Art of witnessing-Pahadi…

There are many types of compositions in Indian Classical music-Khyal,Gat,Dhrupad,Thumri,Hori,Dhun etc.Each one has its own speciality…own flavor…..and each creates a different quality of environment.It is really a joy or a bliss to experience these types…..being in tune with the artist.It is power of the artist or rather experience of the artist which can give you the bliss…..it is sharing….he shares what he has seen.

Of all these types,Pahadi Dhun are really miraculous.It is most delicate and at the same time most intense one.The profoundness of the dhun depends on the Profoundness of the artist.And as far as artists are concerned,we are really fortunate about it.Our some artists are not intellectuals but are the meditators.They go beyond their minds.This going beyond mind gives their music the superhuman quality it has.

Pahadi Dhuns of Pt.Shivkumar Sharma and Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia have a very different quality.Shivkumar Sharma actually brings the portrait of Himalayas in front of you….The play of sun light there……white snow……sunlight being scattered from water drops hanging to leaves….but something more important is that he conveys the calmness….the serenity being scattered there.Hari ji also recreates the Himalayas in front of you…..the vastness of valleys…..the beauty of wind……trees dancing in tune with wind.

The basic meditation given by different sects is witnessing.Described as Dhyana by Buddha…..Zazen by Zens……Sakshibhav by Ashtavakra……..I realize that These two artists can make their Pahadi so intense because they are meditators…..they have become witness.Zen people used to compose very beautiful poem describing the nature.The poems were describing the same nature which we see….but as they were the masters of witnessing,their poems have a superhuman quality which any ordinary person can sense.The same is the case with above mentioned two artists.They are just witness….this meditation transpires in their music…..makes it superhuman……So,Pahadi is a meditation…..an art of witnessing……..