Gentle fingers
tune the strings of tanpura*. Soft music emerges, announcing the beginning of a
song. The singer’s voice hums tuning with the music coming from the strings. An
alaap* talks of the raagam* that is going to carry the song. Then walks in the
flowering words stringed like beads of a jewel. The various instruments join
in, harmoniously creating a confluence with the singer. Various levels are
reached, the song is lived by everyone. Gently the music comes to an end,
gradually reducing in intensity. Strings of tanpura reverberate again, marking
the end of the song. A feeling stays in everyone’s heart as though, a single
sound has traversed through all the notes of the song.
Gentle fingers
of the sun touch the dark sky. Soft light emerges, announcing the beginning of
the day. The seeker’s energy aligns with that of the rising sun. A bright smile
talks of the cheerfulness in his heart for the day. He then decides on the
various tasks to be carried out. Various people join in, creating a beautiful
team effort. Achievements are made, the day is lived along with everyone.
Gently the day comes to an end, as the calm of the dusk sets in. Fingers of the
sun reach out again to paint the sky with pink hues, marking the end of the
day. A feelings stays in everyone’s heart as though, a single beam has
traversed through the various shades of the day.
Shades of the
sky – dawn, day, twilight and nightfall - are similar to the various stages of
a beautiful music.
Savitri begins
with “The Symbol Dawn”:
“It was the hour before the Gods awake”.
Sets into evening in “The Return to Earth”:
“In indolent skies reclined, the thinning day
Turned to its slow fall into evening’s peace”
Decorates Nightfall towards the end:
“Night, splendid with the moon dreaming in
heaven”
And finishes by saying:
“And in her bosom nursed a greater dawn”
To celebrate the
various shades of the day, we welcome readers to a series which will spread
through the year, beginning with the dawn, brightening into an active day,
setting to a calm evening and relaxing into a cool night.
-
Sandhya
Terminologies
and References:
- Tanpura is an Indian string instrument accompanying the musician in Carnatic music.
- Alaap is initial notes of a Carnatic music that marks the beginning of a song
- Ragaam is a melody of music. (A terminology used in Indian music)
- Savitri lines from Book Twelve, “The Return to Earth”
- Panorama of Savitri by M.P.Pandit, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry.
- Image sourced from http://img0.mxstatic.com/wallpapers/2af1d28801aee381875c98b49169b395_large.jpeg
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