Rainforest World Music Festival 18

As promised, I will now share my experience at the Rainforest World Music Festival but I am not going to describe what the event is about or what happens there during the three days because you can read all about it in their websites and other hundreds of posts uploaded and shared online. What I wish to share here is about how such events make you feel when experienced live.

What I loved most about it is that the 20k people who attended this event coming from all over the world are ALL music and nature lovers!! The vibes you feel when standing among hearts tuned in to the forest and Music is quite overwhelming.  One of those rare times when people are not thinking or talking about wars, politics, floods, terrorists, poverty or business and so on. For a brief moment, people are just being people...loving life and living every moment in amusement for they all know that the 3 precious days will end so soon and they will have to go back to the"reality" they are trapped in.

We now live in an era of seeing everything through  palm sized screens. Music too has been contained in these miniature world where you are in control of when it should begin, end or how loud or soft it should be...with all the distractions that comes through a mobile phone people hardly hear the music uninterrupted. Even if they do...no vibes of an instrument gets pass the speakers of a mobile phone ...all its magic lost in the process of recording and downloading...what you hear through it just plain notes...nothing more then that. You may not believe what i am saying unless and until you have heard these musicians performing live before a cheering, screaming and dancing crowd facing a stage with a 130 million years old rainforest as the backdrop!! It's surreal ...you can feel the soul of the forest in tune with the music, the musicians and the audience. It's an unbelievable connection...and i am not exaggerating!! You have got to be there to know it...no videos or audios will ever be able to capture the experience in its true sense.

While listening to the most amazingly talented musicians...I remembered Micheal Jackson and thought...no wonder his audiences screamed , cried and even fainted during his performances! I cried even when I watched his Smooth Criminal movie which was played in the cinemas those days!! So watching him live would have sure been overwhelming. Now I see the effects of live performances especially to watch it with people who have made the effort to travel from all over the world like from the US all the way here just for the 3 days coz they sure know how precious these experiences are...otherwise it might all seem like a waste of time and energy to those who think why not just download the music n listen at the comfort of their homes.  Believe me...music is not meant to be heard through mobile phones! These traditional instruments have a soul that connects to nature and that can only happen when it is LIVE!!

Ok I can go on and on about this cos probably I don't even know how to explain it...but I do have a little more to share about the festival in my next post.  See you soon🙂💕

SwarAsia Malaysia@Rainforest World Music Festival 2018

Ever heard the forest sing? 

Have you walked through the jungle, listening to the subtle streams continuously whispering to you? Have you stopped a moment to listen to the rustling of the hollow bamboos? Have you watched the waterfalls taking a plunge into streams? Have you felt the soft muddy paths when it rains...or reflected in the droplets resting on every leaf moments before it slips away? Have you touched the velvety moss on the tree trunks and absorbed its most beautiful shade of green? Have you tried catching the rays piercing through the branches of the trees? Have you smelled the living earth beneath your feet and sensed the throbbing life in its roots growing beyond ...? Have you felt the connection of it ALL? Have you heard them all sing the secret of life...? Have you felt your heart beat in unison with the breathing trees? 

And...what could we possibly give in return for all the magic the forests offers us? What can ever match the mystery of our tropical rainforests? Words will fail, pictures will lie, videos will only distract...then?

The only equally enchanting experience as a forest is of course..... MUSIC. And its the time of the year here in Malaysia, when we celebrate the Forests. Musicians from all over the world come to offer a part of their soul through music. Its a thanksgiving! Its the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, Malaysia!   

Its been my dream to go watch these soulful musicians coming from very interesting cultural backgrounds from all over the world such as the  Philippines, Russia, Brazil, Serbia, India, America, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Tunisia, Poland and of course our very own Malaysia!!

And this time, the Malaysian Band "SwarAsia Malaysia" will be performing in it too. So no way i would miss it! I could hardly wait to be there and would definitely share my experience when i get back. I cant say more now as i don't want to say anything based on the videos I've watched. Both the forest and Music can only be truly experienced when its LIVE! And to have the opportunity to experience the best of both at a time is a blessing and a calling!!

So till i get back to you with my stories do click on the links below for more information and come join us in the Awakening of the Rainforest with SwarAsia Malaysia!! 

See you there!! :) 

http://rwmf.net/
https://youtu.be/aUu3kRLSmo0
swarasiamalaysiahttps://www.facebook.com/SwarasiaMalaysia/
https://www.facebook.com/rwmf.official/videos/896690360455735/

SwarAsia Kampungku

Before i get to my waterfall experience in Munduk, Bali, i wish to share an equally rejuvenating experience waiting to happen this April right here in Kuala Lumpur!

If you have sat by the streams or watched the waterfalls, you will understand both the power of nature and its balance at the same time...it may look like its rushing wildly down the cliffs, forming  such tremendous energy along the way, roaring as it cascades off the rocks but still it has a clear sense of direction which allows it to settle into a rhythmic flow, in harmony with its surroundings.

Watching the falls and listening to its deafening roar has a therapeutic effect. Just the same, theres something about LIVE music which creates similar effects on people. If you have watched videos of nature with a background music, you will not be able to say if its nature which makes music sound beautiful or if its the music which makes nature look so divine...they just blend in so well you cant make a distinction on its effect.

Somehow the environment we live in, sips into our souls and makes the person who we become. Such effects are most obvious among musicians. They somehow become part of nature surrounding them since childhood and the music made by them will reflect the nature they live in. You will see what i mean if you listen to native American music. Its all soaked in the nature they live in, you can feel the trees, the breeze, the leaves, the mountains and the soil in their music coz they have become part of it and it sings through them like a hollow bamboo. 

Just the same, if  you listen to the pieces of the Band SwarAsia led by sitarist Samuel J Dass,  you will feel the nature of our country, Malaysia, with its flavours of the village, the coconut and palm trees, the colourful blooms all year through...the constant rain and sun, the warm climate...the cool and simple people, the variety of food with the fragrance of its spices, the vibrant colours of its mixed culture and above all the ancient feel derived from the millions of years old rainforest all blended into uniquely Asian music. 

The word "Kampung Ku" means "My Village" and thats the title of this upcoming concert by the band, this time in collaboration with the JKKN (National Department for Culture and Arts, Malaysia)

If you want to get to know a country or its people, just listen to its music and you can connect to the soul of it. So, get to know Malaysia..in its true sense. Come watch SwarAsia-Kampung Ku!!

Below are the details and links to some Promotional Videos of this concert and also their previous ones!! Do check it out and please remember...nothing equals to LIVE music! you've got to hear it for real!! heres just a glimpse of it... :) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqq-64MU2Ak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzb0WaVs3no

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETuLjf8P6Xk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6qwJ8FFRBo&t=7s

 https://www.facebook.com/SwarasiaMalaysia/

Concert details:

VENUE: MaTiC, Jalan Ampang, KL  

DATE: 27th (Friday) & 28th (Saturday) April 2018

TIME:8.30pm

For reservations call Mr Satya 012 2220850

(Tickets are priced at RM20 and RM50)

          An experience not to be missed!!

Watch it LIVE!

How real are you?

Recall a whole day and choose the moments you have been real, from the food you consumed, the videos you watched, the songs you heard, the plants you touched, the words you spoke, the voices you heard...and so on. Recall how many times you felt REAL..Food doesn't count vitamins...Plants doesn't count walking with shoes on grass, songs doesn't count videos on youtube, words doesn't count gossips, hearing doesn't count the beeping and ringing of phones...now...how much of real moments do we experience in a day? Think!  

We wake up to almost a robotic world, where everything is moving mechanically, we rush to fit into these routines not knowing heads or tails of where exactly we are going...but why the mad rush? 

Coz, everyone is doing it and we will be left out if we don't? Left out? Left out from what exactly? From a sleeping society? From a hypnotized human race? From people who have long forgotten what it feels like to be real?

For a moment, think how you can be real..? I am not against technology...i love technology! But unfortunately technology works with HUMAN BEINGS...and are we being human in its true sense anymore...? We want everything either programmed, recorded, printed or screened...we cant touch an image of a rose stored in our mobile and feel the soft petals....we have got to be walking in a garden...sensing the fragrance and feeling the delicate petals against the skin to know the connection...to its subtle yet strong energy. That feeling you get when you touch a real rose...is REAL. Two amazing creations of the universe coming into contact...human being and a rose!! How beautiful is that?...the rose might not wonder what we are...but it will definitely absorb the love we radiate...You may be the BEST photographer in the world...but can you create THAT moment of TRUTH between a Rose and a Human Being in touch? 

Just like that everything LIVE has its beauty, which no technology can replace. Like Music and Dance too. People have no time to go watch a live performance. They would say its too expensive or too troublesome...driving to the auditoriums, parking, getting the tickets and sitting for a whole two hours is too much for them...so they would watch videos on youtube. And now people are watching these videos on mobile phones, the screen is just about palm sized. Is that satisfying..? Seriously? Either we have gone so far into a fake lifestyle that we don't even know what satisfies the soul anymore or we simply have forgotten what it feels like to be real.

What do you get when you watch a LIVE performance?

You see a dancer on stage, say with 500 people watching...ALL eyes and lights on that ONE performer. The guts you need to stand on stage knowing a single mistake will be clearly seen by 500 people ON the spot...no chance of correcting...no chance of reproducing the effects, ONE time is all you have...just like life. You know the audience have paid their hard earned money and taken a precious part their time to come watch you. The responsibility falls on the performer. They have to touch 500 souls and keep their focus through out the performance. Does that sound easy to you? 

That is why every professional artist will torture themselves through endless hours of practices for months, hurting themselves both physically and mentally before they stand before the audience. Every minute they are on stage is equivalent to hours, days and nights of practices. Ive seen artists cry during rehearsals for all the stress they are put through. And NEVER forget these performers live in the same MAD RUSH world as the audience. Some working and rushing to rehearsals right after office hours, not having a chance to go home and be with their families. 

Why do they do it then?? Because its REAL. A dancer at heart will be willing to go through all these tortures for that 5 perfect mins on stage and for the blissful moments of connecting with 500 souls. Its priceless to them and they will do it over and over. You can only go through such pain willingly if you have the passion to do it. If not, it will be merely a torture! 

"Too expensive" is the first thing people say when buying tickets to live performances...but that's because they do not realise what they are paying is not for just that TWO hours of show on stage alone. Its for the dedication of a performing artist in preparing themselves to be fit to be on stage as an entertainer. Most professionals have given their whole lives for it. What we see or hear on stage is someones childhood ripped off and put into hours of practices. What we experience is someones lifetime of focus on ART despite the harsh challenges faced day in and day out. What we witness is someone who dared stand out and follow their passion. 

And we are not doing them a favour by watching live performance. We are in fact getting an out of the world experience ourselves. And by out of the world i mean REALLY out of this (robotic, youtube, facebook, twitter world) where you can feel the real energy and soul of a dancer or musician connect to you. The vibes of an instrument resonating though the auditorium...and beating with your heart...why else do people cry and scream at live concerts! Because its REAL! You feel ALIVE. You can feel the artist and art connected. You can feel the energy of the performer, you feel their emotions...it becomes an experience altogether...!Any form of art when performed by a dedicated and passionate performer has a certain quality which is capable of transporting the audience to somewhere beyond life....something you can never put into words. And THATS exactly what we pay for...priceless moments of ecstatic joy! Well its definitely easier way out, compared to meditation anyway ... :) 

The more real moments you experience, the more in touch you feel with life..and the more in touch you are with life, the more joyful it becomes...

I cant remember how many live performances ive watched so far as ive been watching them since i was a little kid...easily a hundred shows...and also have had the chance to perform in quite a number of shows which kind of gives me a whole experience of being on both sides and i have to mention how blessed i am to be living in a city where such awesome live shows are staged all year through...giving me a chance to experience the REAL thing every now and then...

So, today i thought i would share these thoughts with some of you who might wonder why you should bother watching live performances when you can always hear it or watch it recorded...believe me...every instrument creates a connection through the vibrations produced and the effects can never be recorded...the sound may be reproduced but never the life energy that comes out of an instrument...just like that, only a dancer on stage performing live...will be able to convey their emotions by staying connected to the audience. Its again something you cant put in words....  

So, next time you want to experience something for real...

Go catch a LIVE show!! :) 

Unworded Melodies

Take the words away...and feel whats left....

Have you seen a puppy react to a twig? Ever wondered why? Because no one taught them ...that it is called a TWIG...it has no idea what it is...and it wants to feel it with its own senses...so they just play with it...

Just like that take the words away from everything you see and feel whats left...would a rainbow then amuse you? Would you stop to wonder...? Are you going to call it science?  Science will explain the process...it will say, white light is separated into a spectrum of colours when sunlight passes through rainwater....but then what decides there should be only 7 colours when it happens...why not 8? 9? who decides the shades of colours contained in the white light..? Newton?? 

Take the word Bee off and then listen to the bug buzzing...would you be amused then? How does the bee know you have a flower pot in your garden...? Can you hear the flowers sending signals as it blooms..? No? Then, how would a tiny bee know? The fragrance you might say..then again...who put the fragrance in a bloom? Where did it come from...the soil?? why wouldnt a rose smell like a jasmine? Who decides they stick to their own type of fragrance? Ever wondered about it?

Now even better...Take the word LOVE away, how would you explain what you feel for someone? Can you explain LOVE? No matter how good you are with words...can you put it in words...? Does it seem enough or right??

At some point you would try expressing your feeling by hugging or kissing someone...but deep inside you are never satisfied...you will feel there's way more love that you could not possibly convey with mere words or gestures..then you stop trying and just begin to feel the love quietly....at least then it will seem a little more real. Finally you surrender to whats true...untainted by words or ideas ...simply being in a state of love...and probably a faint, helpless smile appears on your face then, for thats all you could express...wordless.. but its then real...

Just like that...take the words away from the skies...clouds...streams...leaves...trees...cars...moon....cats..colours..hills....birds and even of yourself and feel them all from within...with no names...no ideas...just feel the connection you make with everything around you...for once feel the colours...how each colour you see make you feel?... 

Take the words away, and you will see that everything around and within you merge into one whole reality which has been buried in piles and piles of nothing but words...

You may think...right now i am using words to convey my thoughts through this article but then, if you take my words here literally...then you are surely not getting the point...what you hear and feel while reading this has got nothing to do with my choice of words ....what you feel is absolutely your own truth speaking to you in a wordless language....

Take the word away from JOY...and feel your being as it is...

Take the word away from SAD...and let your self sink in for a bit....

Take the word away from ANGER and rise above it ...

simply take the words away...and breathe...

and yes...take the words away from the melodies.......and feel the music...

Come watch ...

"UNWORDED MELODIES"

Tamil Cinema Instrumental Melodies of MS Viswanathan, Ilayaraja and Ar Rahman led By Sitar Maestro Samuel Dass

This 15th JULY 2017 at Kanagasabai Hall, Temple of Fine Arts

https://www.facebook.com/events/108515689749494/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22ref_newsfeed_story_type%22%3A%22regular%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D

Sadhana 2016 DAY 1

Sadhana 2016, Day 1, was my first time on stage with my Bhairavi :)

Who is Bhairavi? My sitar of course :) Two years ago when i got my brand new sitar from Calcutta, India, especially chosen, tested and brought to Malaysia by my guru himself, i fell in love with her. And, knowing she is going to be my best friend for life...i named her Bhairavi! Why Bhairavi and not any other raag? Because that was the first raag i heard my guru play life in a concert titled PRANAM and i was moved to the core by it. Of course he played the other raags first and Bhairavi comes as the finale. Yet...there was something about this raag that got to my soul. Especially that particular piece which i had been listening over and over in one of his youtube videos and the difference it made when you hear it LIFE...the echoes, the vibrations, the energy and magic of it!! It was an experience i will never forget. That is why i decided to name her Bhairavi! 

As i went on for the weekly classes, i had no such goal or ambition to perform in shows. I just loved learning the notes...i just love the sound that comes each time i pluck the strings. Even the first notes and fingering exercises got me excited...haha! i would practice it as though they were some masterpieces. I would even record and listen to the simple Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni ..over and over...simply because i was so amused that it was ME making those sounds... :) And that's what kept me going, not caring how long i might take to learn a whole song in a particular raag. I never even thought about it. Because it was so joyous all the way! It was like..who cares what i might play in five years...when every note is so beautiful!!

And today, after exactly two years...i have learnt one whole song ( about 6 mins long) in raag Bhairavi and will be performing this Sunday in Swara CAC's Students concert, Sadhana 2016. While rehearsing with my group today, i was in the verge of tears as it was so joyous to be able to play the raag myself..especially such a beautiful composition and it seems more like a miracle that i am going to perform with them. 

Last Sunday, my group played raag Yaman (picture above) and surprisingly i did not feel nervous on stage though it was my FIRST sitar performance. With all the spotlights, the people and the mics attached, i somehow felt calm. Just before the curtain went up, i told my Bhairavi..."never mind whose watching or listening, its just about you and me here...so stay with me please!" and know what? she did!! :) 

So, here's another round of rehearsals going on till this Sunday and i pray, once again she stays with me through the notes of Raag Bhairavi!

 

I have to mention this, when the MCs announce that the next performance is by the students of this guru, we walk in with pride, knowing we have learnt from the best of the best gurus and absolutely confident of ourselves. Performing well, will be the best guru dharchana we can offer to such dedicated master who would go all out to make sure we get EVERY note absolutely RIGHT! No compromises...and no excuses!!No matter how tiring it is for him to check each and every one of his students in EVERY class and yet he doesn't give up on us. You get it right or you dont play at all! That is how every note is learnt by every student. 

So, just saying thank you will not be enough for all the joy that is brought into our lives through music. As i said before, this performance is a dedication to our guru, master Samuel J Dass.  

We hope to give the best we can! :) And all the best to my most wonderful sitar gang who are performing this week! Love you all! 

 

The picture above snapped by my friend Usha with her HP...she was upset it turned out dark....but i so love it.  Because i wasn't aware she was taking this picture...and i am looking somewhere beyond this world...I've no idea what was on my mind...i cant recall this moment...and it only seems like it all happened in another realm :)

So, hope to see you this Sunday at Temple of Fine Arts, 6PM!!

SADHANA 2016

SADHANA 2016, what is it?

Its when every beat, every step, every note and every move which has been instilled painstakingly into our nerves by the gurus, finally takes a form, that can be related to the audience.

What you will watch or hear in this show, is something that grew inch by inch into the souls of the performers. It is not something that happens overnight. Not even over months, but years!  Its a flow of two way energy, between the guru and student that finally merges at a point, mixed with dedication and love, and takes on a new life.

With every note you learn, you get a little closer to the tune and with every step you learn, you get a little closer to the dance. Every class will only seem like...one step or one note that you cant relate as a whole, but as you keep practicing and adding on the next note and step, it begins to make sense. Then you begin to see the magic, and that keeps you going, and suddenly after years of these little steps, you suddenly find yourself dancing, singing or playing a song. Usually you are surprised at the outcome. You finally see, what has been happening in every class from the first day. You now now how to put it together. Its then not called steps anymore, but DANCE. Not notes, but MUSIC.  

And SADHANA 2016 is another step closer to magic, because whatever that has been happening on different days, different times, different disciplines, with different gurus and students who have been teaching (or screaming, precisely :)) and learning various forms of ART, slowly growing together under one roof but not really taking notice of each other, but suddenly comes to life as whole group of performers who now recognize one another and are connected through the arts. 

Taking into consideration that this is all happening in Kuala Lumpur, these students and their parents who are living somewhere amidst the concrete jungle, and in times when people think money is the most important thing in life and everything else is secondary, its pretty amazing how such shows are still possible. The reason could only be that we are still human beings and are still connected to the divine nature. We cant help it. No matter how hectic life is, no matter how busy, how far we live, how expensive it is, our hearts cant help seeking whats REAL! And that is why, parents can go to such extend to take the time for their children to be involved in such shows. That's is also why students are able to take the stress of painful practices and yet go on learning joyfully.

So, this July the proud gurus of Swara Community Arts Center in PJ are waiting to see their students on stage and so are their families and friends. Yes, its going to be ALL STUDENTS this time while the gurus sit back and relax?? Ermm no i don't think so, most of them are more nervous than when they are performing themselves. Hahaha, but that's only because they want to see the best of their students!

So, come join us, support and bless our first times on stage. Lets celebrate ARTS with a passion that never fades. ARTS keep life aglow and shining within the souls of performers and audience creating a connection that takes you into the other realms.

See you at TEMPLE OF FINE ARTS, Brickfields this 17th and 24th July, 6PM!

SITAR GROUP

Bharathanatyam

Kurati Kummi-Children

Bharathanatyam Adults

Children-Odissi

Children and adult-TABLA

Bharathanatyam-ADULTS

Odissi-ADULTS

And with many more performances!

SADHANA 2016 

above all is a dedication to our beloved gurus of 

Swara Community Arts Center.

Samuel J Dass, Prakash Kandasamy, Neha Mondal Chakravarti, Vathana Chandrasegaran, Nitin Shirale, Eliezer Enan, Pangasaasanii Gowrisan , Sangeetha Irene & Maheeswari

WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Performances

Sitar

Tabla

Guitar

Violin

Veena

Vocal

Odissi

Kathak

Bharathanatyam 

Bollywood

 call 016-6820919 for invites

"ENDLESS LOVE"

Love is the language of the soul. That's one reason why we are never able to express it through words. You can try saying over and over "I love you" and yet feel like it's just not enough. 

All parents would understand this when they look at their babies and try to say how much they love them and then decide to just hug them tight, for that will convey their love better than words. 

Most lovers go on saying, "i love you" like a hundred times a day...why so many times?...is it not enough to say it just once? Is it not understood if you say it once? They say it over and over simply because it just doesnt seem enough! Coz you can never be satisfied with words, simply because.....

Magic can only be conveyed by magic. 

Thats why people try all other ways, like giving flowers and gifts or taking them to beautiful places of nature to watch the sunset or a waterfall or to sit by candle lights and so on. They try to create something as magical as the feeling they have for someone. 

For me, the one thing i find to be closest to the feeling of love is music. I hardly remember any words my mother said to me when i was a child, but amazingly i still remember the lyrics and tune of the songs she used to sing as a lullaby every night when i was just about 4 years old! And whenever i happen to hear those songs on radio or tv now, i could so feel the love that comes with it! Music knows an amazing way to capture your love and mood which you can retrieve anytime you want...no matter after how many years! It simply brings you back to the moment when you first heard it and makes you feel everything again!! You just have to close your eyes ,listen to it and travel back to the moment and experience it over and over again! The best time machine ever :)

So, if you want to experience such magic with your loved ones and wish to keep all the love you have stored so you could experience it again and again for life, simply add on the music to every moment of your life! Keep it recorded in music and it will last a life time! 

This year, we at Swara CAC are celebrating LOVE on Valentines Day with MUSIC. There will be no need for words nor roses coz with such magical musicians, you will be drawn right into your soul from where you will be able to convey your love not only to the person you brought along but to the entire universe and also feel all the love pouring back into you! It will be an experience you will cherish for life! believe me! you cant afford to miss this!  

Come experience the LOVE with us! And you will remember the moments FOREVER 

"Endless Love"

Featuring Maestro Samuel J Dass (SITAR) & Maestro Prakash Kandasamy (Tabla)

Venue: Kanagasabai Hall, Temple of Fine Arts, KL

DATE: 14 FEBRUARY 2016

TIME:  5PM to 7PM

Entrance by minimum donation of RM150.00

Exclusively for 130 people only!

Swara CAC Sitar Camp 2015

Heard of the Gurukul system of education in ancient India, whereby the Guru/Master and their students live in the same house, away from their family members? These residential schools are usually the home of the guru or a ashram located close to nature and away from noise and distractions. The students/ shisyas of this system are subjected to a very strict discipline and will be placed directly under the supervision of their gurus all day.

Now, can you imagine such an experience of learning HERE in the midst of chaotic KL? Sounds too good to be true? Believe it or not, that's exactly how it was at the 4 days Sitar Camp conducted by Maestro Samuel J Dass at Swara Community Arts Center last week.  

One of the participants checking in at Swara CAC for the camp

Day one, after everyone checked in and brought in their sitars, mats, pillow and bags and got settled down, we sat down to listen to master sharing some theory, interesting stories and facts about origins of ragas and the characteristics of northern Indian music compared to Carnatic of south. As always, his stories are mixed with humour and fun that keeps us giggling throughout the session. He also  played a few divine pieces whenever the story required an example of a certain raga. After this introductory session, since we had two non Swara students as participants of the camp, we took some time to mingle and get to know each other. Then, we had dinner together, chatted about music, art and everything related to it with master, also with lots of laughters before we went to bed totally looking forward to the first lesson in the morning.

  

Day one, we were all up by 5am for the morning session! Though we were only required to wake up by 5.30, we were just too excited to sleep anymore :) We were so eager to learn the Rag Charukesi which he was going to complete within the 3 days. So, we took a bath, got dressed and went down to have a light breakfast before we started the session.   

What we see before the sun :)

Learning rag Charukesi

The morning session goes from 7am to 12 Noon with a break of an hour from 9 to 10 am. Sitting on the floor cross legged and playing continuously for so many hours was the most challenging part for most of us. Yet, it just didn't seem so long as we kept learning every line of the beautiful rag  and were determined to get every note right before the session ends! We were all so focused on the strings, that we lost any sense of time!

At 12 noon, master says...."OK, now you can all go have lunch" and that's when we realise how long we have been sitting and playing and also that we are pretty hungry and tired :) So, off we go to the dining tables at the backyard to have our delicious vegetarian and non vegetarian lunch prepared with love by master Samuel's sisters, mom and also the cook! Believe me, the magic of music is all soaked in the food they prepare! its that good! :) 

After lunch...we have a break till 3pm, so we rest, practice, chat, read or simply walk around the beautiful garden outside. Then, we are all ready for the next session which goes on from 3pm to 6pm. The afternoon session is to learn sitar maintenance, from changing the strings which included how to make the loops with the strings before you attach them to the sitar, how to tie the strings to place the frets (which was pretty challenging!), how to do jawari which is a technique to file the bridge of the sitar to get the tone right, how to use all kinds of tools and stuffs to repair a sitar! Master will first demonstrate how its done on one of the sitars of the participants which is in need of repair, and then he lets us take turns to try it ourselves. Gosh that's when I wished I could just stick to playing it...hehe :) it requires lots of practice and patience just like playing it! 

Master showing us how to do the JAWARI (Shaping the bridge so its curve and shape fits just right under the strings, so the tone produced is in perfect pitch)

Above pictures are tools used for polishing, drilling and repairing the sitar and were all amused at how pretty and interesting they looked!

So by 6pm, we all kind of looked like zombies (including master of course :D ) then its time for TEA!! we have some light snacks and tea and have a quick shower before we sit again for the eve session from 7 to 8pm.

Here again we learn more theory and concepts of western music. Master played the guitar and keyboard to demonstrate the different kinds of western music like jazz, blues, rock and roll, samba and also how the concept of "harmony" in western music works while its difficult to be applied in indian classical music due to the extremely complicated notes Indian classical music is made of.      

And after another blissful hour of awesome music, we are allowed to have dinner. After dinner, we rested and played relaxing games like checkers and simply had fun sharing stories and experiences both about music and other fun things with lots of laughters. 

Then at 10pm, we watched movies about music like, The Red Violin and 1900. They were both really very interesting but unfortunately some of us were so tired and sleepy by then, we decided to go to bed especially because we had to wake up at 5.30 am again :)

So that's how the 3 days went! breathing in music day in and out,   waking up to music and going to bed with it, felt like it was all happening in another realm! Hearing the twinkling sound of sitar especially from 10 of us all day was like a therapy! Hearts at its natural state mingling and connecting effortlessly, feeling so much joy and love. The two girls who we only met at the camp for the first time, seemed like we had been best friends for years! While we shared the joy of music, the rest simply fell into place! 

Fourth day, after the morning session when we completed the rag charukesi we were all hurting with sore fingers from learning the technique of how to pull the strings. After 3 days of playing for hours, our fingers were burning already. But it was ALL so WORTH it for the divine raga we learnt! We were all totally satisfied!

After lunch, we decided to put up the Christmas tree and decorate it during the break time. While some put on the music and danced while the rest were doing the deco I was taking pictures of them all of course....couldnt miss a moment!

We coudnt help lighting up the sitar too 



Try and spot the trumpet amongst the deco :)



Up went the star

After the Christmas tree was done, we also celebrated one of the participants birthday with a simple birthday cake and with master playing happy birthday on the sitar. He also changed the bridge of her sitar and tuned it as a birthday gift :)

After that we all showered and dressed up for the presentation of certificate of attendance, dinner and closing of the camp.

With such inspiring and sweet moments, the four days came to an end when we had a little closing ceremony with master and our tabla player Dhivager accompanying him for a few more blissfully beautiful ragas including raag charukesi :) 



And of course we had to place the certificate high up with the star of the Christmas tree :)

Then we all had dinner and packed our stuffs to leave.

So, whatever I shared here, pictures and words will only be able to give anyone who reads it a rough idea of how the camp was. But for those of us who were there and experienced it, its altogether different, no way we could relate the moments in words or pictures.

When you have been living only to wake up to alarm clocks which gets you dragging yourself out of bed to get to work and dreading the whole day, impatiently waiting to come home to the comfort of your own space, an experience of waking before the alarm and to rush out with excitement and to be inspired a whole day and to go to bed with music still playing in your head and heart is beyond possible in the world we live today!

So, here I wish to thank Swara Community Arts Center and Master Samuel J Dass for giving us a surreal experience of an ancient gurukul with all its magic! Thank you will sure not be enough!

We are truly looking forward to more of such magical moments with Swara CAC!

Just sharing Swara CAC's profile below:

Do have a look, and join us!! :) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SruenL5h7gQ

Where there is ART...

Where there is ART there is MAGIC :)

The whole of September 2015 was filled with everything i LOVE! Both MUSIC and DANCE...and shows by the best of the best not just in the country but internationally!! What a blessing it was to witness two major events of the year ...happening on the same weekend. While i have friends and family on both sides, which makes it even more special! Being involved and working with such artistes is always inspiring.

While newspapers and people were grumbling about the haze and the heat ....we at Swara Community Arts Center and Sutra Dance Academy were all breathing in ART and nothing but ART :) And we had no chance to even notice the weather!! 

Sutra Dance Academy presented an Odissi dance performance titled GANJAM with live music by musicians from Odisha India. And Swara Community Art Center had a LIVE recording session of the fusion concert by the band, SwaraAsia, East Meets West. Both world class!! Too much magic to handle in one weekend! 

I will of course write about both the shows in detail and share photographs soon.

For now, i am still soaking in all the magical moments and am lost for words!! So, once i am settled ...i will get to it ok?! SOON! :)

SwarAsia

What does MUSIC mean to you?

Is it something that keeps your mind occupied so it doesn't go wondering? Or is it something that keeps you off some unwanted thoughts maybe? Or could it be something to keep the environment you live in a little lively??

Before i tell you what SwarAsia is, i first wish to share with you what MUSIC is to ME :) 

MUSIC to me is a shortcut to my soul. All my life i have done a lot of chantings, prayers and rituals as means of communicating with my soul...but none of it got me as close to it as music does effortlessly! When you learn how to meditate, people teach you all sorts of methods...breathe this way, keep your attention at a certain point, clear your mind....float in a bubble of love ...smile..listen to chantings...and the list goes on and on...but honestly, every time i tried any of these methods i only got bored! I am not saying they don't work! Maybe it works for someone else! But it sure didn't work with me! 

So, after a few attempts, i told myself to stop forcing myself to meditate and just take life easy as it comes! Of course all the Osho's books i read lately helped in making the decision. So i stopped trying to meditate and simply went on with life. No more chantings or rituals but simply living my days with all that i love in peace and joy. 

And once i was calm and settled, a lot of things started happening ...a lot of good things of course! And one of it was MUSIC! I was introduced to the Sitar Maestro Samuel J Dass himself by my good friend Joethi from campus. I registered for his beginners classes a year ago and it will be quite impossible to explain how much life has changed eversince i touched the divine instrument!

I will never forget the first ever piece i heard him play in my first class. The hindustani classical tune called Charukesi which is his own composition! Though I've been wanting to share this experience for a year now, i kept postponing it coz i wasn't sure if i could truly do justice to the music by explaining precisely how it made me feel! Words always fail miserably when you want to explain MUSIC!

The twinkling sound of the strings, when played with SUCH perfection, tunes right into your heart and resonates with your soul, awakening every nerve and gets it dancing with the rhythm of LIFE! I sat there spellbound while my soul had taken flight to realms i never dreamed of reaching through meditation! 

Believe me, i cant recall what else happened within this ONE year I've been learning and listening to this blissful live music! The usual ups and downs have been there but i was not at all affected by any of it. I feel such JOY within me that nothing on the outside is able to ruin it! 

Everything i look at, seems different, it has MUSIC in it! The flowers, the butterflies, the rain, sunshine and everyone around me is now dancing with the music. SO JOYOUS! BLISSFUL!

Is it not true when they say, MUSIC has a spiritual connection to your soul! We have seen it over and over in the history of humankind...from Beatles to Michael Jackson...how people are drawn by the power of music. When Michael Jackson passed away, the WHOLE world stood still for weeks! Wars in middle east didn't matter to the news channels...for they were talking about Michael Jackson! We all cried as though we lost a close friend...we all felt our hearts aching to hear him sing just ONE more time! Now, why does this happen? How would life be different without Michael Jackson? Its surely the unexplainable connection of music with the human soul. 

I wonder if probably the very FIRST BEATs of our heart is the base to all musical experiences that comes later in life. The first thing we hear when in the womb is the beats in rhythm. So, of course we must recognize our being through music! That is why it brings such joy! When we hear the beats, we must remember our being in the womb! The magic of life itself is reminded!  

Eversince i got in touch with MUSIC, life has taken completely a new dimension...right into the core of my soul...where everything is colourful, bright and JOYFUL! Joy is our natural state of being and music gets you there effortlessly! While LOVE is the secret to joy, joy is the final state of being. 

So, when you fall in LOVE with MUSIC ...it sure spells BLISS!

When you fall in love with music...you cant help falling in love with the whole universe! 

Well, i can go on and on about MUSIC but, maybe i will save it for the next posts and get to SwarAsia now! 

SwarAsia is a band put together and led by Maestro Samuel J Dass and their first show called EAST MEETS WEST, a fusion music odyssey will be held at PJ Civic Centre this Sunday, 6th September. A combination of instruments like, Sitar, Rebab, Guitar, Violin, Flute, Tabla, Cajon, Thavil and also vocals make this concert a truly unique experience. How instruments originating from different parts of the world rhymes when put together is surely amazing especially when it is done by an extraordinary musician. 

So, if you are in KL this weekend, DON'T MISS the opportunity to experience this magical journey! You can get your invitations by calling the numbers given in the poster above. Hope to see you there!

No recordings does justice to MUSIC. You have to hear it live to feel it! And such opportunities are so rare that we cant afford to miss it :)

If you have friends who love music, then feel free to share this post with them. Just spread the joy of music as much as you can. I have learnt a shortcut to reach to my soul and i wish to share the joy with the whole world :)