
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sa Re Ga Ma of Fashion

Aman Ki Asha
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
My Interview (On the Article)
Yes... this pappu cant dance is a fast number based on western beat music... I can't say the exact genre because I don't have much knowledge on the western music... One thing I can say about these type of numbers is that they are not based on Indian classical music (laughter).
And what do you say about Dreams on fire (from Slumdog Millionaire)?
Its another western symphony which has a strong feel embedded within it.
Does it have roots with any Classical/Hindustani Raga?
No... It doesn't.
And can you relate any Western song to that in an Indian raga?
Sometimes yes and sometimes no.... when it is Rahman, you can relate few western songs to Indian because his way of composing is totally unique... he masters the art of blending western into Indian music which no other Indian composer is good at.... that's one of the secrets of his success. You can consider the examples of Fanaa in Ayudha Ezhuthu, Rehna Tu in Delhi 6, etc...
If I have known the way Rahman sir does a fusion, then I guess Rahman sir would not have as easily pocketed those 2 Oscars (intended pun!). It would be the same in case of anyone else as well.
You have said to consider the example of Mausam and Escape from SDM. Which is that Raga?
Mausam and Escape is another example of blending western music with Indian flavor... It starts with a slight shade of Malahari (not pure) but then takes a paradigm shift to Rahman genre of mixing the things!
No... Its not that way. I have said earlier. It's sometimes Yes and sometimes No. I am not sure of that song... it sounds complex to my ears.
Is there any raga which ARR was never used so far even in parts?
Yes... there are many like Kamavardhini, Valaji, Ketakapriya, Amrutha Varshini, etc... very rare raagas and which cannot be used at the outset.
Classical Extemporization from Roja to Yuvvraaj's ARR
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Transformational Leadership
The series of alphabets in English language always start with the letter ‘A’. No one in the history has ever challenged as to why it starts with only ‘A’ and not with ‘Z’. All the other letters follow only after the letter ‘A’. It seems to be an obvious fact, but from this very place, a phenomenal word called ‘Leader’ has coined out to rule the world. Taking the present context, it becomes redundant to say that ‘A’ is the leader of the alphabetical series.
In a routine march drill, people will perform the action only after their instructor gives a call. Here, instructor plays the role of an initiator. All the people follow his/her call. A leader starts one’s journey by being an initiator among a group. Initiators never crave for people to follow them. They are always accompanied by a group of people who come purely on their own choice. The leaders are not restricted to only the human-beings. The animals, birds and plants also have a leader amongst them as Lion, Eagle, and Dieffenbachia are known to be the leaders of animals, birds and plants respectively.
One can witness inspirational, motivating, charismatic and transformational qualities embedded in an ideal leader. They are responsible for spinning a change in the system. When women were once seen to be restricted only to house-holds, came people like Jhansi Laxmi Bai, Sarojini Devi, Mother Teresa, etc to bring a revolution in the world. They have ushered a path for the future leaders to follow. The current leaders like Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Biocon Chief; Sonia Gandhi, All India Congress Committee Chief and Chanda Kochhar, ICICI Bank Chairperson have tread the same path and are now listed among the most influential women in the world for their accomplishments.
Leaders are not born, they are made. Leaders are not dropped from the so-called ‘World of Elixir’. They come from our very own surroundings and people. Mostly the situations give rise to a leader. Right from Adolf Hitler to the recent Barrack Obama, all have come from the common people. It’s their unrelenting resolve that made them the world-captivating leaders.
A transformation has both extremes. It might be for either good or the bad motives. A leader acts like a vanguard to the ever-surging ship called Life. He/she is responsible for both the smooth sail and the sinking of the ship. All leaders are managers but not all managers can become leaders. This is the doctrine employed by the management gurus like C.K.Prahlad, Bill Gates, and Jack Welch who are highly successful in their fields. They are the role models to many people because of their deeds. In the wake of all these, it would not be an exaggeration to term a leader éminence grise.
Bottom-Line:
The world remembers the names of influential and charismatic leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Subash Chandra Bose, etc… forever irrespective of the generations. An ideal leader will always be aware of the fact that his/her actions are responsible for the people’s lives. The thing one should take from a leader is whether one is willing to be remembered (obviously for the good reasons) by the future generations. If that gets rooted in one’s conscience, nothing can stop one to become a true leader.
One can make out a word for every letter in the word ‘Leader’ as L for Learner, E for Earner, A for Adapter, D for Developer, E for Energizer and R for Racer. It’s purely based on one’s perception but that can’t just be written off, for, it’s a fact! The words might differ but the essence can’t be altered. So, a leader is a dealer in hope! Don’t look for a leader…Be a leader and lead your life…with it, one can automatically pave a path to others’ lives.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Heights of Cricket(ism) in India
When one asks a bunch of children about their favorite sportsman, the answer reigns in almost unanimously as Sachin Tendulkar. This is the kind of image carried out by this man when it comes to sport in India, likewise other cricketers. Most of the people in India reckon that cricket is its national sport. This is the amount of prominence carried by this sport in India that it sidelined hockey which is actually the nation’s national sport.
When Tendulkar said that cricket is followed as a religion in India, he has a specific meaning to the statement as Indian cricket fans do not view it is a sport, where winning and losing are all a part of it. For them, cricket is something which is more than a sport and very close to their emotions. They have shown both love and hate at their extreme ends towards the cricketers. When India just wins a single match over its arch rivals forget about a tournament, a festive environment is seen all over the nation where people distribute sweets, burn crackers, etc…Now, one can imagine the bounds of celebration when India wins a world cup or a tournament. On the other hand, when India loses a crunch match, the fans get furious and show their irate behavior toward their very icons. The youngsters are seen bad mouthing the cricketers.
The role of media in this cause is extremely significant as it is responsible for romanticizing the issue disproportionately. The cricketers are made both super-stars and flop-stars by this very same media. The companies sign them up as the brand ambassadors for endorsing their products and advertisements which has a telling blow on the performance of the sportsmen. The hype generated just for the arrival of a cricketer at a venue or to the matter every other thing a cricketer does in his private life is inexplicable.
Cricket should just be seen as any other sport. Winning and Losing are all a part of the game and a single cricketer can’t be made responsible for either of them. The aggressive behavior of the fans towards the cricketers is not justifiable as every other sportsman who steps into the field aspires to win but ultimately it is the sport which has the final laugh.