The Valleys Called

 



There are several pleasant memories of visiting my grandparents' house during summer.  From not having a care in the world about school or homework to cheerful cousins, mangoes, TV shows on Doordarshan like Ye Jo Hai Zindagi, Giant Robot, Himalaya ki Darshan.


Himalaya ki Darshan was a favorite among all. The snow-capped mountains, the colorful outfits of Kashmiri women, the lakes, the elevation, a mystical calling.


Musical memories make a beautiful home in our minds that become a place to visit from time to time. One such vivid memory is of the album Call of the Valley.  Agnostic to Classical Music, Santoor was penetrating even the cousins' brood under the age of 10. Our imagination of the Himalayas was framed with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma's melodic Santoor.


We later learned of the trapezoid-shaped folk instrument that was popularized by Panditji in the classical realm with the innumerable raags, and his collaborations with several artists in India and across the globe. All along and until now, the cover of Call of the Valley beckons with Panditji's grace, class, serenity, and peaceful disposition.


Music is in the mountains today, a pahadi dhun perhaps, with the strumming of the  Santoor strings, flowers in the valley may be smiling a little more..


Rest in Raags, Panditji, for we know you will live through your music and continue to inspire a generation of musicians to come.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BOOK REVIEW: ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER - ELIZABETH GILBERT

Image
Twenty years after Eat, Pray, Love took us on a journey of self-discovery through Italy, India, and Bali—delivering Felipe as the seemingly perfect ending—Elizabeth Gilbert returns with a memoir that shatters our illusions about “happily ever after.”  All the Way to the River is an unflinching look at what happens when life refuses to stay static—when the Brazilian man from that sun-drenched conclusion becomes just another chapter, not the final page. Life continued beyond Bali. And when Rayya Elias entered Gilbert’s world—raw, unpredictable, and intense—we witness a love story that refuses to conform to expectations. The heart of this memoir lies in its brutal honesty about codependency. Gilbert reveals how our need for another person’s presence can quietly transform from love into burden, often without our noticing. She shows how women give more than they should, are nicer than they need to be, and find comfort in constantly doing for others—while forgetting to treat themselves...
Read more

Braiding Sweetgrass - Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants

Image
Review of Braiding Sweetgrass Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to live with more intention—slowing down, noticing the gifts around me, and questioning the endless drive for “more.” In that search, I picked up Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It turned out to be exactly the kind of book that doesn’t just give you information, but gently shifts the way you see the world. What follows is my reflection and review. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass  is one of those rare books that feels like both a lesson and a gift. It blends Indigenous teachings, ecological science, and personal storytelling into a vision of what it means to live in true relationship with the earth. What makes it powerful is not just the knowledge it shares, but the way it reshapes how you see the world around you.   Reciprocity and Ritual At the heart of the book is the idea of reciprocity: the practice of taking only what you need, offering gratitude, and givin...
Read more

The Lion Women of Tehran - Marjan Kamali

Image
Lion Women of Tehran is an unforgettable page-turner that deeply resonated with me. It seamlessly weaves a vivid political backdrop with an intimate exploration of friendship and self-discovery.  Huma’s unwavering courage and selflessness contrast beautifully with Elie’s vulnerability and search for identity, creating a dynamic that is both relatable and inspiring. The novel thoughtfully examines the nuances of relationships, highlighting how one person’s strength can empower another to find their own.  The juxtaposition of Huma’s boldness with Elie’s introspection underscores the beauty of human connections and the complexity of personal growth. Beyond their individual stories, the book paints a rich picture of Iran’s culture and struggles, offering universal truths about resilience, love, and forgiveness. Huma’s final words encapsulate the novel’s message: “Not the world, nor the owning of it, nor even success in it. I wish for you the ability to be free....
Read more