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Amjad Ali Khan, the nice exponent of the sarod, tells a narrative the place his father Hafiz Ali Khan, himself a musical big, was requested by the then President of India, Dr Zakir Hussain, if he might do something to assist him. Hafiz Ali Khan replied that, by the grace of God, he had all he wanted, however because the President had requested, might he use his excessive workplace to avoid wasting the chastity of the classical raga Darbari? The anecdote just isn’t, Amjad avers, apocryphal. His father was even within the Fifties involved in regards to the erosion of the time-tested traditions for the exposition of raga.
A raga is a creation of uncommon creativity, delicate like filigree but tensile within the rigour of its construction. A raga can stand for the temper of the time of the day, early morning, afternoon, nightfall or late night, or of the altering seasons. It will probably additionally painting totally different emotional moods — of affection, languor, separation, pleasure, contemplation, detachment, devotion and so forth. The wonderful factor is that the artist—whether or not vocal or instrumental — has no notation of notes earlier than her or him, however can carry out a raga for hours.
It is very important protect this custom with out myopically pandering to so-called “well-liked” demand. Undeniably, classical soirees, earlier confined to the salons of the wealthy or the royal, have seen over time a welcome democratisation. However the widening of the viewers and the concomitant commercialisation, requires higher vigilance to make sure that the fundamentals should not diluted. In London, Hyde Park will get 1000’s of individuals when there’s a pop group performing, however the theatres for time-tested western classical music, too, have folks queuing up for tickets. In a mature cultural civilisation, appreciation can’t be about monoculture, the favored should flourish with, and never at the price of, the classical.
In preserving the sanctity of Indian classical music, an ideal deal is determined by the elaboration of the raga, from the meditative, mood-building sluggish vilambit to the climactic quick tempo of the drut. This sequence can’t be arbitrarily fast-forwarded. Nonetheless, many main exponents of the style as we speak, whether or not vocalists or instrumentalists, appear to have no inclination to patiently develop the spirit of a raga of their performances. In a fashion extra acceptable of an adolescent pop band, they’re in a rush to race via the preliminary, sluggish phases of a composition to achieve the fast-paced crescendo, thereby mutilating the rasa or essence of the raga.
Classical dance requires the identical self-discipline — and vigilance. In our custom, Shiva is Nataraja, the king of dance, and Krishna is Natwar, the prince amongst dancers. The timeless bronze photographs of Shiva doing the tandava, the cosmic dance of destruction and regeneration, have impressed numerous generations with their sheer poetry, class, and suppressed power.
In what method, then, can this historic artwork be experimented with? Clearly, creativity can’t be shackled by the legacy of the previous. However it’s authentic to interrogate the standard of what passes for “up to date classical dance”. Experiments with established and extremely developed artwork types succeed — if in any respect — solely within the palms of those that are deeply rooted in that custom and know the boundaries of what can change and what can’t. The world could also be flat, however not the whole lot lends itself to “fusion”. When the well-known Stanislavski theatre in Russia sought to stage Kalidasa’s Shakuntalam, the veteran Kathak dancer Maya Rao, who was recruited as an adviser, discovered that probably the most tough half was to make the Russian ballerinas stroll on their ft and never on their toes!
I do know this can be a topic that will provoke individuals who maintain a pro-change viewpoint. Reader’s reactions are welcome.
The week that was
One other Diwali has come and gone. In my case — and I’m positive within the case of thousands and thousands of others — it’s an event when the household will get collectively dressed of their festive finest. My spouse, Renu, prepares phutte ki poori, a form of paratha stuffed with chana dal, for lunch. Items are exchanged, some playing is finished for symbolic functions to entice Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and there’s a lot merriment. All people finally ends up consuming an excessive amount of. Within the night there’s the pooja at residence, after which the diyas are lit. Mercifully, this yr there have been fewer crackers, an ideal aid — not just for air pollution ranges — but additionally for my canine who get terribly disturbed by the explosions.
Like yearly on this present day, we went for dinner to the neighbouring residence of Aroon Purie, the Chairman and editor-in-chief of the India Right now media group. His spouse, Rekha, organizes an exquisite unfold and creates a really relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Pavan Okay Varma is creator, diplomat, and former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha).
Simply Like That could be a weekly column the place Varma shares nuggets from the world of historical past, tradition, literature, and private reminiscences with HT Premium readers
The views expressed are private
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