'Mumbai Sanskriti' comes alive

Magical moments are being created in the portals of history. The 200 year old Asiatic Library stands witness to this bewitching rendering of musical syllables even as a few 1000 connoisseurs of music lose themselves in the moment.

Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, a name synonymous with the Santoor, originally a 100 stringed instrument, enthralls the audience with every stroke of the striker (light wooden mallets). The evening begins with Raag Bhoop, one of India's traditional ragas. The first composition is performed to the accompaniment of the Pakhawaj, an instrument that heralded the very beginnings of our rich tradition of music thru the Dhrupad-Dhamar styles. Ably accompanied by Pt Bhawani Shankar on the Pakhawaj, Shivji recreates the richness of the bygone eras of Indian Classical Music in the precincts of the open air space sandwiched between the Asiatic Library and Horniman Circle. This is followed by a rendition in the same raga but now set to Jhaptaal, a 10 beat cycle on the Tabla. Mukundraj Deo keeps brilliant pace with Shivji's dextrous strokes on the Santoor.

Shivji's interaction with the audience is rich in information besides being layered with a touch of humor. He appeals to the audience to clap less and instead soak in the melody thereby transcending into a meditative state. In a lighter vein he adds that an appreciation via just a 'wah, wah' can be more inspiring to the artiste in lieu of clapping.

The rhythm and melody blend into a 3 cycle pattern, thus concluding each raga after ascending to a crescendo.

Moving on to a light classical music piece Shivji chooses Raga Shivranjani, a raga I had secretly hoped to listen to this evening. It was as though my silent appeal had reached Shivji's telepathic powers, which he announced aloud to a gasp of surprise that escaped my lips, a little too loud for a public display of excitement.

Shivranjani, a light raga that has tremendous power to evoke every emotion in the book of human existence. Be it a sense of longing or plain mirth or a glimpse of the Divine, Shivranjani encompasses it all within the 6 notes that lend structure to its edifice. No wonder then, this raga has been the basis of many a song composed for Hindi films. Some of the songs inspired and built on Raga Shivranjani are Aavaz Deke Hame Tum Bulao, Baharon Phul Barsao, Banake Kyun Bigada Re, Dil Ke Jharokhe Mein Tujhko Bithakar and many more.

A magical rendition and its time to down the curtains on an evening that brought together Mumbaikars on a very different 'note'. As Shivji pleads, may this year be one of peace and harmony.

The background sounds of vehicles and honking come alive once again. Had the traffic come to a standstill during these two and half hours or was it just the sheer power of the music that had transported us to another world? If only each one of us could immerse ourselves in this beautiful ocean of Indian Classical Music, just for a few minutes each day, imagine the rejuvenation we'd experience? What bliss to be re born each day, afresh each day, to live each day with the enchanting flow of musical notes!

Thank you Shivji. It is such an honor to just be alive in the same era as you!