A Life Event

My Mother passed away last Friday while I was away on a short business trip to the US.

Her music, love for books and animals has come down to us, not as perfectly as she might have wanted.

Have I reconciled with her passage? Time will tell.

Kalavati by Malini Rajurkar

Some fabulous music - Raags Kalavati

Malini Rajurkar 1969

When I look into these eyes

A nice video on compassion - the animal anthem

Geeta Dutt

What nostalgia, such marvelous music...eternal brilliance..






Waqt ne kiya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS681XZqAoQ


Babuji dheere chalna:

Youtube Tabla wonders

Some amazing old footage of musical greats needs to be acknowledged.

Here is Ustab Ahmad Jaan Thirakwa on the Tabla with Ustad Habib Khan on the Vichitra Veena (no one plays it anymore)




Pandit Anokhe Lal of Benaras




Ustad Tafo Khan of Pakistan



One more of Tafo Khan



The late Ustad Amir Khan with the late Pandit Shyamal Bose, with whom I spent many days in Kolkata. He taught me some pieces in Bihag and taught my son Tabla. He was a wonderful short-tempered genius. Memories of a lifetime.....

Rupak Taal

A nice seven beat taal (3 + 4). A favourite for many, though I do not find it easy since I didn't apply myself when I should have.

Here is an example



Here is a piece by Zakir Hussain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvPMLQSz4y0

Basant

And this is Basant from a Pakistani movie.

Horrendously difficult on a violin, mathematically brilliant and lovely to hear.





A modern version from Rashid Khan

The beauty of impermanence

As time passes by and one gets older, it seems right that memories become a burden. Its great that nature dulls the sharpness of some poignant thoughts of events and people.

One looks back with surprise - was I that dumb? How could I have said such and such or done this or that? Was that really me?

I read a science fiction story once that talked about the conquest of death and the accompanying agony of those who wanted to be rid of too many memories, good or bad. The fear of passing on then perhaps went away. We shall move from one reality to another and never know the difference. The observance of cruelty, of a certain God who keeps desperate hopes alive but looks away at the suffering and pain of the innocent - a message garbled by philosophical rubbish, designed to keep us sane - yes, this is not a reality I am interested in. To that extent, I am happy when time accelerates and the pain of the innocent stops. But the cries of their agony will last beyond time.

I wrote a book many years ago on the survival of the animal kingdom and our own eradication as a punishment for centuries of depravity. The logic of suffering of the mute escapes me entirely. But we are superior, we are told, and have the right to erase and inflict.

Basant - Mallika Pukhraj and Tahira Syed

An extraordinary piece based on Raag Basant, a simple beat and two brilliant singers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq3bb33sElU