MUSIC: A beautiful blend of traditional and contemporary songs - Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3

AN AMAZING FUSION OF MUSIC AT COKE STUDIO @ MTV SEASON 3

Music has a great effect on us, it has the power to move us to the higher state of living from the point of just 'living'. Our ancient sages has been aware of this effect of music, sound vibrations and chanting etc. so ensured that we are in touch with music in our lives through various rituals, customs and samskara. Hence most of our ancient and vedic knowledge is bound in the various forms of music, mantra chanting or plain vibrations of sound. 

In recent times, one of the great psychologist A H Maslow, said in his lovely book, "Farther Reaches of Human Nature" ...

"It happens that that music and rhythm and dancing are excellent ways of moving towards the discovering of identity. We are built in such a fashion that this kind of trigger, this kind of stimulation, tends to do all kinds of things to our autonomic nervous systems, endocrine glands, to our feelings, and to our emotions." - A H Maslow (To read more from the book, click here...) 

I recently came across some of the collaborative songs of Indian masters, singers and music composure's from Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3, which touched me deeply for the quality of fusion of various forms of music and style... so thought of bring it to my friends. I hope you will like them.

Durga Strotra and Bulleh Shah's love song

This song celebrates one of India's Greatest mythological Super Heroes -- Durga in the form Mahishasura Mardini. The traditional prayer -- Mahishasura Mardini Stotram celebrating Shakti leads to Bulleh Shah's epic love kalaam re-rendered in an intense progressive rock groove. The amalgamation of two unique & powerful voices in Aruna Sairam & Sona Mohapatra, creates a completely unique soundscape and elevates this stunning production by Ram Sampath. (Video and Text curtsy Coke Studio)

The Durga Strotra is a powerful Mantra of Goddess Durga which is so beautifully sung by one of the great religious singer that it gave me a feeling of deep trance. The Bulleh Shah's sufi songs have always amazed me for their simplicity and power of love. 

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"Kattey" by folk singer Bhanvari Devi and Rapper Hard Kaur

One of the most interesting collaborations to ever come up on Coke Studio @ MTV, is this crazy mix-up of two completely different worlds -- Bhanvari Devi's traditional, power house Rajasthani vocals, fuses with Hard Kaur's scorching rap on her personal life journey displaying her genuine rapping skills. The end product is a burst of energy, unlike anything you've heard before. Two outlaws from two different universes come together in this Ram Sampath song to celebrate freedom, rebellion & belonging ((Video and Text curtsy Coke Studio)

It was really interesting to see a totally a different style of singing of the two collaborating singers so beautifully blended by Ram Sampath, to create ecstatic celebration of music and sound. Hard Kaur and Bhanvari could not have been more different in personal level too.  In the whole song, you don't even see Bhanvari Devi's face as she sings behind traditional Gunghat, (i.e saree covering her head and full face as a veil), while on the other side, Hard Kaur is dressed casually, but the energy and earthly sensuality that they bring to the collaboration together, is heavenly.

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"Aao Balma" by A.R Rahman and Padmabhushan Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan

This composition by A.R Rahman is 'legendary' in more than one way -- the composition is a masterclass in fusing the traditional power of Hindustani classical vocals, with Carnatic scales few have mastered. For this, it brings together the beautiful voice of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, accompanied by his sons and grandson; with the guitar genius of Prasanna trading blows with Sivamani's explosive percussion. This one will literally blow you away! (Video and Text curtsy Coke Studio)

This song took me totally by surprise in more ways than one... The starting rendition by grand son of Padma Shri Ghulam Mustafa Khan then the Jugalbandi i.e. Jamming with Karnatic Guitar play by Prasanna and our own amazing Chennai drummer Shivamani versatile style of beats. The beautiful composition done by Mozart of Madras - Oscar winner A R Rahman is amazing. The joy on his face said it all.

Zariya – by AR Rahman with Nepalese Buddhist Nun Ani Choying and Jordanian Singer Farah Siraj

Giving a whole new spin to the term 'world music' -- A.R.Rahman spins his magic on an absolute scorcher, featuring Jordanian singer --Farah Siraj along with Nepalese Buddhist Nun Ani Choying. With the traditional Nepalese Buddhist hymn forming the base of the song, layered with a traditional Jordanian melody, and bridged seamlessly with composition written by A.R.Rahman, this song truly brings together diverse cultures and musical genres.

Everything from the background vocals to Sivamani's percussion takes a big leap across musical styles and creates a storm of inspired rhythms, to give this track that extra flavour. Completely based around the theme of motherhood, compassion & ultimately happiness, this is the very first track of what promises to be an unforgettable Season 3 of Coke Studio @ MTV!

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I am loving this session on Coke Studio and looking forward for more.

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Shashi

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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Benjamin Zander
ON Classic Music and why you should listen to it

WANDERLUST: The Path Within (Part 2) - Two Days in Rishikesh

As I was in Delhi during the time of Kanwar Yatra, I thought of going to Rishikesh to bring Ganga Jal (Holy Ganges Water) for the rituals in home. So here is my pilgrimage to Rishikesh from Dehradun divided in Two Parts, (due to the length of the post was too big to be unleashed on un-suspecting readers). The story below is from the day two in Rishikesh. To read the FIRST part, DAY ONE, click here…

Krishna giving the knowledge of Bhagwat Gita to Arjuna
Sculpture at Triveni Ghat.

yada yada hi dharmasya | glanir bhavati bharata ||

abhyutthanam adharmasya | tadatmanam srjamy aham ||

Praritranaya Sadhunam | Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam ||

Dharamasansthapnaya |Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge.||

(Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself. For the protection of the good, for the destruc­tion of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.) 

– BHAGWAT GITA CHAPTER IV – SHLOKA 7 & 8

(To hear a beautiful rendition of this shloka, please click here..)

The day two started with my nephew Aniket Pandey, who joined me from Dehradun and my host of the day was Swami Omkarananda, previously of Sivananda Ashram. My old friend Swami Yatidharmananda, who is traveling europe in order to spread knowledge of yoga, specially requested me to meet him to design and work on the Yoga Ashram being created through the help of some of our friends. Swami Omkaranada ji is an amazing personality. Traveled far and wide, did his PhD in Metaphysics from Japan, studied with buddhist monks in Tibet and had to leave the place incognito, when Chinese Govt ordered all the monks to leave. His thought process, his clarity of vision and desire to promote yoga across the world is exemplery. There are people like Swami ji, who make this devbhoomi a spiritual place. After morning rituals and meditation, we reached Swami ji's Yoga Ashram near Ram Jhoola. 

The place of stay, just above the bank of river Ganges, afford a lovely view of the river, the bridge and the ashrams and hills across. My favorite sand beach is now submoerged in the flood of river Ganges but still having early morning bath, on the ghat visible from the room is still the same. The clouds over shadow the distant hills but the crystal clear air, the serinty of the mountains makes a lovely view...

As the river meanders through the Rishikesh Valley, I remember those silent cold nights, when I used to go down to the river along with a Sadhu to stand in the cold water before the sunrise and chant Mantras for hours together. At the far in the distance where the river bends, I can see my favorite place of food. German bakery's Little Buddha restaurant. So many friends that I have had met and made there...

A silent place for early morning mediation, before the sunrises is being created and is one of my favorite place to be. The river silently flows below, murmuring soft vibrations of energy with in your soul and slowly easing out the essence of ego and self to flower forth and fall... 

On the right hand side, the suspension bridge comes to life by early morning.. and by 7 - 8 AM, the traffic comes alive on this and gives a constant call to close the meditation and walk across to either Choti Wala or to Little Buddha for sumptuous breakfast. I usually prefer the road side Chaiwala, just at the other end of the bridge and probably a piece of bread... and then walk all the way to German bakery and sit on the overhang of the second floor overlooking the River Ganges and finish reading the book that I am currently reading. Shankaracharya's Discourse on Gita... 

The ashram across the Yoga Ashram, comes alive in the morning and find many devotees going about their morning meditations...

Some like this lady, is deep in her thoughts, looking for some long lost reason in the distance of life... lived. 

As I started back on my journey back to Dehradun, to catch up with my late night train to Delhi, the high mountain peaks got me to promise to be back...

The setting sun, illuminated my path and the thoughts that filled my self, reminded me how important it is to live in this now, savour the moments passing by and be fully within this 'now'. Life is not lived in the past or the future, it is in the present and when we learn to live in the present, fully wholly we know life as it is... not what it was and can be... in future.

Just listen with laughter in your heart

The soft breeze do sing

The beautiful life's love song

A beautiful sunset on the way, gave me a farewell and I look forward to being in Dev Bhoomi Rishikesh again... I hope you have enjoyed this walk with me ...

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Shashi

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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The Path Within - Two days in Rishikesh (Part I)            JIM CORBETT TIGER PARK

SPONSORED POST: minto-o Ultramintz - A New class of premium and powerful Sugar Free Mints.

I have reviewed books for many friends, great writers and some not so great but never a product. First time,"I am reviewing mint-o Ultramintz as a part of the Product Reviews Program at BlogAdda" so don't really know how to go about it but decided to share my actual experience with it. 

Since I was travelling to Rishikesh, I was late in getting my hands on two cool boxes of the Mint-o Ultramintz, which my wife believing it to be another set of books, stowed away in my book case. After some followups from the Blog Adda, I enquired about it and could finally trace among my books, cooling the hot topics it was surrounded with. So that was the first impression of a beautiful box with blue (my favorite color) lines streaking across a black box. The moment I opened one of the boxes, my son zeroed on to it and within no time, I was short of one of the boxes, that found itself mysteriuosly transported to the his study room.

Well, I brought one of the books that I was planning to catch up with, and took along the mint-o Ultramintz's lovely designer case to keep me company. As I kept turning the pages, I kept rolling one of the 60 pellets from time to time. The taste of peppermint, imported from France; menthol and specialty cooling compound powered my un-interrupted reading for hours together. By the time, I finished my reading it was late in the night but felt as fresh as early morning breeze.

Mint-o Unltramintz is an amazing product, good taste and freshness of breath and the menthol that's so different than the products that I have used earlier for various reasons, like camouflaging smell of smoke, alcohol or assorted smell of Indian spices. I specially loved the designer case, that fits snugly in your hand or pocket. I was impressed with the way, the whole product is packaged that got me thinking about the kind of marketing the ITC team is thinking about. So checked the links and came across one of the most beautiful advertisement.

And yes.. its sugar free, if that is your kick... 

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Shashi

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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Book Review: Speakers are made, not born - Sanjay Pinto

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WANDERLUST: The Path Within (Part 1)- Two days in Rishikesh Himalaya

Every year, I visit Rishikesh in Himalaya but this time I got a chance to visit devbhoomi (God’s own earth) in the Hindu month of Shravan (July – Aug). Shravan month is sacred in Hindu system for various festivals that are celebrated during this period like Janamashtami (Lord Krishna’s birthday), Raksha Bandhan, Naag Panchami, Basava Panchami etc. Shravani Mela is a major festival time at Deoghar in Jharkhand with thousands of saffron-clad pilgrims bringing holy water around 100 km on foot from the Ganges at Sultanganj.

Shiva Statue at Haridwar

Shravan is also the time of the annual Kanwar Yatra, the annual pilgrimage of devotees of Shiva, known as Kanwaria make to Hindu pilgrimage places of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to fetch holy waters of Ganges River. Kanwar yatra is related to churning of ocean of the milk in Hindu Puranas. When poison came out before Amrita and world started burning from its heat then lord Shiva accepted to inhale poison. But, after inhaling it he started suffering from negative energy of poison. In Treta Yuga Lord Shiva's devout follower Ravana did meditation. He brought holy water of Ganga by using kanwar and pour it on lord Shiva temple in Puramahadev. It released Lord Shiva from the negative energy of poison.

As I was in Delhi during the time of Kanwar Yatra, I thought of going to Rishikesh to bring Ganga Jal (Holy Ganges Water) for the rituals in home. So here is my pilgrimage to Rishikesh from Dehradun divided in Two Parts, (due to the length of the post was too big to be unleashed on un-suspecting readers J). The story below is from the DAY ONE and to read the second part, DAY TWO, click here…

Sculpture of Lord Krisha as Charioteer, giving knowledge of Bhagwat Gita
to warrior Arjuna at Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh

yada yada hi dharmasya | glanir bhavati bharata ||

abhyutthanam adharmasya | tadatmanam srjamy aham ||

Praritranaya Sadhunam | Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam ||

Dharamasansthapnaya |Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge.||

 – BHAGWAT GITA CHAPTER IV – SHLOKA 7-8

(To hear this shloka, click here)

(Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.) 

My journey started from Delhi, by Rajdhani Express, one of the fastest train to reach Dehradun. I usually travel to Rishikesh, by road, but because of the large rush of Kanwarias, the road from Delhi to Rishikesh via Meerut, Roorkee etc is closed for traffic. Well, this kind of thing can only happen in India I guess. The idea was to reach Dehradun and then after over night stay, planned to visit Rishikesh, starting very early in the morning.

The rains has swept the forest, the land and the atmosphere clean and pure. The clouds in the distance hugging the mountain hills, were almost giving you a call to change your course and head for those peaks. 

On the way, there I saw prayer flags of Buddhist  wondering about those monks and kind of searched them around. I have special affinity towards Buddhism, as I believe in their concept of peace and harmony, to a large extent. As it was getting delayed and could not find anyone around, I moved on, as the distance was long and I had to reach Rishikesh before the sun was high in the east.

The weather was lovely, the clouds gave me company all the way from Dehradun and at the Triveni Ghat, they come out in full form. Hiding the distant Himalayan peaks from view and soft falling rain drops, made the first impression of Holy River Ganges, an amazing experience. Compared to all the times, that I have had visited this Devabhoomi, the river was in full flow. it reminded me of the recent devastation, the cloud burst and floods in the upper region of Himalaya, specially in Kedarnath, this river has brought on its way. The life is not only about salvation and enlightenment or even of living in karma, but also of being compassionate and soulful in the face of calamity and difficulties. I was happy the way, the local people have had taken this in their stride and brought the normalcy back in their life, after a devastating catastrophe that left 10s of thousand dead. 

Unusually, the Triveni Ghat was uncrowded and the banks of the river afforded a lovely view of the long stretch of the beach. I could see my brother in law who accompanied me in this journey in the distance...

Reaching the final destination, at last I was relieved. The soft spray from the waves of Ganges, from the steps of the ghat, washed away all the exertion and tiredness. In the back ground, two of the fishermen, were fishing for things (Netting Coins, offerings and some times I was told, dead bodies in recent times) and the other side of the bank, was the beginning of the forest, that is said to contain wild elephant, assorted animals and many yogis who live in isolation. On the way to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple (probably the most powerful temple of Lord Shiva around Rishikesh, 30 KM's by road and 12 KMs by trek), some times one does come across some of them.

In the distant bank, a family moved along, probably in search of a place to bath and refresh. The way kids were hanging on to the mother, it looked more like a search of secluded spot for feeding them. 

And another women, found a spot along the bank to probably meditate on this around her and her life... seeking solution or solitude or just a time to reflect. I find that the banks of the Ganges, in itself is a powerful trigger to push you on a journey of self discovery. If you just let yourself flow in the flow of Ganges, you will probably end up flowering within... and that's one of the reason, Rishikesh - The Spiritual Capital of the World, beckons me all the time. 

But then there is day to day life... like this girl focused on reaching her school, that's further down the river. Determination on her face speaks a lot about her way of worship. Gnana Yoga perhaps...

After spending the day in the Triveni Ghat, having a most refreshing bath in the river, cleansing myself of toxicity of urban living, meditating for hours along the bank, I reluctantly moved back to the place where my brother-in-law has parked his beautiful yellow Nano car. A long last look back, revealed that the monsoon clouds have lifted a little to give me the glimpse of distant mountain peaks (One of them is Neel Kanth Mahadev peak). This reminded me of my last visit there. I remembered Shiva silently, seeking Neelkanth's blessings for family, friends and every one around me...

The journey back is always full of emotions, reverie and deep feeling of bliss. The mantra yoga chant always fills me with energy and reverence for the universal soul and cosmic design. How the freshness of the road side flowers, fruits and vegetables, permeates within the heart, making Purusha (Man/soul) and Prakriti (Nature) one, within; reminding that there is nothing separate, every thing that is there, is there because of you, connected with you, your path and the cosmic design. If only one can realise that the dreams, desires and destination is not isolated events, occuring in separate time and space but in this reality of 'now' and here, Life will become beautiful on its own, without a need to dream, to desire and of destination. 

No one reaches any where by walking but by knowing where to go.

And the path is always there... for you to know, if only you look for it within...

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... Contd DAY TWO

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Shashi

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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STILL LIFE:

Through the Lens of Kanwaria