GOMANTAK

Just been from “Hind Publication Agency” in Paharganj near the PANCHJANYA PUBLICATION AND SATIATED TO SEE THE FANTASTIC COLLECTION OF HINDI BOOKS ,MOST OF THEM THE TRANSLATIONS OF LITERATURE FROM THE REGIONAL LANGUAGES.

I just couldn’t resist the tempatation to purchase the 6 books of Veer Savarkar ,KALA PANI,GOMANTAK,PART 1,2 AND 3 OF “6 GOLDEN PAGES “,HINDUTWA AND 1857 INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE.

Surprisingly these books were the hindi translations of Marathi literature and were very affordable in terms of the price and invaluable indeed.
I reminded myself of those beautiful days when I earned 10 books of Bharat Bharti ,when I stood first in my class 5th examintaion.I could see plenty of those books (bharat bharti-which are based on the characters of the hindu heroes .)I am sorry to see how the television is taking lot of time of children’s of the current era ,where and when they must find themselves absorbed in some nice good books about our culture.A serious thought has to be given.

I started reading with the Gomantak,because it seems to be closer to me than anyother subject.astonished to know that GOMANTAK is a poetry(Mahakavya) out of the two (Other one is Kamala),written by Veerji.

In cellular jail ,he used to remember those poetries as there was no pen ,paper provided in that jail,and this seems to be the only method to remember ,when he was supposed to get out of the jail and to reproduce the same.What a marvellous memory he must be having.

It’s about a smalll typical indian town ,a healthy town and how gradually it gets converted into different one,when it is controlled by the Pourtagese .It’s about a town in Goa ,and naturally triggers you with all the thoughts of Indianness and love and commitment for the swarajya.

Oof why not people at least once read and know about the giant personality and his work.

Padma awards are token gestures:By Aneesh Ji in DNA-Mumbai

At the start of each year, arts circles are abuzz as lists of the Padma awardees are made known. And the government makes its ‘commitment’ to the arts by yet another token gesture.

Looking back, though, one finds that national leaders have shown a greater concern for the arts. Classical music and art was supported by the intellectual elite during colonial rule, partly to bolster national cultural identity. Dadabhai Naoroji, the ‘Grand Old Man of India’, was the president of the Parsi Gayan Uttejak Mandali—perhaps Mumbai’s first formal music club, that promoted Hindustani music among amateurs.

In the 20th century, leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai were admirers of the vocalist and educationist Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, who set up the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Lahore to promote music education. Later, Paluskar moved the headquarters of the school to Mumbai, and Madan Mohan Malaviya, Sarojini Naidu, Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi visited the vidyalaya on various occasions.

Gandhi’s insistence on making music a part of everyday life was greatly influenced by his urge to spiritually awaken the masses.

He said, “It is sad that the study of music is generally neglected in our country today. Without it, the entire educational system seems to me to be incomplete…Music pacifies anger and its judicious use is highly helpful in leading a man to the vision of God” (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol37, p2).

Accordingly, he requested Paluskar to send a good musician to Ahmedabad to set the Sabarmati ashram prayers to music. Paluskar sent his disciple Narayan Moreshwar Khare, who composed several bhajans.

The correspondence between some Congress leaders also shows a concern for the quality of music and its dissemination.

In a letter to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting in the Interim Government, Maulana Azad wrote, “It has been a shock to me to find that the standard of music of All India Radio broadcasts is extremely poor. I have always felt that All India Radio should set the standard in Indian music and lead to its continual improvement. Instead, the present programmes have the opposite effect and lead one to suspect that the artistes are sometimes chosen not on grounds of merit” (The Selected Works of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: Vol.III-1947-48, p28).

Such a letter from a senior leader is scarcely imaginable today: our leaders are far removed from reality or choose to neglect it. The present state of music on the government broadcasting networks is abysmally low, what with the sharp decline in recordings and a perceived need to raise TRP ratings in the face of competition from private networks.

That innovative programming can raise TRP ratings has perhaps not occurred to the bureaucracy. Meanwhile, artistes are left high and dry to locate potential sponsors for their broadcasts.

It was in Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure that cultural institutions like the Sangeet Natak Akademi were set up, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations sent delegations consisting of top-ranking artistes overseas.

The government needs to come up with a holistic culture policy. The lessons of history direct us to the course of action we must now take.

Transformation we have to bring

Ccutting edge is always awaited which can change irrelevant ideologies and customs which represent conventions good for nothing, to something which is not followed just because it is written somewhere or is believed to be said by someone, but is in existence for better life form. The secret of existence is not just to live but to play your part in the transformation for the greater good. This doesn’t points to change in any particular religion, nation, class or genders way of action at certain point of time but presents a fact that transformation is a continuous rule of time and we are responsible for whether the change is for superior or inferior values and form of life.

Motia Khan and Jhande Wallah

I have just visited Jhande Wallan and Motia Khan ,and felt that I had some long relationship with the place.Just though to write something on the same–

Akele main hum to ghabra gaye ,
Yeh achha kiya ki tum aa gaye ||

Din ka kohra ,Raat main ghane saaye,
Kuch aisa laga ki, Hum hai paraye ||

Resham ki chubhan,Aasuon main angare,
Mere jaisa koi kisi, Sooli per chadh jaaye ||

Koi jadoo itna sar chadh kar bole,
Hum baat phir wohi hi doharaye ||

Rehane lage the ,Hum kuch khoye khoye ,
Mohabbat ki ibadat ,Hum hai nibhaye ||

Life as music

I don’t know ,what my dear friend now is undergoing,but definitely worth making it a point to decorate my blog.Here is a hit from Goa.—

Life is like Music,
Melodious and charming,
As music has seven swaras,
Life does posses different patterns weaved,
The komal swaras reflect,
Bad times of an individual’s life while,
Shudha swaras the beautiful and explored moments,
Both the swaras are required,
To make this life successful and faithful,
That is how we live our life,
And lift ourself travelling,
across the ocean of Music ,
To enjoy the sensation of Musical life.

Ameya’s Music:A voyage with God

Ameya is my gurubhai.We both are the deciples of Pt.Kamlakar Naik for the Vocal Indian Classical Music.A devoted ,spiritual and enlightened soul who has consecrated his life to the MUSIC ,MUSIC and MUSIC.Let us read what he feels and thinks about the Music.
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‘Music is the fourth great material want of our nature – first food, then raiment, then shelter, then MUSIC – Bovee

Music is the language of universe. Gustav Mahlier calls it as ‘a mysterious language from the beyond’. At every outfit, music find its own place; may be at cultural festivals, sports venue or any social gathering. It is true that music is vani i.e. voice. It is believed that man must have found the music in nature’s attributes of rhythm and harmony. The music of nature – the roar of the ocean, the peltering sound of the breeze, the whistling sound of the rain, the rhythmic beat of the waves, the call of the birds might have awakened musical sensitivity in man. Nature has given a start to the melody of music or rather to music itself. In other words I mean to say that God has descended a vast and evergreen field of music through its natural elements.

A human being was clever enough to channelise its roots into an understanding system. Traditionally speaking within our Indian culture we can split our horizon of music broadly into Hindustani classical (north Indian) and Karnataki classical (south Indian).

Delius says music as ‘the outburst of soul’. It is true. One cannot separate human soul and music. To render music in its vocal or instrumental form, first soul who initiates and then our physical body works out to successfully inspire and delivers a self expression in-front of the public. Whenever I think about a definite effect to happen from the musical environment, it is the initiation or cause of the soul to fulfill its thirst. Music easily lends itself to the expressions of all human feelings whether they may be love, joy, sorrow, fear, anger or devotion.

Whenever we hear music, our soul brightens up and we remain satisfied, such is the glow and beauty in itself music possesses. It is an imaginative way of human feeling or expression. Hence in my view everyone should feel the presence of music in their own way; either by listening to its melody or venturing out in the beauty of nature to find one. It vanish away all the sorrows of life and kinder happiness.

Hunt says, ‘Music is the medicine of the breaking heart’. ‘Music washes away from the soul the dust of every-day life’, Berthold Auerbach found out. So to say shortly Music is the solution to all problems.

Music can change the life of an individual. It can transform devil soul into a divine soul. Such is the mystery and mastery of music. Music brings discipline into ones life, to show the road to ultimate peace and reality.
Luther says, ‘Music is a discipline, and a mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable’.

Within twenty- four hour day cycle time, music has its own phase of expression, however the instinct of music can be conveyed at any interval of time. To say in our classical style (Raga style), we have instances of a particular Raga to be rendered. For example: Raga Bhairav at the dawn phase, Raga Bhimpalasi to be performed at its afternoon phase and say Raga Yaman at the evening phase. This gives rise to systematic understanding or rather fitting of the glamour of music to its environment conditions. In this way one can analyse the different self expressions (bhava) of the human being. But one should not restrict rendering a particular Raga only at that phase of time, one can do it randomly any how, for music is love and to forecast love one must not wait for time , it is boundless, a infinite journey.

Music consists primarily of Swara which is the basin or backbone of its system. When it stands firmly, and to make it real; Tala, Laya comes along with it and meet i.e. when these three zones meet on one platform they generate light (Jyot) or rather an infinite torch. I understand music as sunrays because of which our earth exists and human beings live happily.

Our great Guru and legendary maestro Miya Tansen has given a golden rule to his all disciples: ‘First set up your Swara (Shadja or Sa) [as there are seven notes (Swaras) in our music octave: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa Dha, Ni] to its proper pitch intensity (tone) and then starts rendering music (may be vocal or instrumental) in its own ecstasy’ (pratham sur sadhe, feer baith gunin mei ras ki kare fuhar).

Aldous Huxley says, ‘After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music’. Music is music in itself. It has its own way of communication; however the final goal is to emotionally please everyone.
At silence as one remains plainful, serene; in similar line music empowers the link of silence to the human soul. When human soul listens to music, there remains a quiet peace, a silent association internally with music, a kind of duplex communication. A perfect touch of heart to heart. A heart of music to the heart of human soul.

There is lot more to learn from music. Music has no boundaries. I believe that one should live with music, speak to it, feel it and enjoy it. Along with the benefits that music sprinkles on us, our role in music must be a significant contribution to our society towards emotional and social growth. This will lead to integrity and unity of mankind throughout the globe.

One cannot learn music simply, a Guru is a must. With hand to hand (Guru with his disciple), always musical system travels. Pope has rightly pointed out: ‘Music resembles poetry; in each are numerous graces which no methods teach, and which a master hand alone can reach’. Disciple learns under the guidance of Guru. With His (a master, a perfectionist) teaching, love, truthfulness one can get blessed and climb the ladder of success. As success comes to only those who analyse things in music and listen to minute details preached by his Guru. Without a Guru there is no start and stop for music; for Guru is like God (Lord Saraswati) and to be with Him is divine purity.

As Plato says, ‘Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. The effect of music is so much more powerful and penetrating than that of other art’. So set up yourself and starts pursuing life in touch of music. With your Guru float in vast ocean of music. Accumulate music in all walks of your life. Along when you will travel, your heart will be soothed and life will be tension free. You shall be a lucky individual to understand yourself with music, as music itself is a present God has bestowed on you to track down all worries and brighten up your life.

And last but not the least “THE MORE MUSIC YOU LOVE,THE MORE YOU LOVE THE MUSIC”

e-Bureucracy:It hurts

My friend needs some help for firefox extension/plugin for seeing Indian fonts.
Can anyone help him? (By developing, or giving him reference of similar projects, or if the plugin is already available, then directly tell us the project
site url.)

Can anybody here make a firefox extension/plugin for seeing Indian fonts
for the electoral rolls website of maharashtra at http://203.199.16.205/.

The election commission relies on cdac for a plugin which works only on windows’ internet explorer and thus CDAC promotes use of the proprietary system instead of the superior open source products which are evolving faster with having all those cliche’ advantages , than the proprietary products.

By showing expertise in such projects, government mandarins will know where to get help/advice for egovernance projects in open source instead of mothballed organisations like CDAC which have become lethargic and bureaucratic in their functioning and decades behind in technology.

Even after the wave of optimism and determination shown in the speeches and elsewhere by the concerned top government officials in front of the public of united ,liberated and independent India -if still organisations of research and developement interests like CDAC do the same old mistakes (whatever be the reason),then it’ll definitely make the path to salvation more so difficult.