined my entire attitude towards music. The man who induced this feeling in me was PT. BHIMSEN JOSHI.
I remembered the independence day celebrations of 1997. The maestro was singing 'Vande Mataram' in the Indian Parliament. This was around 11.30 pm in the night of 14th august. I remember asking my mother, 'ha kon therda gaatoy'..( who is this mad old man singing?) I remembered liking the Vande mataram version of A.R Rahman over this piece. However, I still like rahman's version, but I more closely follow Panditji's version.
Over the years, my taste and hunger for Indian Classical Music started to grow....and it has reached a point, where, my life without it is impossible. I owe a lot to these great maestros, who have continued to influence me all these years, and helped me achieve a rich taste of the great music of ours!

Sachin Tendulkar-1

This is India 2030. Sachin Aashay Gune, asks his father," Baba, why was my name kept Sachin?" Sachin, then perhaps 10-12 years old is curious to know, like many of his 'name-alikes' the reason of his name being Sachin. His Father is nostalgic, about the mention of his hero....and like all other fathers of his age....and many elder to him and younger too...start the topic about a man whose fan-following equaled only to that of Mahatma Gandhi. And then begins a talk, which every Indian of Aashay's age loved to have at his age. He describes his son a phenomenon called a certain Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar...till his son is finally convinced that indeed, keeping to the common tradition of Hindus, his father has given him a name of GOD.
The above conversation is highly superficial, but it has in it, the essence of how this man has influenced Indians all over the world. Yes, a tribute to the greatest cricketer ever....Sachin Tendulkar.
I would like to add here the scenario in which this man made his mark in International cricket. It was India 1989. The country was reeling under a highly unstable government. Prime Ministers changed in a matter of months. India lacked a hero, after Sunil Gavaskar had retired from cricket. P.T Usha missing a medal in the olympics by one-hundredth of a second was a very good achievement in Indian sports. Hockey, as usual relied on its past glory. It was the time, when the telecom revolution was about to make a mark in India. That was the time, when a kid, 16 years old is not selected to go to the tour of West-Indies because he is too timid to face the likes of Marshall and a battery of Windies fast bowlers! When asked in an interview, if ready to face them, he confidently replied in a YES. In the next tour of India to Pakistan, however, he finds a place in the team. And when he makes his debut in his first ever test series....he finds the entire Pakistani audience yelling " Bacche, doodh pi...cricket kya khel raha hain"...( hey kid, go and drink milk, how come you are on a cricket field'?) How could that have felt...that everybody around is against you...and that too as a 16-year old kid? And in the same match....comes a bouncer from Waqar Younis...and strikes the kid's face. Blood oozes from his face. I am sure, any mother in India, watching that match live on television, would have missed a beat! The batsman at the non-striker's end rushes and asks the kid whether he wants to leave the ground....and comes a firm reply...'NO'. And the next ball from waqar is hit for a boundary. This was the kid...who later became a hero of the entire nation! He was Sachin Tendulkar! Unknown till that time, and the surname Tendulkar had achieved fame due to Vijay Tendulkar. Also, after that test series, there was an exhibition match of 20 overs between the two sides. Abdul Qadir, one of the best spinners in the world from Pakistan then was playing the match, alongwith Mushtaq Ahmed, one of the upcoming spinners. Sachin hit Mushtaq for 2 sixes in a single over. Qadir, asked Sachin openly...." Bacche ko kya mar rahe hon....dum hain toh uske ustad ko...hume...maar ke dikhao". (why are you hitting that kid...if you have guts, hit his mentor...hit me....)The answer was straight from the bat, by Sachin....Qadir, in his next over was smashed for 4 sixes.
This is why Sachin Tendulkar is a legend. a legend has always stories floating around him.Talking with the bat, became a habit for this man, perhaps after this incident. While players in his generation took to sledging...this man achieved everything without a prior boast, or even a declaration. His down-to-earth nature, and also the nature of not always keen to hog the limelight resembles a typical maharashtrian middle-class attitude.....a fact also associated with his mentor....Sunil Gavaskar. After this incident, a legend was born.....a legend which inspired an entire generation of people....and made them think that success was possible through fair means. ( Who would forget the scandal of harshad mehta, that happened at almost the same time, when Sachin made his debut). A legend, to whom the nation owes, in having some of its name in the International Sports Arena. Every kid of that era wanted to be a Sachin Tendulkar.
The first memorable incident in my mind about this man, was in the world cup 1996 match against Kenya. That was the time, I was getting an interest in cricket. Me and my grandfather used to watch cricket matches for hours. Sachin hit an unbeaten 126 to win the match for India. And then the entire world cup batting was his! He went on to score 80 in the next match against the West-Indies, a 90 against the Australians and a whooping 137 against the Sri Lankans. Thanks to the loose efforts of the Indian team, we lost against the Aussies and the Lankans. But then later, thanks to an unbeaten 106 by Vinod kambli against the Zimbabweans, India could qualify for the quarter finals. The Quarter finals was against the Pakistanis, in which Sachin played a moderate and quick innings of 31....but the most painful moment in the world cup was in the semi-finals against Sri lanka.!!! In the semis, the bowlers did a good job in restricting the Lankans to 251. When the Indian innings began, Sachin was at his explosive best...and scored a quickfire 65. He was unlucky to be dismissed stump-out off the bowling of Jayasurya. However, later....the Indian batting fell like a pack of cards...with the team reaching the score of 120/8. The crowd at Kolkata, could not bear this sight....and started a havoc at the stadium, and the match refree Clive Lloyd decided to favour the match to the Lankans. A weeping Vinod Kambli is still remembered by die-hard cricket fans...as an effect of that match! I still remember, myself loudly abusing the Indian team...and also ultimately crying loudly for the loss. I was 9 years old then....and the result was undigestable for me. My father ultimately came and consoled me. How I felt sorry...and why only me...the nation felt sorry for a one-man effort of Sachin! But then, by that time, it was a ritual for the Indian team, to loose when Sachin did not score..and win when he played well!

Now on, I would focus on all the memories that I have of this great man. I have started with world cup 1996....and with each passing year, I would add the memories associated with it!
To be added in the subsequent articles on the maestro....

Friday, January 22, 2010

The State of Women in India

Every year there are certain schemes for the women in India.....either through annual budgets, or through seat reservations, and the respective government claims that it has done enough for uplifting the status of women in India. We have every government reserving some of its ministerial berths for women, we have some 20-odd percent academic reservations for women. But, the bottom-line is....does this help? Does this help in eradicating a mentality that is existing, not only in Indian men, but also in her people overall?
There is a very touching life-story of the great singer Padmavibhushan Dr. Gangubai Hangal, who passed away just last year. In her childhood and teen-age years, she was literally taunted by those 'men' as 'gaanewali-bai'. These men used to make life difficult for her, as her simple walk on a road elicited a response from them. The only objection for these men was that she, being a woman, was singing. But then, what if a woman sings? It is an accepted fact that singing is a medium to express what is in one's mind. But then, why a woman has no right to express what is in her mind. Perhaps, that is the reason Indian women are tolerant.....because they have not been allowed to express anything over the years. Dr. Hangal then says that, in the world of music...if men excel...they are designated as Pandits and Ustads.....but what about women? They are simply called....'bai'....like Hirabai, Gangubai and Kesarbai. Yes, this is what is Indian culture with all its 5000-years history. Even, in the famous Maharashtrian musical drama tradition, there were no female performers, till perhaps 60-odd years from now. Men used to do the roles of women. Why? It seems unimaginable, sitting here in the United States, with confident women around you, that in my country, women were not allowed to socialize! It was the time when Barbara McClintock was busy discovering about jumping genes, Indian women, were not allowed to freely participate in activities. This was the state of women in India that time.

But has it changed? We are in the 21st century now. But the significance of the 21st century seems to be for a selected few of the country. Overall, regarding the attitude towards women in India, little seems to have changed. From over-cautious parents, to hyper-possessive boyfriends and from restrictive in-laws, to dominating husbands...a girl has to bear this all. Only in these cases, a small cry from her child, is what holds her back...and she has to bear this all her life. Does she not think sometimes that....let everything of this go to hell....I want to live my own life! A life on my own terms! With nobody telling me anything......of how should I behave...how should I dress...how should I talk....to whom should I talk...where should I work...what should I not do.....but...then there is something called society which asks the same questions to her! The society is choosy enough not to ask these questions to him... but only to her! He is not the one who is under the scanner, but she always is! Frankly, Indian society has a very possessive feeling about its women...a feeling that goes to the extent of not allowing her to work on her own terms. This is the case...yes...in the 21st century!
I have seen this....men laughing at the site of a girl driving a car. Why can't they digest the site of a girl confidently doing something! A girl, doing something confidently in India...whether its answering any question, whether driving a car...or simply voicing her opinion...becomes a scene for a suppressed laughter among the men! There is a tendency of people talking..."despite being a girl, she did this...she did that!" But why this despite? This statement itself states that you have an inherent low confidence for the woman. I have never seen this sort of an attitude towards women in the United States. For people, who see this as an innocent opinion-formation....let me make it clear. I am in no mood to state that there is no male -domination here. Males do dominate. But, here, there is no existence of an attitude of under-estimating a person, because she is a woman! Here, a woman is free to decide her own terms. Men are gentle enough to allow a woman get into a public transport bus...but I have seen people cramming inside a public transport bus in India...with no care about the women around. If these men are not gentle at these instances, how in the world will we justify the term gentlemen?

In how many families, a girl is treated equally like a boy? A boy is asked to marry at an age of 25, or sometimes even more than that. However, in most of the families, a girl is asked to marry at an age of 20-21. Why is she then not asked whether she has to continue her education? Is graduation only a last step for the girl to study? I have come across one such family, where a girl though elder had to walk to her office, whereas the boy, who had just passed his standard tenth examination, had a right to a motorcycle!
In the society too, the scenario is not different. I have seen people referring to Indira Gandhi's tenure as a Prime Minister, as " Bai phaar kadak hoti"( The woman was very severe)....I mean I have never heard people say the same thing about a guy holding a position. I have seen on the television, Balasaheb Thakre saying" Congress-wale bai chya maage maage phirtat" ( The people of congress are always following that lady)....I have never seen such a reference to a guy....then are you not secretly not accepting the fact that a lady can't be on a top position? I have heard of conflicts in the family, egos getting hurt when the wife earns more than the husband. People around are found commenting that the guy is living on the girl's salary. We are too happy to accept the fact that a girl lives on the guy's salary....but then why is the reverse not true? In some cases, the girl is even forced to leave the job..and this happens in civilized families too! If this is the case, can we trust the fact that the mentality regarding women in the Indian society has changed?
The mentality towards women worsens if a marriage fails and there results in a divorce. Instead of making a woman stand on her feet, the society is always to demoralize her....always asking her in a sarcastic manner...how will she survive without her husband? If a husband can survive after a divorce, why does not our society encourage a woman to stand on her own feet? If a man can lead a life alone, a woman also should be able to do that? In most of the cases, a woman has to suffer from the hands of her in-laws...but the girl's family gulps it in dismay, because if this would result in a divorce the girl has to lead a lonely life!
I have to mention one more example of this deeply-rooted problem. This example is the one which I have experienced closely! In Maharashtrian families there is a custom of 'haldi-kunku'...where all the women assemble at one place( the host-woman's home ) and apply haldi and kunku on the forehead of all the women present. My mother and grandmother were invited to all such ceremonies. But, when my grandfather expired, invitations to my grandmother for such functions stopped! Why? Because she is a widow? She has no right to socialize? Is this not blatant discrimination? My grandmother...who never discriminated between me and my cousin sister, even for equally dividing a glass of sherbet....has to see this day? This is the most unfortunate thing to happen. So, are not the women, in these cases, showing their backward attitude towards themselves? This makes us feel that this problem is deeply rooted in the psyche of everybody!

And why only the adults? Are we the youngsters not thinking the same way? If we see a couple around us, we immediately gossip about the girl....but do we care to gossip about the guy? If it results in a breakup of them, we are looking with suspicious eyes towards the girl...whereas the guy is again assimilated in his friends! The girl, in most of the cases becomes an out-caste! The bottom-line is that, we all are too partial in our attitude....we tend to blame the girl and never the guy! This results in the making of careless guys, taking advantage of the girls....because they feel, that whatever they do, they are superior...and the society is with them!
This mentality can be eradicated from the society, only and only if the following situation is handled according to the girl's wishes:
A girl is getting married. Both families have decided for the date. Both are having good jobs. Suddenly, the girl's company gives her an offer to work in the United States. It is a very good opportunity for the girl to excel in her respective field. The girl's family is keen that their daughter should go for it. When asked to the guy's family...they happily exclaim...and allow the girl to catch her dreams. What if a similar situation had occurred in the guy's life? He would be allowed, isn't it?