Midnight Musings revisited

Been streaming music from the old crummy laptop onto the new phone where the fairly decent headphones are doing a good job. Discovered a few songs by Abhijit Pohankar (check out this dude, especially Piya Bawari if you haven't yet listened to it) which brought back memories of those classical music fests of SPIC MACAY and Pune days.
Recent years has seen some revival with many masters coming up with catchy modern numbers sung classical style. I remember all songs of Sardari Begum ( Aarti Ankalikar- another amazing singer) which became quite popular. Then there have been other musicians and singers who have been coming up with hit creations.
While I can't say I've enjoyed most classical concerts as much as I'd have preferred to. For one, for someone not trained in classical music, its not easy to always follow the skills. Then the masters themselves are not always endearing. There are exceptions. Count yourself lucky if you find yourself listening to some combination of Us. Zakir Hussain, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma. Folks who enjoy playing their art as much as audience loves to hear it. I've had the pleasure of compeering on of Pt. Chaurasia's concert. Apart from that I've heard him many times in live concerts. He believes if the audience is appreciative, he doesn't mind playing all night, its as much fun for him as for him. Its on occasions like these when the night is 'just right' that I've found some of the greatest music being played. I remember an evening of a few years ago in Pune when Us. Zakir Hussain, Us. Sultan Khan and Shiv Mani playing next to Shaniwar Wada. Another awesome evening and I was especially enthralled by the tabla Maestro. Never thought that a tabla can be played like that!
I've found Shubha Mudgal again another enjoyable practitioner. Someone who chooses the songs as per the audience, mixing easy to listen with hard to render and explaining the progression.
Among dancers again I had the pleasure of sitting with Sonal Mansingh for a hour or so. This was many many years ago in Allahabad on the banks of the Ganges. I sauntered in her camp while she was getting ready for a performance and I was delighted by a hot cup of tea and talk to her for almost an hour. Somehow its hard to come across star performers like that now, who would not shoo away a young boy but will rather happily chat about tough and good times of life. And that is part of the charm of a live show.
Talking of shows, been planning to visit the Jaisalmer desert festival for many years now. Alas this year too will be wasted since the place will be half a world away in Feb, but will definitely try next year.

Midnight Musings

Fine food/ wine and cheese
Smiling company / Music and friends
I have it all and still
Here I am / Missing Life!

Another Toy

Got home to find a gorgeous new Nokia N80ie waiting for me at the porch! After a gloriously isolated month, Be prepared to be ignored by a always connected me.

A Chindia story

The economy bug bit me during weekend. I spent a lot of time reading about India and China's economic resurgence, their respective comparisons and threats and dangers to it. My exposure to China is limited to Hong Kong and Macau, not really mainland China, so no way for me to actually co-relate my experiences from what I hear. Hong Kong is impressive, Macau too though not in the same league as Hong Kong. But HK is a recent addition to China and it already had impressive economy and to their credit Chinese have kept it improving. Very impressive.
India is a story I understand better. The advances are impressive and the dangers real. Currently on a trip to US of A I often find myself in discussing the India story with ex-Indians and Americans. How things have improved though there is a very long way to go. My own feeling are of high, investments earning handsome returns, earnings increasing and life good and getting better(I hope). But behind all the shine, there are significant dark shadows.
Take a look - use Google, I'm too lazy at the moment to get the links here, the number of people living below $1 a day. Look at the number of illiterates ( and those who are in school may not be too well (see here). The education system is crumbling. The infrastructure growth is being hampered by the powers that be in government itself. Attitudes at work places are bad. Employment growth is pathetic and that is the biggest stumbling block in my view. Apart from social tensions ( look at the mess some of these SEZ/ highway projects/ dams and all are facing in getting land and all) it means 1/2 the population is out of the consuming cycle, perceives no benefit in 'growth' but has a vote share as much as those who do see the benefit.
What is stopping from politicians from coming out with an agenda of politics of poverty with all its dangers. If this happens it is not really the fault of the electors. If you have nothing to loose, you can try desperate measures which is what an unequal system often forces the lower rungs to do. That happening will take us back to the dark ages.

The territorial Animal

BBC recently had this news item on how a herd of goats managed to master a cattle grid laid to prevent them from coming into human settlement eating plants and flowers laid in a cemetery. Goes on to prove how Man is the biggest territorial animal of them all.
We have carved out large portions of Earth, destroyed animals and trees we could and built our own forests of concrete. We got in a few cosmetic animals just to remind of our ancient past, popular choice being pack animals that look up to the masters as the pack leader. And we have built our own structures to draw boundaries of personal space.
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Makes me wonder if man has the right to decide to 'cull' animals just because they come and eat flowers we put on our dear one's graves, people already no more living? Here probably the goats are no threat to life and liberty, just a cosmetic nuisance. I can understand the urge to kill for food but does nuisance deserves death?(In case of mosquitoes, yes I think it does, see my earlier post on this but we digress).
The thing is that nearly all other territorial animals defend their territories typically either during feeding or mating times. Most often these territories are those that give great food advantage and where having a crowd with compromise food security. But with humans its often a case of power/wealth projection. I wonder how sustainable would this be over years. What happens when the human population reaches like 8 billion?