Srinivas Khale, Marathi Musician Of  Sentience in Exuberance 

Srinivas Khale, who by his life and music, epitomized the sentience, simplicity and emotive essence of Marathi Musical world, dies at 85. The cause was old age, his family said.

His music had depth in simplicity, complicated notes that reveal exquisite beauty, emotive exuberance that was spiritual and yet it could easily appeal from masses to classes. He defined an era and style that took Marathi music into transcending experience even as he could easily compose innocence in nursery rhymes.

A sense of calmness, of attainment that had no attachments and honesty with no becoming defined his personality. An aura of greatness was never an obstacle in having dialogue with young struggling music aspirants just as he continued to do creative mainstream work even in his last days. His disciples gained reputation and few even became successful musicians. Shankar Mahadevan is one such known figure in Bollywood for his style and appetite for experimentation.

His financial condition, however, remained a problem throughout: his family woes never interfered in creative spirit trying to unveil the nature of self through music. The path was not easy. During one such difficult situation, he was prepared to sell his harmonium to survive and was dissuaded by his wife. This was the breaking point, and thereafter never thought of parting with the music, which was his soul, he said.

He became famous worldwide through his album “Abhanga Tukayache” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itRpCs0Y2vw) - lyrical harmonies of Saint Tukaram, with Lata Mangeshkar . It said that the album was even appreciated in Pakistan with its rare display of excellence. The joyous ripple in the pond of joyousness, a self revealed in the warm womb of bliss, (Anandache Dohi Anand Tarang: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b7yJsmlE3s&feature=related) is one such eternal composition and a state of mind, Mr Khale always reveled in.

His associations and compositions with Late Pt. Bhimsen Joshi in Marathi and later Ram Shaam Gunagaan with Lata Mangeshkar and Pt Joshi, established his iconic position. He often took pride bringing two "Bharatranas" together for one creative endeavour. Abhangas with Pt. Bhimsen Joshi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S21sHLDyCF8&feature=related), made his reach to masses of worshiping Maharashtra. He also composed the admiration song of the state of Mahrashtra : Jay Jay Maharashtra Majha.

His friendship and long association with Marathi Poet with Mangesh Padgaonkar turned out to be a unique combination that gave many unforgettable tunes to Marathi world. The albums are on the highest selling chart list even today, is in itself a proof of its popularity in young generation. It was special, since the tunes were created only after the poem was made, and not the way round, Mr Khale always insisted. In fact, he said that the words in poem come with the tunes that uniquely identify with them. It is bestowed on us through the goddess, Saraswati, and it is she which renders them to you, not me, he once said.

He easily played with the beats and notes. He swirled through them taking an uplift, and then deeper descent with suddenly approaching that ecstatic position or “Sama” giving a joyous crescendo all throughout to the listener. One such often acclaimed composition is “Ya Chimnyano Parat Phira Re” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ciI9jaHKYw&feature=related). Composition with that painful wait for loved ones, especially offsprings, in a hope of their return in long unending sojourn at the fragile hour of dusk.

He was awarded with Padmabhushan by Government of India and “Lata Mangeshkar” award by Maharashtra State.

The first feeling of sense of love

At the outset, I am *NOT* ruminating in the past.

But this song, refreshed my memories back in 1990s, actually 1993, when I was in std 8th. It is emblematic of rhythm, lyrics and music prevalent in those years. But in addition, it also has that tender innocence of love and sort of idealism in relationship that still existed then, and Bollywood believed in its magnum opus. It is excellently composed and as always, sung beautifully. (Many) believe, it also marked descent of Lata Mangeshkar and I don't agree.

Also such was my age, to have enamoured by a typical teenage feeling. And thanks to grace of god, it still spurred my mind to the past, to blossom the moment that just went by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCdUjG4EOzM&playnext=1&list=PL78AB94E2769DB6D1

On Song, Ye Shaam Ki Tanhayeeyan

The depth of the alaapi flowing incessantly into recesses of time and space that, perhaps, has no end and yet it circles back to the beat, to know you just traversed that singularity of infinitum.

Monsoon Rituals

Monsoon has rituals to precede before a grand entry is made. Scorching and sweltering Sun, Humidity that drenches your entire being and yet makes you thirsty, the drained souls and faint minds. Then begins the event. Dark Cloud gathering over, thundering, shivering, crackling eager to fall. The first few rain drops, whistling wind, flowing breeze, shaking trees and soothing minds. Then the shower, a catharsis, pouring, overflowing, tantalizingly romantic. An ode to creation, a symbol of vigour, a messenger of love and life that recreates, redefines, rediscovers itself. A reality that is painted in front of your eyes in a mistily blurred atmosphere quenching the thirst of the mind and soul.

Tara Patwardhan, An Immigrant Synonymous with America's Spirit

One of the ardent readers of the Times and a die hard New Yorker , Tara Patwardhan, an american citizen immigrated from India in 1950, and who by all measures imbibed the spirit of Americanism died on 17th Aug 2010 in New York.

Unlike so many thousands of other immigrants, wary of preserving their identity in the melting pot of the World, TaraPatwardhan, let herself assimilate in the truly the global spirit of America, when the buzzword globalization was not even coined.

It was not easy. She was born in India, in a small town of Hubali, which is now in the state of Karnataka. The year was 1921 and it was the time for freedom movement in India, and also of social orthodoxy, that hardly allowed any girl to nurture and preserve her own identity. As the customs went in those times, she got married very early to Ram Patwardhan, who even had not completed his education. After the basic graduation in India, Mr Patwardhan decided to do his further studies in law from the New York University. Even then, despite stringent immigration laws, New York was enamored by many who were in search of virtues that promoted liberty and individual freedom. India got independence from the British Rule in 1947 and Mr Patwardhan took a job at the Indian consulate in New York, and it was also the turning point in Tara's life.

The journey that began in a ship from India, with a 10 day halt in London, ended in Perry Street apartment, that the Patwardhan couple had to share with actress Jean Pears* and her boyfriend. Later, after Ms Pears had left, another apartment on the same floor, became the home for Patwardhans for 50 years. While Mr Patwardhan worked in the consulate, Tara explored the city in her own way – learned Greek, Latin, Philosophy, History in evening classes - everything that was needed to understand her new life. She walked through the city and in its movement of people, the rush and hush, the broadways and the subways, she found her own identity. She learned the way of being global and yet independent, and in which "The New York Times" accompanied her just like a true friend. She then accepted a job at the Indian Consulate.

By a strange and a coincidental twist of destiny, for a minority of immigrants in India in search of priest for religious ceremonies, MrPatwardhan being a Brahmin and from a priestly class, became a beacon in the alien culture who also practiced chants and texts of auspicious occasions. Mr Patwardhan, realizing the importance and inevitability left the job in consulate and continued his priestly work. Considering his unique and reverential importance in the Indian immigrant community, The New York Times even carried his obituary when he died in 1996.

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/patwardhan-Patwardhan%2BHindu%

However, Ms Tara, having learnt the New York way, carried on with her own job and sometimes even enacted a symbolic role of Mother in ceremonies, and traveled across America. She was extremely fond of people around. Not a single Indian immigrated to the United States, before 1980, would have perhaps not known Tara. But her soul was in New York, the city which not only changed her, but as life was progressing she also became a part of the change: She witnessed the civil rights movement, the cold war, the Kennedy phenomenon and Mafia engulfing New York. It was for this reason when her husband died, being the only survivor, she was forced by the relatives to return to her country, which she refused saying, 'How will I get the New York Times then?'. As much as her love for The Times, it was the sense of being part of the city where the spirit of belonging the global movement of people and yet be free, was so much ingrained in her. She was never lost in the city.

After her husband's death, she stayed alone in the apartment, but her solitude never reached the brink of loneliness, for which she often would thank the city. The September 11 attack was as painful to her as her own personal loss. But like millions of thousands of other New Yorkers, she was relieved to see the city revived herself. Her day would begin late in the morning with the Times, and even a stranger would be welcome to her small apartment, with cuttings of magazines and books astray and a taste of food, she was so fond of cooking in her small kitchen, even in her late 80s. In the antique ambiance of her apartment, through a small window, a gush of traffic was as energetic as the subway beating down under her apartment building. A stranger, without the glitter of the city, would quickly understand what it is to be like a ordinary New Yorker.

She was not really the symbol for the wave of indian immigrants in late 90s that captured the imagination of Silicon Valley software innovation, but she embodies the essence of globalization and greatness of New York, just as an ordinary New Yorker and a simple human being who lived life fully. It is a message, beyond boundaries, particularly in the times when immigation is a cursed word in America,

Bhimsen Joshi, Music Unto Himself, And Search Of the Eternal

There existed a common thread throughout his life, right from childhood to his personality and then as a singer of the Hindustani Classical Tradition. 
In his visually extravagant style of singing, something of an aching pain arising out of nothing, there existed a search of the unknown through music just as resistance to the throes it caused, almost the birth pangs of some creative glory. 
In fact, search of this unknown and resistance marked journey of his life: first the Guru, then the music and style and then the ultimate unknown. It became core of his personality; that is why, perhaps, he loved English action movies, and the speedily raging cars annihilating all the friction. 
Finally he was unto himself, with diminishing resistance as the age grew, and on the voyage that seemed as deep and eternal as some elongated, steady and tranquil taan he wanted to have.

Boredom

Big Bang was supposed to have happened, because the singularity got bored of itself, just as earth moves round the sun out of boredom, and we call it gravity. Newton knew this, and he called it inertia, because apple got bored of itself being on the tree, "fell" out of that Universal boredom. So the point is Gravity is Universal Boredom