Music, Sangeetham, Sur.... Priya Sakhi...
What is this life without music?
When I am down it revives me, when I am excited it calms me...
Not one kind of music. From Classical to Folk-- Western, Indian, Spanish , Reggae....
Dear Sakhi, as a youngster I would think to myself how lovely it would be if the background score in movies was present in real life too. Imagine then when you are watching the moon rise, you hear some romantic music..when you see shades of green as you travel-- the violins play along...
(Well it does nowadays , what with I-pods, phones, earphones and downloading your favourite music-- that too for free!)
When someone asks me what my favourite colour is... I am stumped!Love green, red, orange, blue, black, white...almost everything.
Favourite food-- stumped! Love Bhel, North Indian, South Indian, Mexican, Italian, French-- I am hungry!
Who is your best friend?- stumped-- and that is another story! But you my Sakhi is closest to my heart.
I can write about each one of them for pages!
But this is about Music. Favourite Music?
Growing up with Music-- both Western and Indian- all parties at home I remember were parties with music!
Guitars strumming, The beat of drums in a bucket or table, food and ....Do I miss those days. `Every shalala....its yesterday once more!'
I remember me going berserk with the Chariots of Fire theme music. Mahesh and Srikanth (my brothers) and my cousins exposed me to Beatles, Pink Flyod, Jean Luc Ponty, Shakthi, Earl Klugh, Jethro Tull... an endless list.
(Oh I have to tell you that the One Annual day that they attended in my school, I was dancing for `Come September'! They had to see me do a t`a tei tei ta' and of course `tei ha tei hi' for it ! Never heard the last of it!).
We listened to Hindi Film songs, Ghazals, Hindustani, Tamil Film songs, Beautiful Carnatic music of my Athai (Seethalkashmi Venkatesan) and other greats. We knew Semmangudi mama, lived in the same road as Chembai...I learnt music from Madurai N. Krishnan.
Then, attended endless kutcheri-s with my dear gang of friends during the season. Made our own lists of artistes and venues, years before the music reckoners came during the `December Season'.
It was music that brought us together.
Without music where would I be as a dancer? If my Smarathinamam made an impact-- it is because of Valson's genius version of it! His Saagara sayana Vibho.... Jayashri's Jo Jo Jo-- sung so softly... she actually makes Rama sleep in front of our eyes! Just her soft music!
The sweet voice of Padmavalli teacher, Nandini, G. Srikanth.. that phrase of Sruti Sagar on the flute--- the ragamalika of Vijayaraghavan sir... Oh!the list is long, the genres varied.
So I am totally baffled when a dancer tells me that she does not know Music! Not learnt! Does not listen!
Ah? Really? Yup! Who is this? Keep Guessing!
Now, Now Sakhi--- when are you going to sing to me?
Till then .... I have to tell you this.. Praana...
Sakhi Praana....
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
― Bob Marley
― Bob Marley
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