Melodies Of The Soul- The Music That Made Me

I have always had this constant urge to write a blog about something. But that faint thread of inspiration which I could hold on to and pull myself out of this morass of listlessness onto the firm grounds of affirmation always seemed an elusive thought. It is only sometimes, in a fleeting moment of self-realisation, that my mind wants to unshackle itself from the hinges of self-doubt and lay bare open its deepest feelings. Is this, then, one of those moments?

Now, enough of this irreverent brooding! What has stirred the strings of my emotions enough to prod myself to write down my thoughts today is something that has always been an intimate part my life - music. Even the great philosopher Plato had reportedly said about music that it gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. There is something about music that makes it, more than anything else, such an integral part of our journey.

My first tryst with music as a part of my identity as a living, breathing proof of human life began when I was around 7-8 years old. It was then that I was introduced to the eclectic world of Borgeet, a form of devotional music founded by Srimanta Sankardeva and made even more famous by his great disciple Madhavdeva. The soul stirring poetry and melody created centuries ago by two great saints which could transcend time has left an indelible mark on my being. No greater proof of it is required than the fact that I could still sing many of them by heart, even after decades of being out of practice!

As I was wallowing in the throes of spiritual awakening brought about by the saints and their music, came along a musical genius to own my ear-waves, quite literally! Bhupen Da, with that intriguing mix of an unconventional voice, piercing lyrics, crystal clear diction and those haunting, haunting melodies was already a cultural icon for the millions of his aficionados. Now he had won himself an young admirer with his songs about our lands, our people, our struggles and above all, our love for life. I was hooked for life.
Access to the radio and TV meant that the world of mainstream Indian music was being revealed to my young and impressionable mind. The music of the Bollywood stalwarts like SD Barman, RD Barman and Khayyam brought to life by the golden voices of Lata Di, Rafi Saheb, Kishore Da and Manna Da was akin to a soft and soothing wind blowing in from a faraway place and caressing my senses.

Few years down the line and teenage hit me like a tornado, straining at the very foundation of my beliefs about life. I needed a fig leaf to hold on to the very things that defined me and also to make sense of  the fast and relentless changes overcoming my consciousness. They appeared in the forms of a wiry young singer with a soaring voice and some new sounds from lands far far away. Zubeen Garg was exactly what the doctor had ordered with his songs about love, heartbreak and self-realisation. It seemed as if it was I and not Zubeen who was speaking those words. And then there was the hitherto unheard music of a bevy of artists like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Simon and Garfunkel, Dire Straits,Tom Petty, Don Williams, John Denver, Smokie, Cat Stevens, Scorpions, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Madonna, Guns n Roses, U2 etc. And Pink Floyd, especially Pink Floyd! I was like a child, with a particularly sweet tooth, in a candy store! It was a love affair that was here to stay.

As the years have rolled on and I have found love and meaning and become older and hopefully wiser, music has still remained a faithful companion. And I have only added new friends during my adult life, most of whom have made it a point to stay back. Lucky Ali and his wanderlust spirit, Eminem and his profane anguish, Coldplay and their world songs- they all are now a part and parcel of my life. And recently, thanks to my sons, I have been introduced to the icons of the Gen Y- Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars, Sean Mendes, Charlie Puth, Camila Cabello, Kendrick Lamar and that dude with the ridiculous mask and wrongly spelt name- Marshmello. Fun part is, I have managed to turn my boys into Rock n' Roll junkies as a part of the bargain!

As life moves on, the music that had become an integral part of my existence at adolescence has aged like a fine wine, adding newer and newer flavours with time, which has only enhanced its taste. Music is now part of what defines me, and hopefully yours too.

Happy Listening!