The joy of the union

A few years ago, TimesGroup and India Today made forays into the field of music. Unfortunately that didn’t last long. But the period that they were active produced some great albums. They were specifically commissioned for the purpose and some legends roped in to create outstanding music albums centred around a theme. One of these was one that was titled “Soundscapes: Music of the Rivers” . I just heard this amazing composition by Pandit Hariprasad Chourasia on the way to ( and back from) the hospital. It is called “Delta: Journey to the sea”. https://youtu.be/6sBcexgkAJE

The same piece was re-released later by Music Today as “Dancing Water” and credited to both Pandits Hariprasad Chourasia and Shivkumar Sharma.

The piece starts with the calming sound of waves lapping up to the shore, no instruments for 15-20 seconds of auditory satiation, almost as if the lapping waves are erasing the previous imprint of the last piece one has heard and start with a clean slate so to speak for the amazing (nearly) 14 minutes of enthralling, satisfying, and I daresay, spiritually unique experience. Wind instruments now sound, starting with a rather sombre, serious unveiling of the journey of uninhibited joy that is to follow. The santoor and the bansuri follow, enticing, pleading, beseeching a reluctant or distanced paramour. Soon the musical pleas produce the desired effect, changing the reluctance to an acquiescence. The guitar pieces with the pakhawaj interspersed with the amazing bansuri and santoor are pure bliss. The finale is an explosion of emotions, a union of the river that has travelled a great distance , filling it’s body, maturing with every input from the rivulets till it calmly, almost coyly enters the waiting embrace of her forever lover, the sea, in a frantic, frenetic fast tempoed culmination of the waiting and the journey. Followed by the rapid dissipation of the energy and the eternally pacific sound of the waves in their relentless journey to meet the shore.

Pure genius at work. Hats off, Panditji for this amazing composition that leaves me drenched in joy and satisfaction at having witnessed a bit of musical magic, unparalleled wizardry. https://youtu.be/l5VKFYqKboo

Have a wonderful Monday, folks as I wind up my morning routine to join you at 1120 with my selection of songs from one of my most loved superstar on AIR FM Gold. Stay safe and happy and healthy.