Once again here are a few songs picked up randomly, this time from the relatively younger lot of female vocalists. These are real gems deserving of the true connoisseur of Hindustani classical music.
Kaushiki Chakrabarty – Khamaj Dadra – Bhig Jaun Main :
Sawani Shende – Dhani – Chatur Balma Saiyan Mora :
Shweta Jhaveri – Bhairavi – Prabhuji Tum Chandan Hum Pani :
The experience of attending a live concert of Indian classical music cannot be compared with any other musical experience. The accolades, the loud Wah Wahs, shouts of Kya Baat Hai may alarm a westerner who is attending an Indian concert for the first time. What lack of etiquette and shameful behavior of the audience, he may think. The travel to India guide book was true after all. Indians are really a noisy and uneducated bunch of natives. Disturbing or interrupting an artist’s live performance (of classical nature) may not seem to be a proper thing to a western eye. But classical music of India thrives on such ‘noise’. No Wah Wahs, no Kya Baat Hai, and the concert may be safely termed as a flop show. This is especially true if the performer is a vocalist. Enjoy the live concerts posted below.
It is now common knowledge that Indian classical music has powers that heal the cerebrum, the part of human brain that controls emotions. There are many Ragas in Indian classical music and each Raga creates a different mood. A Raga can make you so happy that you may want to dance or it can make you so sad that it may bring tears to your eyes. The Vilambit (slow) portion of the Raga has the deepest impact. Experience yourself, the magic of the Vilambits.
For hundreds of years, classical music in India appeared to have been a male dominated profession. In historical literature in which music is discussed, men have been identified as the great masters of music, men’s names dominated all the lists of performers recorded during the period from 12th to 19th century.
Women’s role in classical music throughout history, appears to have been subordinate. Women musicians seldom received the individual recognition that men did. Women have been referred to strictly as the ones whose primary artistic contribution was in dance. In North India the system of hereditary musicians excluded women by not allowing them to be either Ustads or Pandits (teachers). Women in some musician communities were used primarily to maintain a strict lineage in the family.
Veena Sahasrabuddhe – Kabir (Ramaiya Ki Dulhan) : (Download)
Fortunately, much of that has changed dramatically during the last few decades. Women classical artists of today are not only doing fabulously well in their artistic field, but many of them have proved their mettle in other areas as well. Women musicians of the modern era are thorough professionals, and a few of them are pursuing successful careers, in as diverse a field as, for example, a software consultant. Music remains their first passion, of course.
QUIZ : Give me the names of the male and female singers and the name of the Album/Film, and I will send you this rare song + a bestseller e-book (in Microsoft Reader .lit format) by email. Answer the questions in the comments to this post, and please don’t forget to mention your email address.