QnA-9

Q: I think or the mind thinks ?
A: If you think you think you do, If you do not think you think, you do not.
Q: How come?
A: Both your I and your mind are mind made. 

LM chart refer

Chola maati ke

The search for immortality is a recurrent theme in Jnaana kaand of Vedas, the Upanishads. Similarly I sometimes that feel 'mortality' and all that ensues from it is the recurrent theme of medieval Indian saint poetry of the Bhakti age (I know this is only approximately true).  Perhaps mrityorma amrutam gamaya subtly means that mortality has be to understood in its depth before one enters in the realm of immortality.

Here is a folk song from the state of Chhatisgarh. Its from the movie, Peepli live.
You can find the lyrics and its meaning on the web. Even though lyrics have nothing new still when the poet says "ye dunia maya ke re bande jivanmukti kar le" somehow it sounds much better than the Champion's rant 'satsangatve nisangatvam...nishchaltattve jivan mukti"

Music is pleasant and soothing.

QnA-8

Q: What is bhakti ?
A: Having that and being reminded by that continuously that you are “having that ” causes an emotional upheaval in your system. Know that upheaval to be Bhakti.

Satya

सत्य की अभिलाषा से उसने जाना ,

सत्य की असली परिभाषा 

निराशा 

घोर, घोर, निराशा 

Shabad- sansar samunde taar govinde

शायद चाहता था वो किसी जमाने में तरना,
नहीं चाहता पर अब वो जीना
नहीं चाहता मरना

Gorakh Kalyan

Took some time find to this version on youtube, since the others are less tranquilizing. Bhimsen Joshi.

Roop Pahata Lochan

Considering the fact this Abhang has been sung by Asha Bhonslae and then by Pt. Bhimsen joshi, it has already been stamped with signatures of two of India's leading voices. That said, I think Ranjani Gayathri have done good justice to this Abhang. The treatment is very classical and yet it retains the sounds and rhythms of bahjan setting. Full marks and very well done. R-G have praised a lot on this blog already. I hope this shall continue :) 

Roop pahata lochani sukh jahale wo sajani
to ha vitthal barwa to ha madhav barwa
bahuta sukrutachi jodi mahanoni vittal awdhai
sarv sukhacha aagar baap rakhumadeviwar

Love story

Strange is this love story.
he has fallen in love,
and he is crest-fallen.
And in his utter submissive surrender,
he is dying,
he is lying,
stomped.

Tragedy or travesty of hope
what would you call his pursuit?

Strange is this love story.

Baand preeti phool

Subah Subah, bhayyia pointed me to this song in Jaijaiwanti. Touching and very sweet. I guess its a very young lata singing there. Music is by Sudhir Phadke. SJ has uploaded Sudhir kaka's version too. Which is also excellent! Esp. where he says "door jaana naa" it lends itself to a very emotive high point. Normally I try to follow lyrics, but here the music simply stole the show and I just couldnt! Youtube also has a similar rendition of jaijaiwanti by Pt. jasarj. I am putting up here only lata and phadke's. You can search for Jasraj's one.

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Vedana

देख रहा है वो भीतर
वेदना में टूटते हुए
पल पल तुमको फूटते हुए

Ratan Mohan sharma and SHankar Mahadevan

I dont think much of Shankar Mahadevan. Barring a few songs like Man Udhan varyache(age bai agarcha) and his performances with Shakti-band, I have no great memories of him. So when I saw him teaming up with Pt. Ratan Mohan Sharma, one of the most acclaimed disciples of Pt. Jasraj(besides Pt. Sanjeev Abhayankar ofcourse) I was rather surprised.

They are singing a  Beautiful kritti - tarak brahma swarupini- a beautiful amalgamation of Hindustani/Carnatic sytles. The opening is heavenly too, very dhrupad style(to my ears that is!). Its so sweet and it moved me so much that if yours truly had any power I would confer the title of Pt./Vidwan on Shankar Mahadevan. Anyway, does he need any title after singing like that? :) :) :)

Absolutely thrilling, do watch and enjoy. Raag is Yaman(sakhi e ri aali piya bina), I could catch the pakad easily. Do comment if you know more about kritti or this program in general where was this telecast/when etc.

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Part 1

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Part 2

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Hor vi nevaan Ho

This is a popish-folkish song by a Pakistani band called Noori. Vocals are by Ali Hamza. Has lots of good intrumental sounds, espcially the Veena which is being played by mother of Ali Hamza. I had no idea that veena is still being played in Pakistan. Even in hindustani classical, veena has sort of receded in the background and sitar maestros are ruling the scape thanks to Amir khusro(?). Mridang also has met a similar fate thanks to Tabla. Veena is still dominant in the carnatic though.

What I dont like is towards the end it becomes very pop-ish and noisy. Mebbe I am disconnected with this generation's music ;)

Burn

He doesnt care about the light anymore
All he knows is
That he is in darkness
and he is burning.

Dying

I might have wanted you
but, I have stopped trying

You are killing me,
But I am anyway dying. 

Ismaili poetry

Ismailism is a subsect of Shia islam. It has a deep mystical angle which I will describe sometime later. The Ismaili Pirs who travelled in the subcontinent created a unique poetry style called Ginan. The syncretic tendency of Pirs also allowed their identification with the Bhakti movement. Even in the poetry you find lots of elements of Vedic and Islamic tradition. You can find more about it on the web. Here is beautiful Ginan sung by Abida Parvin.




Note: The Ginan starts at 1.10, the beginning of clip is also a famous and beautiful quawwali, Ali Maula.

Thoughts

Not through thought
and no thought
is also a thought

--

Mindfull I am
of the mind
and the no-mind
full of mind

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I hate to think
I love to think that I hate to think
I am damned to think

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Poem: Thinking

मस्जिद में कभी कभी जाता है
पर वो इबादत नहीं कर पाता है
पर नाहक नही वो सर झुकाता है
वो तो बस सर जमीन पर लगाता है
जब उसका सर थक जाता है

Ramadaan

Here is the famous composition.

This reminds of the Upanishad, brahmavid brahmaiv bhavati ;) lol

Poem: Vismay

खाये जा रहा है मुझे
हर समय
जीवन
और जीवन के प्रति विस्मय