Wise Philosopher - Poets defining Wisdom

Thiruvalluvar, the celebrated Tamil poet & philosopher, lived around the beginning of the Christian Era. He composed his "Kural" which comprises 1330 couplets divided into three sections, namely Virtue, Wealth & Love, corresponding roughly to the first three "Purusharthas" (Hindu goals of human life.) A typical couplet on uxoriousness reads: 

"The unmanly doings of an uxorious man are a public scandal."

Sarvagna, the Kannada poet of the 16th century, composed about 2000 "tripadis" or three lined poems on almost all subjects. Even though a nomad, he also has celebrated worldly life, as in the following tripadi:

"If one has a cosy home, enough money,

 And an understanding wife.

 Who needs the pleasures of heaven?"

Bhartrihari, the philosopher-poet of the 5th Century, composed the "Shataka Trayam", comprising 100 verses each of "Niti Shatakam", (Virtue), "Shringara Shatakam" (Love) & "Vairagya Shatakam." (Renunciation). That he was not entirely successful in the last, is evinced in this verse:

"The face is covered with wrinkles, 

  the head has gone all grey,

  the limbs are slack and feeble,

  only cravings youthful stay."

Shaikh Saadi, the 12th Century Persian Sufi mystic, composed "Gulistan" (Rose Garden), divided into 7 chapters comprising 178 stories & the eighth chapter containing 112 maxims. He wrote the following story:

A King asked his minister to distribute money among the dervishes (ascetics). The minister came back with the money, saying, "Those who are dervishes will not accept the money & those who accept the money are not dervishes!"

Two Famous Persian Sufi Texts

The first is "The Rubiyat of Omar Khayyam." Omar Khayyam (1048-1131) was a polymath known as an astronmer, mathematician, philosopher & poet. But he is famous for his "Rubiyat" which meaning "Quartrains" (,four lined poems) contains 101 of them in the most accessible English translation by Edward Fitzgerald published in 1859. Though outwardly advocating a hedonist lifestyle, these are believed to carry a hidden meaning preaching Sufi philosphy. This may be because main stream Islam frowned upon many Sufi ideas. It is interesting to note that Paramahamsa Yogananda has published his own interpretation of the Rubiyat.

The second is "Gulistan" (Rose Garden) by Shaikh Saadi (1210-91). This is a collection of stories, verses & maxims. This is composed of eight chapters.

1. Character of Kings. (42 stories)
2. Moral Qualities of Dervishes (47 stories)
3. Excellence of Contentment (28 stories)
4. Advantages of Silence (14 stories)
5. Love & Youth (20 stories)
6. Feebleness & Old Age (8 stories)
7. Effect of Education (19 stories)
8. Duties of Society (112 maxims)

As can be seen from the chapter headings, it encapsulates the wisdom of that country at that time.

Two Great Flower Painters

Flowers are arguably the most beautiful creations in nature. Two painters, one European & one English have dedicated their entire life in painting them, bringing out their ephemeral charm.

Pierre Joseph Redoute (1759-1840) was from the Austrian Nederlands. He was the official court artist of Marie Antoinette. (The one who suggested that poor people eat cake & was guillotined!). He lived for 80 years & worked closely with botanists. He produced over 2000 works of 1800 species of flowers & was reckoned the greatest flower painter of all time, earning the nickname of "The Raphael of Flowers." He always painted fresh flowers & not those in a herbarium.

Barbara Nicholson, an English painter in the mid twentieth century, started her career as a medical illustrator, but later switched over to painting flowers. Her work was always preceded by field studies & she invariably painted from fresh materials. Her pictures were botanically accurate & artistically beautiful. Her work is published in "The Illustrated Book of Garden Flowers" & "The Illustrated Book of Wild Flowers" among other publications.

Ghantakarna - Religious Fanaticism

Ghantakarna was a Shaivite & a hater of Vishnu. He used to hang bells from his ears so that their jingling could drown the name of Vishnu if ever uttered by anyone in his hearing.

This type of fanaticism has been always present in spite of saints like Shirdi Sai Baba, Sri Ramakrishna & Sri Satya Sai Baba, to name a few, having spoken against it.

Swami Vivekananda, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna has pointed out the irrationality of such thought & even went so far as to say that "if one religion is true, all must be true." He also advocated the application of the scientific mode of analysis to religions.

Unfortunately, in the twenty-first century, the prolification of social media, instead of alleviating this Ghantakarna Syndrome, has aggravated this & contributed to further polarisation. If Ghantakarna was content to just shut out other deities, now the fringe elements are indulging in hate speeches leading to inciting  of violence towards all religions except one's own.

Other ways of perpetuating this polarised way of viewing things is by way of family influence. Also one tends to make one's political leaders' views their own, which may not be advisable as the leader may have his own agenda instead of the nation's good.

It is a paradox that the Internet, providing information of all creeds, instead of drawing people closer, has driven wedges between them.

Encyclopedia of Ragas

"Raga Nidhi" by B. Subba Rao was first published by The Music Academy, Madras (now "Chennai") in 1956 in four volumes. It contains descriptions of all ragas, both Hindustani & Karnatic, in alphabetical order. Each raga is given its aroha (ascending notes), avaroha (descending notes), chalan, pakad & one of two vocal compositions, all in a page or two. Additional information, if available, is also appended. Though published by The Music Academy, Madras, the home of Karnatic Music, the Hindustani ragas are dealt with first & then the Karnatic ones!

In addition to the information about the ragas themselves, five technical articles are appended at the beginning.

1.⁠ ⁠Ragas in Bharatiya Sangit.

2.⁠ ⁠Srutis in Bharatiya Sangit.

3.⁠ ⁠Nomenclature of Svaras or Notes.

4.⁠ ⁠Classification of Ragas.

5.⁠ ⁠Chart indicating how twelve Svaras of Hindustani became sixteen in Karnatic.

A revised second edition was published in 2015, in two volumes, the first two volumes of the original edition being contained in the new first volume and the third & fourth volumes of the original being contained in the new second volume. The complete work, running to over a thousand pages, contains nearly a thousand ragas. It is the only work of its kind & is a "go to" resource book for all students of music, either Hindustani or Karnatic.

Imperativeness of Learning Classical Music

In the "good old days" as it used to be called , the sound of music being practiced by children, was wafted along the streets of all cultivated homes, both east & west. Who can forget that music was one of the mandatory accomplishments of a lady or gentleman, in Regency England, as shown in Jane Austen's "Sense & Sensibility."? Especially in south India, learning music was "de rigeur" for marriageable young girls.

The coming of the radio, was in a way, the beginning of the end of music being performed in the home. The radio & later TV made learning music redundant by piping music into the home. The final nail in the coffin was driven by the so-called female education, which pushed girls into schools & colleges, not to get educated, but alas, eventually convert them into economically productive units. "Lakshmi" was the adored female deity not "Saraswati"!

William Congreve, in his 1697 play "The Mourning Bride", wrote "Music hath charms to sooth the savage breast." Now these lines assume ominous overtones as the fringe elements professing a religion, which is said to be against music, especially instrumental, as it is supposed to be "haram" (forbidden), are indulging in violent acts which exhibit their "savage breast". It is another matter that many internationally celebrated Indian instrumentalists, following the same religion, have brought renown to the nation, one even going as far as to say "Swar hi Ishwar hai." (Music is God).

Even China, which during their ill-advised "cultural revolution" destroyed musical instruments, have come to their senses & producing world-class virtuosi now.

Pioneering Children's Novels

"The Legend of Lucy Whipple" (1849) is written by Karen Cushman. In this, the mother, after losing her husband, moves to the west, to make her living by providing a boarding house to the miners, with her children. But her eldest, Lucy is reluctant & is fond of books & reading. But she reluctantly goes along & helps her mother. When her mother decides to remarry an itinerant preacher & missionary & decides to move to Sandwich Islands, Lucy decides to stay back & start a library to educate the miners' children, continuing the work of Benjamin Franklin who started circulating libraries in USA in 1731.

"The Little House in the Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1932). In this novel, set in the 1870's in Wisconsin, Laura & her family, consisting of her parents & two sisters,  settled in the wilderness, where they had to be completely self-sufficient. Bears & wolves were always prowling around & Laura learned to handle guns while still very young. They lived by hunting & limited agriculture. The arrival of a hired mechanical horse-operated thresher was an event. How the family cheerfully thrived under these harsh conditions is described in detail in the book. It was followed by numerous sequels.

The Seven Stages of Spiritual Progress according to Sri Ramakrishna & St.Teresa of Avila

In "The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna", it is stated that on October 28, 1882, Sri Ramakrishna said that the Vedas speak of seven planes where the mind dwells. When the mind is immersed in  worldliness, it dwells in the three lower planes, the navel, the organ of generation & the organ of evacuation. The fourth plane is the heart. Here one has the first glimpse of spiritual consciousness. One sees light all around. The fifth plane is at the throat. The person only likes to hear & talk about God. The sixth plane is at the forehead. The aspirant sees the form of God day & night. The seventh plane is at the top of the head. When the mind rises there, the person goes into Samadhi (spiritual trance) & directly perceives God.

St.Teresa of Avila, the 16th Century Spanish mystic wrote "The Interior Castle" which comprises of seven "mansions". Each representing a stage of spiritual progress.

The first "mansion's" door is accessed through prayer. Only souls in a state of grace (who can free themselves from sin) can access it. The second mansion is attained by souls, who although they may fall into sin, are closer to God & can hear his call better. The third mansion is attained by souls, who do not retreat & are seperated from the world in all humility. The fourth mansion is inhabited by those who pray of stillness & love much. The fifth mansion's is occupied by souls incipient in union with God. The sixth mansion deepens the union but with very hard labours. The seventh (last) mansion celebrates the spiritual marriage with God & the soul becomes one with God.

Pandit Ravi Shankar's Legacy - A New Look

There is a tendency to regard Panditji's music as only a reflection of his music guru, Ustad Allauddin Khan's influence. Actually Panditji was a performing musician much before he met his guru. There is a Vinyl LP originally recorded during his visit (as part of a dance troupe led by his eldest brother, the legendary dancer & choreographer Uday Shankar) to the USA in 1937 called "Indian Music Ragas & Dances". In this record Panditji plays Esraj (a Sarangi-like instrument.)

As Ravi Shankar was also a dancer, there is more emphasis on the tala element even in his mature work as a Sitarist, compared to his "gurubhais" in the same gharana Ali Akbar Khan & Nikhil Banerjee. His pioneering efforts to present Carnatic ragas in Hindustani garb also stemmed from the above mentioned record, where ragas Simhendra Madhyamam & Hamsadhwani are presented.

Panditji's pioneering missionary zeal to popularize Hindustani music world wide may also have been inspired by his brother Uday Shankar's similar zeal to universalise Indian dance abroad. So both his brother & guru helped turn him into the global icon he became later.

Positivity of Pangloss & Pollyanna

In Voltaire's satire "Candide", he satirises the Leibnizian philosophy of "All things happen for the best in this best of all possible worlds", using Dr. Pangloss, the tutor of Candide, as the mouthpiece. Even after all possible misfortunes happen to them, Pangloss stubbornly repeats his dictum, but Candide adds pragmatically, "But let us cultivate our garden."

In Eleanor Porter's "Pollyanna", the eponymous character, is a little orphan girl who comes to live with her aunt. Her late pastor father, beset with poverty, found about 800 "Rejoicing texts" in the Bible, & taught his daughter to look for the silver lining of every cloud. Pollyanna goes about teaching this "Glad Game" to all in the town. But when she herself is nearly paralysed after an accident, she nearly loses faith but is saved by a medical breakthrough, restoring her belief in her "Glad Game."

Music Appreciation

Aaron Copland, the American Composer, in his book "What to listen for in music" divides music appreciation into three planes. 

1.⁠ ⁠The Sensuous plane. Here one listens to the sheer pleasure of the sound itself. A kind of brainless but attractive state of mind is engendered by the mere sound of the music.

2.⁠ ⁠The Expressive plane. All music has an expressive power which, unfortunately (in the case of instrumental music) cannot be put into words. For example each of the 48  fugue themes in Bach's "The Well Tempered Clavichord" mirrors a different world of feeling.

3.⁠ ⁠The Musical plane. Here, in addition to the above two, music exists in terms of its own notes & their manipulation. The musically aware listener should hear the melodies, rhythms, harmonies & the tone colours. He should be aware of musical forms & be able to follow the lines of the composer's thought.

If this is the case of Western Classical Music, Carnatic music, being based largely on Kritis, offer a convenient verbal peg to hang one's appreciation, even in the case of instrumental renditions.

Hindustani, especially instrumental music, has attained an universal appeal, because of its pure, abstract form. But here also, ability to recognise the ragas is a prime requisite in appreciating it.

Many "connoisseurs" have never got beyond the first "Sensuous Plane" mentioned above as evinced by nodding their heads & exclaiming "Wah, wah!" Ustad Vilayat Khan, once asked why he didn't announce the name of the raga he would play, scathingly replied "If they can't recognise the raga,  they are not fit to attend my concert!"

Pandit Ravi Shankar - A Discography

 

Vinyl LP Records

 1.⁠ ⁠Madhukauns, Jogiya & Dhun.

 2.⁠ ⁠Hamsadhwani, Kafi Dhun & Ramkali.

 3.⁠ ⁠Ahir Bhairav, Simhendra Madhyamam & Jog.

 4.⁠ ⁠Deshi, Shuddha Sarang & Yaman Manj.

 5.⁠ ⁠Hem Bihag, Malaya Marutham, Mishra Mand.

 6.⁠ ⁠Madhuvanti, Mishra Mand.

 7.⁠ ⁠Puriya Dhanasri, Charukeshi, Kafi Holi, Dhun & Mishra Piloo.

 8.⁠ ⁠Pather Panchali, Fire Night, Keeravani & Rageshri.

 9.⁠ ⁠Abhogi Kanada & Tilak Shyam.

10.⁠ ⁠Ahir Lalit & Rasiya.

11.⁠ ⁠Lalit & Khamach.

12.⁠ ⁠Nat Bhairav & Mishra Pilu.

13.⁠ ⁠Bihag

14.⁠ ⁠Parameshwari

15.⁠ ⁠Gangeshwari, Rangeshwari & Kameshwari.

16.⁠ ⁠Alihiya Bilaval & Patdeep

17.  Shuddha Kalyan, Samant Sarang & Devagiri Bilaval.

18.  Dadra, Maru Bihag, Bhimpalasi & Sindhi Bhairavi.

19.⁠ ⁠Malkauns & Multani.

20.⁠ ⁠Bhopal Todi & Sindhi Bhairavi.

21.⁠ ⁠Bhim palas, Pancham se Gara (Monterry)

22.⁠ ⁠Hamir, Gara.

23.⁠ ⁠Jogeshwari

24.⁠ ⁠Mohan Kauns & Hemant.

25.⁠ ⁠Shuddha Kalyan & Rasiya (Victoria Memorial)

26.⁠ ⁠Puriya Dhanasri, Manj Khamach (Woodstock).

With Ali Akbar Khan

27.⁠ ⁠Bilaskhani Todi & Palas Kafi.

28 Shree & Sindhu Bhairavi

29.⁠ ⁠Durga & Khamach

30.⁠ ⁠Hem Bihag, Manj Khamach & Sindhu Bhairavi.

31.⁠ ⁠Mishra Pilu.

32.⁠ ⁠Jhinjoti & Bahar (solo).

With Yehudi Mehuhin

33.⁠ ⁠Prabhati, Puriya Kalyan & Tilang.

34.⁠ ⁠Ananda Bhairav, Mishra Pilu & Dhun.

35.⁠ ⁠Nat Bhairav, Puriya Danasri, Miya ki Todi, Nat Bhairavi.

Orchestral & Film music

36.⁠ ⁠Durga, Shiva Ranjini, Rokudan, Kaushik Dhwani. (Japan)

37.⁠ ⁠Meera Film Songs.

38.  Music from "Charly".

39.  Music from "Gandhi".

40.  Festival from India.

41.  Shankar Family & Friends.

42.  Jazz Mine.

43.  Asian Games 1982 Music.

44.  Sitar Concerto 1 with Previn.

45.  Sitar Concerto 2 with Mehta.

7" Extended Play E.P. Records

 1.⁠ ⁠Marwa, Hemant, Yamani Bilaval & Prach.

 2.⁠ ⁠Sindhu Bhairavi, Tilak Shyam, Nat Bhairav & Puriya Kalyan.

 3.⁠ ⁠Bhatiyar, Hameer, Keeravani & Rasiya.

 4.⁠ ⁠Ahir Lalit, Pancham se Gara, Yaman Manj & Bengali Kirtan.

 5.⁠ ⁠Kaushi Bhairav & Khamach.

 6.⁠ ⁠Megh & Nand.

 7.⁠ ⁠Janasanmohini & Mishra Gara.

 8.⁠ ⁠Todi & Manj Khamach (with Ali Akbar). 

 9.⁠ ⁠Mishra Jhinjoti (with Ali Akbar) & Joi Bangla.

10.⁠ ⁠Songs from film "Anuradha".

Pre-recorded Cassettes

 1.⁠ ⁠Abhogi, Desh, Todi & Thumri.

 2.⁠ ⁠Asa Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada & Mishra Gara.

 3.⁠ ⁠Passages (with Philip Glass).

 4.⁠ ⁠Tana Mana.

 5.⁠ ⁠Inside the Kremlin.

 6.⁠ ⁠Ahir Bhairav & Bengali Kirtan (Live at Hyderabad)

 7.⁠ ⁠Ananda Bhairav & Sindhi Bhairavi. (Live at Pune).

 8.⁠ ⁠Parameshwari (Dover Lane)

 9.⁠ ⁠Asa Bhairav & Mishra Bhairavi (Dover Lane)

10.⁠ ⁠Encounter (for festival of France).

11.⁠ ⁠Bagesri, Manj Khamach (Live at Delhi).

12.⁠ ⁠Chants of India.

13.⁠ ⁠Genesis film music.

14.⁠ ⁠Chappaqua film music.

15.⁠ ⁠Kaushi Kanada & Mishra Gara (Carnegie)

Compact Discs

 1.⁠ ⁠Gangeshwari (Live at Allahabad).

 2.⁠ ⁠Kaunsi Kanada & Bihag

 3.⁠ ⁠Janasanmodini & Desh (Copenhagen)

 4.⁠ ⁠Bibhas, Parameshwari (Hollywood).

 5.⁠ ⁠Dhun & Sindhi Bhairavi (Hollywood).

 6.⁠ ⁠Malgunji, Khamaj, Kedar & Satyajit.

 7.⁠ ⁠Mishra Kafi, Sindhi Bhairavi & Bhairavi.

 8.⁠ ⁠Multani & Vachaspati.

 9.⁠ ⁠Symphony London Philharmonic.

10.⁠ ⁠Basant Mukhari, Basant Pancham & Kedar.

11.⁠ ⁠Sanjh Kalyan, Yaman & Dhun.

12.⁠ ⁠Bairagi Todi, Gaud Sarang, Gara.

13.⁠ ⁠Bairagi, Nat Bhairavi & Marwa.

14.⁠ ⁠Tilak Kamod, Bhatiyar & Dhun

15.⁠ ⁠Bhatiyar, Sindhu Bhairavi (Stutgart)

16.⁠ ⁠Todi & Shuddha Sarang (Montery 67)

17.⁠ ⁠Todi, Manj Khamach & Shailangi (Venice)

18.⁠ ⁠Rajya Kalyan, Pahadi Jhinjoti.

19.⁠ ⁠Anandi Kalyan & Desh.

20.⁠ ⁠Miya ki Malhar, Sindhura & Kafi.

21.⁠ ⁠Jhinjoti & Khamach (70th Anniversary)

22.⁠ ⁠Bihag & Pancham se Gara. (70th A.)

23.⁠ ⁠Charu Kauns & Dhun.

24.⁠ ⁠Purvi Kalyan, Puriya Kalyan & Man Pasand.

25.⁠ ⁠Jait & Keeravani (Albert Hall).

26.⁠ ⁠Mishra Khamach (Albert Hall).

27.⁠ ⁠Yaman Kalyan. (Bangalore)

28.⁠ ⁠Tilak Shyam & Khamach. (Bangalore).

Studio/Live Recordings of Classical Music

There will necessarily be a difference between the two. In the case of a studio recording, right from the conception, the artist is aware of the eventual listener, probably a connoisseur & the contribution to posterity. The listener is one who is sufficiently interested (to invest his money, in the early days at least), to acquire the record & listen with full attention. Also in the quest for perfection, there will be many takes, and the best will be selected for release. So the finished product may be expected to be technically sound & artistically aimed at the "high end" of listeners.

On the other hand, the presence of a live appreciative audience may spur the performer(s) to higher levels of creativity, which may be captured in a live recording. However, the artist is bound to perform to please a broader spectrum of audience, including the philistines. So he/she may dumb down the presentation to cater to the lowest common denominator, or in other words, "to play to the gallery". This is evident in the Promenade concerts, where the audience is allowed to applaud between movements of a work, which is forbidden in a more formal setting. Also, any errors may be preserved.

A curious amalgamation of the above two, seemed to have taken place when Pandit Ravi Shankar played to his largest audience at Woodstock (estimated at 5 lakh listeners). He was dissatisfied with the audience & after the concert, was unhappy with the recording. So he is supposed to have recorded the same ragas in a studio, overdubbed with the live announcements & ambient noise at the venue & released the result as "Live At Woodstock"!

Education & Profession

The purpose of education is not only to provide knowledge or skills to obtain a living & provide status. Even people without education can obtain wealth & status, for example, in the underworld. The purpose of education is to produce a cultured individual capable of appreciating the fine arts & sports.

In addition to a knowledge of the natural world & overview of the sciences & arts, one should also be a useful member of society. Unfortunately, this comprehensive view of education is completely forgotten in the mad rush for wealth & status. The most frequently asked questions in a Google search are the searched person's "networth" rather than his/her achievements. 

This perversion has become so normalised that one views even entertainment through the distorting, irrelevant & ultimately egregious prism of money. One is more interested in the money earned by the filmstar or cricketer rather than enjoying their artistry on the screen or cricket field. 

How harmful it is to become besotted by film stars or cricketers, who are after all only entertainers, was probably anticipated by Chanakya himself when he placed various restrictions on entertainers' stay & travel from place to place, whereas bars, gambling dens & places offering female society were allowed, albeit under government control.

Coming back to education & profession, every professional person is quite often not educated at all in the true sense of the word, even though he/she may have a string of letters after their name.

The Four Ways of Demonstrating Hindustani Instrumental Music

1. 
   The First way is by singing the swaras using the words of the Khayal (or fixed composition) like the famous "Bole re papihara" in the raga Miya ki Malhar.
2. The second way is by singing the sargam or the actual swaras (or musical notes) being intoned by the composition. Like "M P nDNS__ g__gMRS" in the example given above.
3. In instrumental music, say the Sitar, the right-hand index finger is used to pluck the string to produce the sound. The inward pluck is called "da" & the outward "ra". There are other variations like "diri" etc. A singer can intone the sitar right hand plucking syllables while singing the swaras of the composition.
4. Similarly, the strokes on the Tabla are also identified by "Da, Dhin, Ta, Na" etc. The composition can also be sung (in the swaras denoted for it) while intoning the tabla syllables mentioned above.

Education & addressing people

Education presupposes attending school & using the dictionary at some point to know the exact meaning of words. The dictionary meaning of uncle/aunt is a sibling of one's parent. Similarly grandfather/grandmother is a parent of one's parent.

But what is happening in India since the last 50 years or so, is that even unrelated people perceived as slightly older than oneself are addressed as uncle/aunt. Those with even a strand of grey hair are addressed grandfather/grandmother (or its regional equivalent.) This started in South India with the influx of Hindi speaking people from the north, who are more at home in Hindi than English.

The semantically correct way of addressing people, used in countries where English is the first language, is by their name, prefixed with Mr./Ms. If the name is not known, Sir/Madam may be used. Addressing elderly strangers as grandpa/grandma is considered as a doubly provocative insult, because they are not biologically related & one is drawing attention to their age, which is extremely bad manners.

In a famous example, Anne of Green Gables, an orphan, on her arrival, asks Marilla, a middle aged spinster, "Can I call you Aunt Marilla?" Marilla sternly replies "No, because I am not your aunt & I don't like people being called names that don't belong to them. Just call me Marilla."

It is only to be hoped that the so-called "educated(!)" Indians, start to use words strictly according to their meaning in the dictionary. Addressing people by a non existent biological relationship is an insult rather than an assumption of family ties.

Unique "Murchana" Record

In Hindustani music, "Murchana" means shifting the Shadja to obtain a different Raga. Ustad Imrat Khan, the Surbahar & Sitar Maestro, has recorded an unique LP where he has used this technique to use his two different instruments to play two different ragas so that they sound like a continuation rather than two different ragas.

Raga Abhogi is played on Surbahar, which is tuned a fourth lower than the Sitar. The notes used are S R g M D S, the semitonal intervals between the notes being 2,1,2,4,3. This is followed by Raga Kalavati played on Sitar, the semitonal intervals between notes being 4,3,2,1,2. If the Madhyam of Abhogi is used as the Shadja, one may obtain the notes of Kalavati. Conversely, if the Pancham of Kalavati is used as Shadja, the notes of Abhogi may be obtained.

"Jasrangi" developed by Pandit Jasraj also uses the same technique but in Jugalbandi between male & female vocalists, whose natural Shadja is half an octave apart. So they can sing two different ragas at the same time, sounding as if they are in unison! The man may be intoning Pancham, which may be the Shadja for the woman (in another Raga, the intervals of which should be the same as the different Raga being sung by the man!)

In the extant YouTube video, Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande is singing Abhogi whereas Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar is singing Kalavati in unison!

Humility & Humiliation

In the book "Holy Thirthankaras" by Daaji, a story from the life of the 11th Thirthankara of Jainism, Shreyans Nath, is narrated. Amongst his disciples, there was a monk who was unable to fast completely. He was insulted for this & another monk even spat into his plate of food. The "insulted" monk forgave the spitter instantly & as a result, his karma was exhausted immediately & he became liberated.

A similar idea is propounded in Matthew 5:5 (from The Sermon on the Mount) where it is stated, "The meek shall inherit the earth." This paradoxical quote interprets "the earth" to mean peace or everlasting liberation.

In Kathryn Hulme's book, "The Nun's Story", the ritual of the "Culpa" is explained. In a convent, it is the proclaiming of all your faults before your sisters. After that, the sisterhood are invited to complete, for charity's sake, those faults, which you might not have mentioned. For a new nun, it was a trial by fire.

Even in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress", the pilgrim Christian had to pass through the "Valley of Humiliation" to get to the Celestial City, the abode of God.

In more practical worldly situations, the doctrine of civil disobedience (inviting a lot of humiliation) was employed by Gandhi in the freedom struggle. Later, Nelson Mandela in South Africa & Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the USA also used it.

Audio Power: RMS value & PMPO

In the case of DC signal, it is easy to calculate as it is always positive & unvarying. But in the case of AC, it is sinusoidal in form, which is continuously changing in amplitude & shifting between positive & negative values. If the values are just averaged out, the positive & negative may just cancel each other out, giving a fallacious value.

So the Root Mean Square (RMS) value is computed to get a more realistic value. First each number of the dataset (of the sine wave) is squared as even the square of the negative numbers in the dataset (or the portion of the sinewave below the X axis) get a positive magnitude. Then a mean or average is worked out to get a single workable value. Then the (square) root is taken of this value to correct the squaring done at first (to absorb the negative values). This is the RMS value of the power rating of the audio amplifier, which gives a realistic approximation.

However, some manufacturers quote a PMPO (Peak Music Power Output) which is the maximum sine wave power obtainable before presence of the signal has time to degrade performance. However, this is just a marketing tool to impress the gullible customer. For example, a popular brand markets its system as having 4000 Watts PMPO whereas it's RMS value is 45 Watts.

Super Filial Sons in Hindu Mythology

In 'Ramayana", we have Indrajit, son of Ravana, supporting his father in his unrighteous ways, instead of advising him to desist as his uncle Vibhishana did.

In Ramayana itself, when King Dasharatha unwillingly imposed exile on Rama, even his brother Lakhmana reportedly protested.

In "Mahabharata", Bhishma, to satisfy his father's desire to marry Satyavati, though he himself was the heir, decided to remain celibate. (He also abducted three princesses as brides for his stepbrother.)

Again in "Mahabharata", one comes across Prince Puru, sacrificing his youth to his father King Yayati to enable him to enjoy.

Even though filial piety is a noble virtue, it can be carried too far, as mentioned above.

A glorious exception is Prahlada who courageously stood his ground against his father King Hiranyakashipu in worshipping Vishnu.

Pride & Shame: The Two Great Human Motivators

It is highly instructive to note how the above two have shaped human behaviour across time. For example having a profitable start-up is a matter of pride nowadays. But in earlier times, engaging in trade, though profitable, was a socially demeaning activity & its practitioners termed "upstarts". Their lack of culture & philistinism exposed them as "noveau-rich" behaving in a shameful way. However rich they may become, they were social pariahs.

That such an attitude was not wholly irrational is being reinforced by such people now throwing their weight around & asking "Do you know who I am?" whenever they think they have not got VIP treatment. This goes for most politicians also. So their "Pride" is actually really a matter of "Shame."

Another conundrum is many captains of industry like to pose as philanthropists, providing employment & hence livelihood to many. But do the employees share this view? On the contrary many feel they are exploited & made to work in glorified "sweatshops". So what is the truth? Are the employers prideful "compassionate captalists" as they would like to believe or shameless "savage slave drivers" as many employees feel?

Second Amendment & Children's Literature

The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the USA guarantees the right to bear & use firearms by the citizens. The collateral damage of this is becoming more evident day by day. Ironically, this is buttressed by two classics of Children's Literature.

A Swiss pastor, Johann David Wyss, inspired by Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crutsoe", wrote "The Swiss Family Robinson" in 1812. It is the story of a shipwrecked family with four sons surviving in a deserted island. The surprising thing is, in spite of being a pastor, he had no qualms about encouraging his sons to mercilessly hunt down the various animals & birds there, with no concern for ecological balance.

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote "The Little Place in the Big Woods" in 1867. This is an American family living off the land in a hard unforgiving terrain. The descriptions of wild, untamed nature are no doubt enthralling. But what shocks the reader's sensibilities is a little four year girl being trained to make bullets, handle a gun, kill small animals for food.

The Real Education: Music Education

While medicine & engineering are sought after professions, they may not always fulfil all human creative needs. That may be why many eminent people of those professions, also cultivated their interest in music.

Dr. Albert Schweitzer was a doctor who practiced tropical medicine in Africa with his wife Helene serving as his anaesthesiologist when he performed surgery. He was also an authority on Bach & wrote books on Bach & also on the art of building Organs.

Albert Einstein was an excellent violinist, who used his violin playing as a brain storming tool when he had problems with physics.

Homi Bhabha, the nuclear physicist was a Western classical music enthusiast who felt that music was as important as maths & physics & made life worth living.

Raja Ramanna, the nuclear physicist, had passed a Trinity College exam & was an accomplished pianist. He also authored a book on Western & Karnatic music.

Dr. Abdul Kalam was playing the Veena & his ambition was to play "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" on it.

The high school students in western countries are encouraged to learn to play a musical instrument of their choice. During their "Cultural Revolution", the Chinese foolishly destroyed many musical instruments but they quickly realised their mistake & now there are many Chinese virtuosi on the international stage.

Pandit Ravi Shankar's last creation

Oliver Craske in his book "Indian Sun" writes that Pandit Ravi Shankar was commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra to compose his first (& only one, as it turned out) Symphony. He writes that Panditji wanted to look at Western Symphony through the prism of Indian music, like Prokofiev did in his "Classical Symphony", looking at 18th century music through the prism of the twentieth.  

The work contains four movements.

1. Allegro (in Sonata form) Raga Zila Kafi
2. Lento in Raga Ahir Bhairav
3. Scherzo in Raga Do Ga Kalyan
4. Finale in Raga Banjara (Folk melody)

The highlight of the work is the third movement, a scherzo. The Raga here is Do Ga Kalyan, Panditji's own creation. The conductor, David Murphy writes that this Raga omits the second note of the Kalyan scale, but had both the thirds & an augmented fourth. So if C is the tonic, the scale would be C, Eb, E, F#, G, A, & B.

This last work is not only his first Symphony but also contains his last created Raga, Do Ga Kalyan. It was premiered at the Royal Festival Hall on 1st July 2010 with Anoushka Shankar as the solo sitarist. It was also recorded live & issued as a CD.

The Book which rejuvenated a Record

Vikram Seth's novel "An Equal Music" (1999) deals with the fictional Maggiore Quartet & especially with its second violinist Michael Holme. One of his students tells him about Beethoven's String Quintet in C minor Op.104, of which he was unaware. The work has an additional viola added to the standard string quartet.

He starts a frantic but futile search through London record stores. Crestfallen, he orders a printed score from a music library. Then he starts again to search in record shops. Finally, in a store basement, an old man pulls out an East European pressing of the record for him. Delighted, he heads home with his treasured possession. This section of the book is a sheer delight to seasoned record hunters.

The Beethoven Quintet, which was all but forgotten, was given a second lease of life after the publication of the book & the LP & CD sold well. Also a record set was brought out containing all the music pieces mentioned in the book.

Dark Night of the Soul

Though this is title of a poem by the 16th Century Spanish Mystic, St. John of the Cross, the idea is prevalent from the time of  St.Thomas, one of the 12 apostles. When the Resurrection of Christ occurred, he was not present & doubted the experience of his fellow apostles. Then Christ appeared before him & offered to show him his wounds. Then he believed.

St. Teresa of Avila, the 16th century Spanish Mystic, wrote in her book "Interior Castle" that it contains seven "mansions" or stages of spiritual progress. The penultimate mansion, the sixth, offers great trials including physical infirmity to the aspirant.

The next reference occurs in an allegorical way in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" when Christian is imprisoned in "The Doubting Castle" by Giant Despair.

The nineteenth century St.Therese of Lisieux also suffered the dark night of the soul towards the end of her short life of 24 years.

She was later declared one of only four female Doctors of the Church.

Interestingly, this phenomenon is not confined to Christianity. Swami Vivekananda, the Hindu spiritual leader also experienced it. "M", the author of "The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna" records that the Swami told him that "there is no such thing as God." It should be remembered that this was during the last days of Sri Ramakrishna, who had already provided the Swami with many spiritual experiences.

The Other Elizabeth Taylor (1912 - 1975)

This one, an accomplished writer, was an older contemporary of her legendary  namesake, the iconic film star. According to Kingsley Amis, "She was one of the best novelists in 20th century." Antonia Fraser  rated her as "One of the most under-rated writers of the 20th Century."

She also wrote short stories, all of which are published in an omnibus volume. One of them, called "Sisters", begins like this: "On her return from shopping, Mrs.Mason was called upon in her house by a young man, who brought her to the edge of ruin." At the end of the story, she attends a bridge party, on leaving which, she wonders whether they were all talking about her already." This is because the young man, a journalist has ferreted out the secret that her sister, dead now, & kept hidden from her circle, had led a scandalous life & worse, written about it in a series of best-sellers, ascribing all the naughtiness to herself, the innocent sister. 

Another story, "The Flypaper", could well have been authored by Daphne du Maurier, the mistress of the deeply unsettling & horrifying stories. Here a little girl, seemingly rescued in public by a kindly woman from a male predator, finds out too late that they are in league with each other in private.

It is the readers' good fortune that her books are still in print.

Great Example of a Great Form

Bach's "Die Kunst der Fuge" (BWV 1080), though incomplete, is arguably the greatest example of the purest abstract form of Western Classical Music, the Fugue. It consists of 14 contrapuncti & 4 canons in D minor.

The Fugue is a musical form in which the stated subject is followed by an answer, an imitation of the subject, a perfect fifth above or a perfect fourth below it. Interestingly, the subject also continues simultaneously with the answer, providing a contrary melodic line, in harmony, which is now called the counter-subject. A Fugue can have four voices.

The Fugue also uses the mathematical concepts of the Fibonacci numbers & the Golden Ratio. The Fibonacci numbers 1, 3 & 5 are also the semitones used in the C major chord, C, E & G. A piano octave consists of a total of 13 keys, 8 white & 5 black. The ratio of 13/8 is approximately equal to the Golden Ratio of mathematics.

Though it was presumably written for a keyboard instrument, versions featuring a string quartet, orchestra & vocal versions are available.

Though Bach composed his monumental set of "The 48" comprising preludes & Fugues in all the semitones of an octave (12) in both major & minor keys (24) twice over (48), "The Art of Fugue" occupies a special space in his ouvre.

A Semantical Study of the Arabic word "Jihad"

Both "fight for righteousness" & "fight for justice" are understood to be represented by the word "Jihad" in Arabic. In fact, Quran Surah 2, Verse 190 explicitly states "Fight (in the cause of God) those that fight you, but commit no aggression. God does not love aggressors." So Jihad can be only defensive, never offensive. This is like the NFU policy of India, which has publicly declared that it will never be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict.

Interestingly, this has been in vogue since the time of the two Avatars (Incarnations of God) in the Hindu pantheon. The central point in both Ramayana & Mahabharata are the wars for righteousness & justice. In one case, recovery of an abducted wife & in the other, recovery of a due share in the kingdom. In Ramayana, the first aggression was committed by abduction. In Mahabharata, just before the war, the foremost warrior of the Pandavas, even laid down his arms. Lord Krishna, God incarnate, persuaded him that fighting in a righteous cause for justice (Jihad?) is his bounden duty, to protect Dharma.

So in the original meaning of the Arabic word "Jihad", may lie the eternal human quest for righteousness & justice. Due to narrow self-interests driven by political/historical needs, the word has been downgraded to mean intolerant fanaticism.

Girls & Gables in Literature

The most famous girl associated with gables is the heroine Anne Shirley of "Anne of Green Gables" (1908) by L. M. Montgomery set in the fictional town of Avonlea in Canada. She is an orphan coming to live with middle-aged siblings Matthew & Marilla. Impetuous but good-hearted, she becomes an inseparable part of their household. She even sacrifices her ambition of a college education to live  with Marilla when Matthew passes away.

The second girl is Phoebe Pyncheon, who appears in "The House of

Seven Gables" (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne, who also wrote arguably the most perfectly constructed novel of all time, "The Scarlet Letter." H.P.Lovecraft, the famous master of horror stories, called "The House of Seven Gables" as "New England's greatest contribution to weird literature". In a role  reversal of "Romeo & Juliet", Phoebe Pyncheon marries a descendant of the feuding Maules. A TV film was also made, starring the (former) greatest child actress of all time, Shirley Temple as Phoebe.

Fathers preying on sons in literature

"A Tragedy of Two Ambitions" by Thomas Hardy (1888)

An alcoholic mill-wright wastes the money which his wife had painstakingly saved for their sons' higher education, after her death. But the sons, by hard work, educate themselves & also their sister to be a lady. But their father turns up with a slatternly wife just before his daughter's engagement to the village squire, threatening to disrupt, if he is not allowed into the family again. Soon afterwards, he falls into a weir & shouts for help, with the sons still within earshot.  But the brothers delay, knowing that all their hard won decent lives will end if he lives. 

His body was found six months later, after his daughter had married the squire. But the sons, though clergymen, are still guilt-ridden.

"Marali Mannige" by Shivarama Karanth (1941)

In this classic Kannada novel, Lakshmana, though married, becomes a wastrel & abandons his family, leaving them to fend for themselves as best as they could. His son Rama, with great difficulty & his mother's sacrifice, educates himself & gets a job as a hotel cashier. His father somehow gets to know this & starts frequenting it with his friends & leaving without paying. After sometime, Rama, realising that he has to pay his father's bills & deprive his mother of the money he is sending her, forbids the waiters from serving his father. His father, furious, kicks up a ruckus about "unfilial (!)" sons, & leaves.

"Bhitti" by S. L. Bhyrappa (1996)

As if an almost mirror image of the above, in  "Bhitti" the autobiography of S.L.Bhyrappa, the author's father, is a village accountant by profession. But through sheer laziness, becomes a vagabond (author's own word) but expects to be supported by his son & calls the whole village to support him! It is almost a relief to his children when he passes away.