Just the other
day someone sent a link to a beautiful classical rendition of a Tarana (a style in classical music) in Raag Bhairon. It was truly a
blissful performance by an old guru. I heard it over and over
again. Then out of curiosity scrolled down to see the comments other
listeners have left on the page. That, I think, was a big mistake. But then, I wouldn’t have written this
piece without that experience.
It amazes me,
how easily people can pick up a fight over just about anything… even the most
beautiful music. Classical
Indian music has had some very fine traditions based on respect - for the Guru or Ustad (the teacher) as well as for the music and the
compositions. I have had the good fortune of spending some time with an Ustad during my college years. He was
a soft spoken, pious, five-times-praying Muslim. Knowing well, that I was a rebellious
and non-religious person, he still took me as his student without any
hesitation. As years went by I began to realize that his serenity came
from his music and his happiness from sharing it. I do not remember him ever
bad mouthing or knit picking anyone - even those who would make him wince by
asking him to teach them seven Raags
in the two weeks they had taken off from their busy schedule. He would
just smile and say “It took me all these year, but you may learn it faster”.
Once an
overzealous, persistent young man asked him how much time would he require to
master classical music. Ustad chuckled,
“Only three hundred years”. The young man’s eyes popped out as Ustad continued, “Hundred years of good
listening, hundred years of good practice and hundred years of good
performance… and you will be there”.
Through numerous
anecdotes and examples, he taught me that the art of music lies in becoming one
with it, like a Sufi with his God. When you achieve that purity ‘of notes
and rhythm’, music becomes your lover. After that there will be no place
left in you for hatred. Though I always saw him as a peaceful soul,
immersed in his music, I was surprised when I found him reciting a bhajan, totally lost in it, one day.
Singing praises of a Hindu God did not seem a problem for this pious Muslim.
And here we
are mistrusting and abusing each other for almost no rhyme or reason. Am
referring to the comments posted below that beautiful rendition I was listening
to. An aficionado has displayed his knowledge of classical music by
listing down the names of classical music Gharanas (traditional schools) however all of
them belonged to a particular religion. It was followed by an abusive
post with yet another list of Gharanas,
all belonging to another religion and challenging the first one. The next
post abuses the second one and supports the first. Religious lines drawn,
the fight is on and the maestros, whose names they are fighting for, must be
churning in their graves.
It is so easy
to pick up a fight over nothing - thanks to our fears and mistrust of others;
and our insecurities and confusions of being tied to imaginary boundaries that
we ourselves continue to propagate. How does it matter how many names of Gharanas or Raags one knows and the religion they may
belong to? Our claim to fame cannot be cramming some names and then
trying to limit them into our self-defined stupid and artificial boundaries and
borders.
Wish we
could somehow strip ourselves off our fears and dive into music just to become one
with it and sway, irrespective of our religions or a lack of
it. But then, it won't be as much fun as abusing another, right?
*Enjoy the Tarana @: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frg81CTg0FU&feature=share
Parvez
