Hello all. .I had borrowed this caption from an album sleeve of one of Amjad ali khan's Vinyls which won me a first prize in a national photographic competetion back in 1987!!. .The photograph was a tightly cropped cibachrome of nikhil Bannerjee I took at his performance at the Alexandra Palace Pavillion during the cultural festival of india in london in 1985. .the caption read. ." Imprisoned within the notes of a raga, the musician slowly stretches his space. .gradually the bars disappear, handcuffs become flowers and notes fly out like birds. .". .The photograph with this caption won the day for me. .I think this is as complete a description of a raga as any. .short swwet and simple. .isn't this what all musicians try to achieve. .your thoughts please. .ta mash. .
Well, OK. My $0.02 worth. I don't imagine raga as a prison or the musician a prisoner. Raga is a discipline, complete with rules, which you agree to go by as a musician. Once you satisfy the basic rules, you are free to interpret (improvise) as you wish. You know, life/liberty/pursuit of happiness, yes but not at the expense of others. Freedom within the system. Not as poetic as yours, but maybe more "useable"?
PS- Did you win the award for taking the photograph, writing the caption, or both?
Sounds like a neat picture Mash. . . . .any copies laying around? Hint hint. . . . .
I also rather like the description of Raga. . .it makes sense to me but what do I know?. . . .
HI Lars. .yes I stikll have the original tranny somewhere in my collection. .I'll let you know when I find it. .p.s. .got quite a collection of pics of shivkumar sharma, ravi, shujaat khan, budditya mukerjee and hariprasad churasia. .cheers mash. .
Hi Mash,,,,,,have a bunch of Ravi pics and posters on the wall in the practice room along with 2 of Nikhil but another would reaalllllyyyy be great. . . .let me know if you find it?
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