Simply Tabla!

Tabla

/ˈtablə,ˈtʌblə/

noun

noun: tabla; plural noun: tablas

a pair of small hand drums used in Indian music, one of which is slightly larger than the other and is played using pressure from the heel of the hand to vary the pitch.

Just like a lonely soul attains contentedness once it finds its perfect partner, a singing voice finds complete gratification when it finds its true accompanist. Talking of one such person, I remember a very suave tabla player I have personally known called Saawan Kakeri. He can't be searched on Google or Facebook; such is his level of ignorance (read bliss). I had come across this man of art during a voluntary work with a non-profit organization that tries to promote Indian classical music amongst the youth. Saawan ji aged 30-something is very simple person in his ways. Happy with what he does, he seemed happier when children responded to his "Tin Taal". There’s a certain magic that those beats create!!!

I haven’t learnt music all that well to be able to decode the mysteries in the sound of tabla, but I sure found out that a tabla when well-accompanied with the singing voice in a certain performance only makes the listening experience complete(exceptions may sure be considered). Before going on this tour of music in the villages of Andhra Pradesh, I always thought that a tabla player, a Tanpura player and a Harmonium player along with the lead vocalist are a fixed team and they all perform together at all times, I guess then I was ignorant of the logic that music is the universal language and any vocalist can co-ordinate with any Tabla player and other accompanying artists with practice put well in place.

A Tabla player is addressed to as an accompanist during any vocal performances. But when they go solo on the stage, they are the lead performers. Another philosophy of life thus stands justified here, every living person in this world has his own role to play, none is less and none is more… just like the performers on a dais.

Happy Birthday Alla Rakha Ji! 

Learn a music instrument. Add to world peace!

Love.Peace!

Nirupama

Deserve?

A language of feelings

There's a word "deserve"...heard of it?

Ah! Yes, the same thing that we use several times a day for ourselves and quite often for others too!

So, what is it all about?

*Does "deserve" mean validating our capacities against fortune?
*Does "deserve" reflect our personalities or does it have to?
*Who is a well-deserving and who is non-deserving? And most importantly who decides that?

-Does an 81-year old professor, an Economist, a leader of the world's largest democracy, who has chosen to stay quite most of the times not because he didn't have something to say, but simply for reasons he knows best, DESERVE such foul social disrespect?

-Does Yo-Yo Honey Singh, who more often than not, sings songs which downgrade women DESERVE so much fanfare?

-Does a 45 year-old intellectual, who gave up a plum career for his desire to bring about a massive social change DESERVE so much of judgmental wrath from people who don't even know how to run their own households?

Think more…

-Did Shiva deserve such a painful parting with his most beloved Sati?
-Did Nirbhaya or any girl like her deserve that which they got? 

-Does a 32 year old Major Varadharajan deserve death whilst fighting militants and does his wife and little child deserve his loss?

Life is absolute hapless in its behaviour, what you see is not what it always is. I therefore have a humble request to make... please don't decide the "Deserve" for anyone.

If you really think you want to do something just be humble and kind to people around. And the next time when you have this urge of telling or asking someone what they deserve, just look back into your own lives...do a little self-check if you really 'deserve' all the good you have and also ask your heart, do you 'deserve' all the pain you go through, from time to time?
The world is in pain and it sure does not deserve so much of it! I am sure you will agree with this!

Love.Peace!
Nirupama