Birth of a Music

What game did they play while their parents enjoyed a cup of coffee at the sea front cafeteria? 

Parents were watching them from far, just seeing to their safety, they were asked to remain in the same line as their vision and not disappear far away. Children were also aware that parents were around and they need not be afraid. They ran, one behind the other, laughing, chasing and speaking in the language that they understood. It was simple sentences, which anybody would understand had they paid attention, but nobody cared.

They were left alone to do what they pleased. 

“Come, see what we have here” said the girl. 

They came to stop around a huge barrel, that once was used to store wine.

Maybe it leaked and did not serve any purpose and now it was used as a decorative piece. The children moved around it, watching it from all angles, touching the smooth sides of the barrel. One of them slapped the top of the barrel and liked the sound it produced. Soon there were more slaps, in rhythmic beating like those African they had seen in a film, soon there was music in the air, not the plagiarized one, but pure creative music produced by innocent minds…

Everybody was distracted but nobody said they had heard this tune, they just relished the joy on the children’s face. The children continues to bang on the surface of the drum and shook their waist with every beat.

A new music had just been created… waiting to be copy-pasted…. Maybe by a passer-by.

A Day at 'Times Bandra Festival' - A photo Essay..

This saturday, decided to go for this 'Times Bandra Festival. Actually there are lots of things happening in Mumbai, had planned earlier to go for the grand opening of Palledium, a mall at Parel, also since it is ashtami, went for lunch at the pandal and then wanted to see more of Devi idols in different parts of the city, but too confused, we finally went for this one instead. The entrance to this festival There were different stalls selling various things such as electronics, house-hold articles, food and also handicraft. At the entrance there was a display of art work After walking for over two hours, we rested our feet in an enclosed AC theatre that was showing some play. The play on story telling was a play- a must watch, based on Dastan toi, a story is forever. The board outside the theatre shows different plays on different days and all looked good, would have liked to attend them all. if only I could.... Then attended the live show of Hariharan Hariharan's show was amazing!!!! The only problem was getting the transport back home, we were lucky, we got a ride.

Poetry and Story telling Performance.....

Last evening, I was invited for music, poetry and story-telling performance by a famous group of Tenerife called Sol Y Sombra. After dinner, we went to ´´Casa de Los Caceres´´ which is a heritage building, in Icod de Los Vinos, made of wood and stones. During day, there are many art exhibitions held in this place which exhibits the art and culture of Canarias. The show was held in the patio of this cultural centre and we were greeted with a glass of iced-gin tonic with basil leaves, and we sat there under the open skies, sipping the drink and watching the show. The patio, which is in the centre of the building, is surrounded by wooden windows of all the exhibit rooms, and it was from one of those windows, that we heard the musical voice of a singer, we looked up and saw him move from one window to another with a candle in his hand, his song resonating the patio as he walked down the steps behind the patio and he finally emerged the patio to present the show. The mood was set. There were musicians playing guitar/piano and the two artists who kept us captivated with their songs, poems and animated stories. There was a good interaction between the live music and the song. After each performance, the actors and musicians kissed each other expressing their gratitude and there was loud applause. The audience clearly mesmerised, wanted as many story telling performances as they could get. One could see that each artist performed with great passion, showing stunning melodic creativity and an ever fertile imagination. Although I am not too fluent in my Spanish, I could still follow the story from their powerful expressions. Such was the show that has clung to my memory and I am still relishing the tunes…..

Getting connected with a Sindhi across the border...

On Sindhi Global network I got connected with a Sindhi from Pakistan, who gave me some insight about the Sindhis living across the border. He sounded distressed that we are divided over the religion and all the educated Sindhis migrated and only the uneducated landlords stayed behind who only saw their own benefits. He was wondering if we could be united again by common language, culture and tradition. Our forefathers were driven out of their comfort zone and left to fend for themselves. What do we know about what they left behind? And will the youth of tomorrow care? Our parents left penniless, leaving behind their wealth, their emotions and their language. They carried their culture and their tradition with them, but we must not forget that they went to a strange land, and adapted to it. What can you do with Sindhi language in a foreign land? Can you do business? Can you survive without learning to speak in their common language? I have never been to Pakistan to view the life styles of the land and we have little knowledge about the traditions and culture followed back there….we have no communications with the Sindhis living beyond that border, so in what way can we identify with it? We have heard stories, lots of them from our parents who lived there….they would speak about their happy memories in those narrow lanes…about the food they enjoyed, about the traditions that they followed but are they still there? We have no idea. The media paints a different picture. We teach children to speak Sindhi at home (and it sound cute when a three year old speaks that language) but to live in a society of various culture, we learn different language, and we need to, but adhering to the language is difficult. We don’t have schools and colleges to promote the language, nah, not in a foreign land. But can we do something about it now? What we can do now is just to be a good human being and waste no time in making a fuss over what we have already lost. We don’t want people branding Sindhi and saying nasty things. We don’t like people says that “Sindhis are fighting crabs” or “Sindhis are like that only” or “You are Sindhi if you…..” we want to be remembered as a good human being, each one of us are unique in our own way…not somebody to be ridicule at. We need to move on. If we can revive the language, then we can do so…but to be on practical side, it is better not to expect much, because the youth of today have already adapted to the foreign land and they need to speak in the language which is for their progress. We are Sindhis who are successful, who concentrate more on business or jobs and are peace loving people. We mind our own business and have no land to fight for. We still have culture and traditions which we do follow and it is on that string we can all hang on…… However, he send some interesting videos that were worth watching.. pleasant to the ears (Sindhi music) and pleasant to eyes…..(Sindhi folks back home) Watch some Sindhi Videos 'HERE'
It is fantastic

Six Events...lets participate!

In January, I plan to take part in 'Six events'. What I like about these events are that they can be done from any part of the world……we have only to execute the performance at any hour of the day and record the duration and time and sent it to the composer. These timings and durations will go to writing a new piece of music in late 2008. Performers should constantly listen to the sounds around them, they are hearing a very unique composition. Also, anything at all of interest should be documented, if something happens (someone accuses you of acting suspicious, a pigeon sits on your head, you fall asleep, you trip up....) please write this down and email them to six_events@yahoo.co.uk Event one BUS Monday January 21st # On the prescribed day you should board any bus, at any time. # The length of your journey should not be premeditated. # When you are ready, alight the bus. # You should record the times you boarded & alighted the bus. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Event two ROAD Tuesday January 22nd # On the prescribed day, walk down any road. # You should clap your hands together once, at any point. # You may walk at any pace, but must record the name of the road & the duration of how long you walked for. # It is at your discretion to how long you walk for (at the end of the road, you could turn around & walk back.) *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Event three BUILDING Wednesday January 23rd # On the prescribed day you should enter any building. # Discover the building for a duration of up to one hour. # Sit down at least once & close your eyes. # You should record the time you entered & left the building. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Event four SUPERMARKET Thursday January 24th # On the prescribed day you should enter any supermarket. # Walk down every isle at your own pace. # On your way round you must pick up any item for less then Rs10 # Go back to your original starting place, in the supermarket. # Before paying for your item you must move one other item in the store to another place, an incongruous position on another shelf. # Pay for your item & keep your receipt* # You may not own the bought item, it must be given away or thrown into a bin. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Event five PUB Friday January 25th # On the prescribed day you should enter any pub & ask one person any question you wish. # You should request a glass of water, you should not drink it. # Leave the pub. # You should record the time you entered and left the pub. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Event six PARK Sunday January 27th # On the prescribed day you should enter any park # Sit or stand on a green area for any length of time # You should look up to the sky at least once. # You should record the time you entered & left the park. Now, won't that be fun..imagine how many people around the world will be doing the same thing as what we are doing....actually we dont have to doing on all the days, but we could try atleast for one day...... Would love to know who else is doing? Will you?