Jagriti theater in Bangalore featured Swar Katha Upanishad – an interplay of Hindustani Music and theater. The story was about Nachiketa the prince who was given to Yama the God of Death by Nachiketa’s father Vājashrava in a fit of anger. Nachiketa went to Death’s home, but Yama was out, and he waited three days. When Yama returned, he was sorry to see that a guest had been kept waiting. He told Nachiketato ask for three boons. Nachiketa first asked for peace for his father and himself. Yama agreed. Next, Nachiketa wished to learn the sacred fire sacrifice, which also Yama granted. For his third boon, Nachiketa asked to learn the mystery of what comes after death. Yama was reluctant on this question; he said that this had been a mystery even to the gods. He asked Nachiketa to ask for some other boon, and offered many material gains. But Nachiketa replied that material things will last only till the morrow. He who has encountered Death personally, how can he desire wealth? No other boon would do. Yama was secretly pleased with this disciple, and elaborated on the nature of the true Self, which persists beyond death. The key of the realization is that this Self (within each person) is inseparable from the supreme spirit, the vital force in the universe.
This dialog between Yama and Nachiketa forms the essence of Katha Upanishad. Where do we go after death? What remains when the body is gone? How do we live so that we accept death? Sometimes a performance seems to resonate a bit more because it reflects the mood of the audience. I was in Mumbai yesterday evening when the three blasts happened. Having seen the mindless pictures of death, this show couldn’t have been timed better.45 shlokas (verses) were put to music using 20 Ragas – from Ahir Bhairav to Raga Jaijaiwanti by the noted guru of Dhrupad music Ramakant Gundecha. Twenty four singers of Sunaad (see Sunaad.org) performed this and kept the audience spell bound. Each shloka is explained in English before before being sung in the Sanskrit verse. Anand Kasturi does a remarkable job of being the Sutradhar.Dhrupad is one of the most pristine forms of Hindustani Classical Music that traces its roots back to the times of the Vedas. You can get an excellent write up on the history of Dhrupad music and its musicians at http://dhrupad.org/Catch the performance on Friday 15 July 2011 to Sunday 17 July 2011. The show starts at 6:30pm sharp. Go watch it.Enjoy a beautiful performance by the Gundecha Brothers in Raga Adana – a Raga that is sung between midnight and two am.
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Swar Katha Upanishad
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13 responses to “Swar Katha Upanishad”
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Wow let me see if I can catch this 🙂 Thanks for letting me know.
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How do u tell such amazing stories??!! I mean sitting through a concert and then explaining the same in one breath, in such an amazing way of story-telling…you indeed are a genius! Don’t know where do you draw this energy from!
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The interplay of words and music has been blended time immemorial. But in each one of those (be it bandish, ghazal, thumri, kaajri … ) the language employed typically evoke sensory images – feelings, sights and sounds – thus blending (more easily, in my mind) with the music. But the interplay of serious philosophical work and music? Blending string left brain and right brain?Wow – that indeed will need some doing.From my perspective, shlokas are traditionally chanted – pentatonic rhythmic chants create an auditory platform for the brain to focus on the task of understanding and memorizing the shabdas. The tonal structure is supportive, the grammar of music non-existent. This may not apply when you blend it with a serious discipline like Dhrupad singing, where the business of enjoying and absorbing the raga is more serious.Blending both seems blasphemous to me – a bit like the fusion of the east and west music – an act that has rarely produced music of note. You have been fortunate to watch it – I hope to be able to watch / hear it someday to be able to be able to make the final judgement for myself.But before that, it is time to read the deathly hallows….er….Katha Upanishad.
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I don’t think it is right to use the words “seems blasphemous” towards any effort at artistic creativity without having experienced it. I do believe people should see this show before judging the blend.I hope Dipan gets a chance to do that! :-). I’m going on Saturday.
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I think Dipan is quite right about the blending of the left and right brains – not only is that a remarkable feat, it is a state of balance that meditation leads to.The shlokas of the Kathopanishad tell a story and each verse, when examined is rich with its unique flavour/emotion/feel in addition to it’s intellectual message- e.g. Yama’s tempting Nachiketa with material pleasures or Nachiketa’s steadfast resolve to spurn all but the Truth. The Raagas of Hindustaani music used in this recital have been selected to match the intangible feel behind the words. The combined effect of Sanskrit lyric and Raag based delivery achieve the above mentioned sense of balance!That being said, shlokas, stutis and stotras have been set to classical music several times in the past, and with great results. Take for example the famous Bhaktimala series of Music Today, where the Gundechas, Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Ashwini Bhide, Veena Sahastrabuddhe and many others have sung in this fashion. Listening purity and beauty of these renditions, one would be hard pressed to regard them as blasphemous :)In Swar Katha Upanishad as well, the shlokas, while not recited in the traditional method, are nevertheless intact in terms of clarity of pronunciation and entirely respectful of Sanskrit grammar. All in all, the show was a remarkable feat, achieved by a group of singers who made the philosophy of the the Kathopanishad accessible to a contemporary audience in a deeply moving fashion!
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Very concise description of the scriptures and the music concert. Nicely done.
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@Ranjita – agree – I hope I get to see it someday. Sitting here in Gurgaon, one is often denied these opportunities.
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I felt like going and watching the concert. You should try advertizing profession as well!
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It also inspired me to spread the good happening all around us to let others know about the same. Reverse of what news channels are doing day in and day out!
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Well this is the firs t and the last question “what remains after death”. In my village, a person used to come and he says that he can see the people around (the people who have died). He talks something similar to the ghost movie and sometimes he tells some surprising things. He can tell how a particular person died or where he was burned after death (that exact place).Emi Calculator and compare interest rates
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