In South Indian Brahmin households, learning music was mandatory for both girls and boys and there was no escaping it, says V. Gangadhar. He did his best to follow this august tradition, till peer ridicule foiled his efforts. The problem with being brought up in a ‘music environment’ is that everyone thought you too would sing, appreciate music, identify ragas and so on. If that did not happen, you were in trouble! Take my household for instance. Mother sang divinely. The three elder sisters had a music master to teach them, one aunt was proficient in playing the veena, another…
Author: oiop
The Central Government has decided to denationalise the mining and selling of coal in the aftermath of the alleged corruption in coal block allocations. Will this make the mining industry more efficient? What will be the actual impact of this on the coal industry and the sectors dependent on it? A close look at the issue. It may soon become possible to mine and sell coal commercially; the government sees an opportunity both in its parliamentary strength, and in the recent coal mining disarray. Faulty procedures followed by the previous governments in allocating coal blocks led to an outcry over…
Dhanashree Pandit Rai is one of the leading exponents of the thumri genre of music and her popularity owes itself to her rare voice quality that emulates the myriad emotions of thumri – languor, delicacy, sensuousness and “pukar”. She has trained in khayal under the stalwart of the Kirana gharana Pt. Firoz Dastur and further specialised in thumri under the guidance of the thumri legend Shobha Gurtu. She has a Masters degree in music from the Bombay University. Dhanashree Pandit aspires to give thumri its rightful place on the concert stage since it faces the risk of extinction with the…
Bollywood is nothing, if not musical. In fact, music is almost the raison d’etre of Bollywood films. And what a varied selection it serves up, marvels Akul Tripathi. He traces the history of sound in Bollywood music, its manner of dissemination, global impact, and how this music offers something for everyone. A hundred year old industry with an exponential growth rate in number of movies produced, Indian cinema has come a long way from the single print Raja Harishchandra produced and directed by the inimitable Dada Phalke. With over 1500 feature films certified by the Censor Board of Film Certification…
Author: Susmit Sen with Sehba Imam Publisher: Harper Collins Pages: 149, Price: Rs. 699 The guitar hero’s story is one of the predominant narratives in music folklore. It allows the reader a peep into the romantic story of the early rebellious, always intelligent, mildly apologetic, but mostly proud life of the virtuoso. Susmit Sen’s memoir Ocean to Ocean, written with Sehba Imam does not disappoint. The book is remarkably neatly organised into sections that separate the musical influences, the relationships, and the constant pursuit of “expression”. A little like the man himself. First up, the new information. The now familiar…
There was a time in the 1970s and 1980s when ghazal singers were very popular, with people preferring this genre over Bollywood music. But ghazals soon went out of fashion, though Narendra Kusnur sees signs of revival today, with lots of new singers on the stage. They will sing in a new chapter in 2015, he hopes. On 29 November 2014, a unique ghazal concert Ghazal Harmony was held at Mumbai’s Nehru Centre auditorium. While it was led by senior artiste Pankaj Udhas and presented by well-known stage personality Salim Arif, the highlight was that it featured younger singers like…
There was a time when music circles were the toast of cities like Mumbai, a platform for classical music lovers to enjoy live performances. But with increasing commercialisation, most music circles have folded up. Today, while the senior artistes continue to perform and earn well, the rest of the performers have been left high and dry. The need of the hour is a more equitable sharing of the available ‘pie’ if we want classical music to survive and sustain, says Amarendra Dhaneshwar. Classical music, till the early 20th century, was restricted to the privileged classes comprising royalty, aristocrats and landlords.…
In a heartfelt salute to the Indian Army, Brig. Suresh Chandra Sharma describes the Siachen Glacier, where Indian soldiers are engaged in a daily battle for survival as much with the Pakistanis, as with the harsh, unrelenting weather conditions. It is the patriotism and bravery of these soldiers, which has helped India maintain its supremacy in Siachen, he says. The Siachen Glacier, which is 70 kms long and 1 to 2.5 kms wide, is the second largest glacier in the world and is situated between the Saltoro Ridge and Karakoram Range. It is part of the watershed between Central Asia…
India’s earlier independent approach to Human Rights is getting skewed in favour of human rights violators like Israel. Only some serious dunking in the holy Ganges will wipe away our sins, says V. Gangadhar. All over the country, institutions teaching human rights are sprouting up. Mumbai is no exception. Men and women join these in large numbers because this is a new subject and leads to animated and fashionable discussions. Heck, no one can ignore young men and women who appear dedicated to the welfare of humanity, by flaunting their affiliation to human rights. Yet, human rights in India is…
While many developed countries are encouraging the use of bicycles, cycling is still considered a poor man’s vehicle in India. But this trend is set to change, says Shoma A. Chatterji, citing the nascent pro-cycling movements in a few Indian metros including Kolkota, which had become infamous last year for banning cycles on city roads. The bicycle as a form of nonmotorised, inclusive transport is one of the most environmentfriendly vehicles in the modern world. It supports the greening of the environment and cuts across the rural and urban worlds. It also cuts across social and economic classes and is…