Ahir Bhairav- bahut dinan thaen main preetam paaye

A few days back I was trying out a new raga- Nat Bhairav. It seems this happened after a really long time. The whole of 2013, perhaps I did not work on any new raga because there was no scope to learn it, either by meeting a guru, or my own spirit did not feel so elated to try new scales.

I only tried it for a few days, by going over the paltae...not having any khayal to sing or there in my repertoire yet. So I opened this favourite Kabir book of mine, Sant Kabir, by Radha Soami Satsang, Beas, and I tried to go through many dohas and saakhis. Often they are not something that can be set to musical interpretations, because they are so exactly metered, having no loose ends. Could not find anything suitable for setting into a vilambit tempo yet. But I think I did find something that would make a bhajan in the raga.

However, another doha jumped into Ahir Bhairav and said to me, sing me thus!!. However much I tried to see whether it sounded good in Nat Bhairav, it did not accept that scale. Finally I surrendered to the notes of Ahir Bhairav only. Here is the doha or saakhi, whatever it is-

Bahot dinan thaen main preetam paaye
Bhaag bade ghari baithe aaye

Mangalchaar maahi mann raakho
Ram rasaain rasna chakho

हिंदी में -
बहुत दिनन थे मैँ प्रीतम पायेँ
भाग बड़े घरि बैठें आये

मंगलचार माहिं मन राखौ
राम रसायन रसना चाखो

The funny thing about Kabir is that somehow or another, I manage to find something new in his poetry, which expresses my own inner affairs. I love the whole thing so much that I just pick up and sometimes, take a line which I then add another of my own to, and create a full khayal- the manner I did in Mian ki Todi. That was another great experience.

Todi and Kabir

9th March 2014

In my first classical music concert in Delhi I sang Kabir as khayal. Since it was a morning concert and fortunately for me I had a composition in Mian ki Todi I sang my own vilambit khayal, a Kabir doha. It is another matter that the timing was not exact- though i am not among those who are sticklers for the time based classification of ragas. I did take the liberty to stretch the timing of Todi to a little beyond 10 am, the real time when it is supposed to be stopped!

So mere ram, kabai ghari aawae
Jaa dekhe mera jiya sukh paave
सो मेरे राम कबै घरि आवैं
जा देखे मेरा जीया सुख पावै

the antra is not taken from kabir, but is my own addition-
ghari ghari jeevan beetat jaaye
pal beetae na bin raam dhiyaaye
घरि घरी जीवन बीतत जाये
पल बीते न बिन राम ध्याये

We are tuning together

After this khyal in vilambit laya, I also sang another drut bandish, though it was not Kabir's words but my own. I did not feel the need to say that to anyone.

Hae mann, jab paave raam- I am so fond of this khayal, my earliest or perhaps the very first composition in which I created the music in continuation of   Kabir's spirit of calling to the nirgun.

I followed this up with many Kabir bhajans because my whole theme was Kabir. Funnily enough though the organizers had given the name of EMOTIONS OF WOMEN THROUGH MUSIC, this aspect was only left for their banner perhaps because they never made a mention of it anywhere! So i wondered what was the reason of giving such a fanciful title to the whole program anyways! They did not ask artists what bhava was the dominant aspect of their music- for may be it did not seem necessary to them at all.

Mine is and always remains bhakti.:)  Even when I sing ghazal!

Making Song, Making Sanity- Canadian Journal of Music Therapy

This is the citation of my soon to be published article in the CJMT.

Sharma, P.  Making song, making sanity- Recovery from bipolar disorder. Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 20(1), 2014

This article has reference to about seven Kabir bhajans and two ragas, one of whose vilambit and drut khayals are Kabir saakhis. So I decided to go and record all this music in a professional way and put it out as additional resources that go with the article.

The two ragas are Madhmad Sarang and Multani. To read the article please click the academia page, and when it will be uploaded there, it can also be downloaded. The music will be added from other sources soon, viz. soundcloud/youtube

Kahe Kabir- Mann Na Rangaaye

यह पद समाज को ललकारता है-

मन न रंगाये रंगाये जोगी कपरा
आसन मारि मंदिर में बैठे, ब्रम्ह्म छाड़ि पूजन लागे पथरा
मन न रंगाये।

कनवा फड़ाए जोगी जटवा बढो ले
दाढी बढ़ाये जोगी होई गैले बकरा

जंगल जाये जोगी धुनिया रमौ ले
काम जराए जोगी होय गैले हिजरा

मथवा मुड़ाए जोगी कपड़ा रंगो ले
गीता बांच के होय गइले लबरा

कहहिं कबीर सुनो भाई साधो
जम दरवजवा बाँधल जैबे पकरा

It may seem that Kabir is mocking the sadhus and those who make a living out of the 'god industry' I myself see it also as a satire about society in general- where whoever dons whatever garment, they do not do justice to that garment. Though people choose many trades and professions to make a living, they do not immerse in that line of work honestly.

I am translating the meaning of this pada as I have understood it- not in verse but a mere translation in that format

Doesn't colour (his/her) soul, colours only the garment

Sits cross legged in place of worship (temple/mandir)
Instead of god worships stone idols

Sitting in jungles mid austerities,
Thinks of controlling lust, and become a eunuch;

By shaving off hair and colouring (external) garment
Just pays lip service to the Gita

So says Kabir, listen to this my friend
( i do not know how to translate this yet!!)

Kabir Demo Workshop- reflections

Yesterday, as per schedule, we had a demonstration of the Kabir Singing Workshop, and as per my expectations seven people came! The number seven has its own significance for me and I could not miss it at all yesterday when these musical notes came around.

Of course many more wanted to, but could not and naturally enough it is not always easy for people to come for demo-s unless they know what they stand to gain.

So here is how we went about it. I had decided to go with one song- Jaag piyaari ab ka sovae...for it is a simple melody and when we teach people of varying abilities together, it is something I feel everyone can pick up. I shared with everyone the raga that it is largely set in, and then the tala in eight beats- we started one line at a time. I know it was a new experience for some that they had never sung in their lives.

But the sense I got from everyone was that they were happy, relaxed and peaceful with the singing. I took a feedback on a feedback form, just to be sure that I do not miss out on any criticism that comes my way - the only regret everyone had was that it was too short! Everyone has shown interest in wanting to come back and/or take this idea to their respective institutions or organizations.

So what is the Idea behind these workshops?

The idea about the workshop came to me, like I said in one of my earlier posts here, that after I wrote my paper for the Canadian Journal of Music therapy in which I spoke about my own recovery, largely using Kabir's poetry for my health and rehabilitation. It occured to me that many people love Kabir and may be they would stand to gain if I could teach them a bit of singing, and let them experience Kabir inside them, and not just hear it from another throat.

It goes without saying that music teaching is more difficult than music performance, especially for someone who is performance ready. But I feel the need to arrive at an inner balance to balance out these two things, so that my musical ideas also get married to my social altruism; empower people to carry home Kabir into their throats and therefore heart, and possibly open the pathways for their own healing and wellness too. So in effect I am looking at music teaching as also contributing to the wellness of those who participate.

This is the intention that I am starting with- I hope it would find a room in many hearts. The aloofness of musicians who come and perform and enthrall others for a few hours, does not mesmerize me any longer, though it has its own merit. I wish for music to transform, for that is the future of music now- not just musical performances, and all resources towards that alone.

Music belongs to civilization and not just musicians so only when we get past our own selfishness and egoistic craving for adulation byothers, will we transfer it to others, else simply spray it around and leave the scene feeling victorious. That reminds me of the song, Hum ko mann ki shakti dena, mann vijaya karein, doosron ki jay se pehle khud ko jay karein. It is important that we conquor our own greed and lust for power and applause first. Why bother about how much the world applauds us? If we cannot conquor ourselves, we will continuously seek that applause from the world around- if we do, it may not really matter so much.

This is my journey and my struggle- to do what I want to and not necessarily that which brings me fame or money- they are evanescent, not knowledge. And spreading knowledge is the best that I can offer to the world. SO this is one such thing- my best for the rest.

Making Song, Making Sanity- via Kabir+

Pardon me in case you come looking for this entry- I have moved it to a new location. Kindly check it here -

http://prateekshalaya.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/research-writing-chronicling-the-process-of-a-submission/

It was not in sync with the Kabir blog that this blog is meant to be.
Thank you for your interest in my writing.

Kabir is like a wave that Returns

I recall that every year one way or another, some stirring happens in the name of Kabir...as though a wave keeps returning back to the coast with varying amplitudes. Somehow I also wonder if by the time a calender year ends, how Kabir makes an appearance in my life.

What a mystical relationship I feel sometimes, that goes through its own cycles or circles, and on and onward.

So here are the things that finally happened THIS YEAR-

First of all, I decided about the idea of Hamsadhwani Enterprises, and to bring music into its center and not the remaining arts, as I did in the past. Music pedagogy has always been a serious concern for me, partially because of the difficulty in receiving musical training myself. On a tangent, I am reminded of my master Kabir, who kept looking for a guru who would give him deeksha and show him the path of god (the way I did, after every single music teacher of mine) And then when he found his own Ram(and through him me too)...there was so much he created. In other words, teachers were always the same- full of their own knowledge and not really bowed under its weight or responsibility!

Secondly, out of the blue I read about the Canadian Journal of Music Therapy and decided to contribute something in qualitative research. I have always felt that Kabir and me are so close to one another, or rather his poetry is such an expression of me, that to write one paper can only be the start of a longer expression, which would necessarily be a book. The first paper I have written in music therapy (for a journal) is about Kabir (!). Just today I signed the document handing over copyrights in part to the Canadian Association of Music Therapy and part to myself for using the paper. Wow! I felt very honored.

When I opened this blog to write just now, I saw that the one lower entry talks of my idea of Kabir singing workshop from 16th July! In other words I thought about it that long back. So the workshop idea becomes the first service that we would offer from Hamsadhwani, and that is the next little idea.Number three.

The fourth idea was Pranab's- to make a video...and we got down to it, in a jiffy. Just recorded it and canned it on 3rd Dec 2013. Look at some of us here, shot by Sabyasachi, the editor :) We look like a band of crooks...happy after a robbery- Two are also a bit worried about the consequences.

The team that was involved with the recording of the Kabir video. L-R: the young lad who came with the lights and studio equipment, Dhananjay, tabla artist, Me- voice (just in case my role was not clear!!), Amarpreet, harmonium artist, and Pranab- filmmaker and the spirit behind this whole team coming together.

So now from the sense I get is that the video will be made of a satirical song- mann na rangaaye rangaaye jogi kapda 

So this is at the time of writing this, I have planned a demo-workshop of Kabir singing, on the next weekend. Let us see how it goes. The response that I have got thus far is heartening mostly- may be I am only tuning into those who are supportive.

I am NOT mentioning here about the new Kabir compositions that happened this year, because that is a part of life every now and then.