Acoustic Echoes

 

The Sun Rises

                                     RISING SUN                                     The transit of sun from Pisces to Aries (on 14th April, 2021) which is  round the corner is a much awaited event. Sun leaving the watery Pisces to enter its fiery comfort zone of Aries and that too in exaltation heralds sunny beginnings and a great surge of positivity!!

TRISHAKTHI

 1) HAMIRKALYANI THILLANA, 2) MANIKKA VEENAI ENDHUM, 3) CHANDRAKAUNS THILLANA 

KvanathKAANCHIdhaamaa.....

                                                                                                                                                                              

My meditation of the 7th sloka of Soundarya Lahari 10 years ago was a revelation! The “Kanchi” vibration of the first verse (Kvanathkaancheedhaama) in the sloka manifested itself and led me to Kanchipuram, to Kamakshi. Sloka 7 of Soundarya Lahari-“KVANATHKANCHEEDHAAMAA KARIKALABHAKUMBHASTHANANATHAA  PARIKSHEENAAMADHYE PARINATHASHARASCHANDRAVADANAADHANURBAANAAN PAASHAAM SHRUNUMAPI  DADHAANAA KARATHALAIHI PURASTHAADAASTHAAN NAHA PURAMATHITHURAAHO PURUSHEEKAA!” Seated with my Veena and speaker/amp in the cramped, limited area in Gayathri Mandapam I directly faced Goddess Kamakshi. While drinking in the beauty of Her dancing eyes in the glow of the bright oil lamps surrounding Her I lost myself in the overflowing emotions that poured out of my Veena. Seated in darkness  I was not visible to the long queue of ardent devotees lined up below the Mandapam. I was drenched in sweat as I performed in the hot summer afternoon but I was oblivious to the discomfort. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of devotees puzzled and searching for the source of Veena Naadham. That brought a smile to my lips.... while Her eyes continued to dance in the dazzling lights. 

I Can’t Tell You Why- Eagles

                                 SHREEJA 

SARASWATI VEENA-20

 

Size of Veenas differs from one another. Either the kudam is bigger or smaller than the other, or the Veena 'dandi' is lengthier or wider than the other. It's not necessary to record particulars of the size of Veena with a measuring tape. 

A Veena has to be tested by using and trying out different gauges of strings. It's wrong to state that all Veenas must use same gauges for saarani and panchamam strings.

The gauge is determined by testing it's 'jeeva' or 'kaarvai' (sustenance and resounding naadham or resonance when the string is played upon). The sound should not be clipped, but sustained and continuous (like in the case of tambura).

In my experience the same gauge measures differently, going by the brands and music showrooms. It's important to try out different gauges to arrive at the point of honeyed sweetness only a Veena is capable of yielding.

ABOVE APPLICABLE TO ACOUSTIC VEENAS ONLY

WITNESSING ONESELF

There are people who are disciplined, a few who despite immense wealth and prosperity follow a strict routine of God worship and meditation.

But will they be able to maintain the same discipline during a time of crisis?! That's when the mettle is tested. The real test to one's integrity lies in one's ability to unwaveringly conduct the disciplined routine of pre-crisis even during the time of crisis. 

The following is a great practice-

The Higher Self within ourselves is God or witness. The practice of withdrawing ourselves into the brightness of the Higher Self within and to start witnessing everything around including our own selves reveals the light at the end of the tunnel. 

The light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter as we gradually begin to realize the fact that our  namesake could be anybody or everybody else and not necessarily the bodies we are identifying ourselves with. As soon as this realization dawns on oneself,  bouquets or brickbats; adulation or assaults; justified or unfair....all will cease to touch oneself.

Nothing can affect ......really......it's a blissful state of detachment.....

WISH FULFILLMENT!

HIRANMAYEEM LAKSHMEEM- RAGAM-LALITHA, THALAM-RUPAKAM, COMPOSER-SRI.MUTHUSWAMY DIKSHITHAR.

Playing this on Veena along with sahithyam (lyrics) for 40 days without break will yield unexpected abundance, fortune and wish-fulfillment.

DURGA SAPTASHATI (11th Chapter)

DURGA SAPTASHATI 11th CHAPTER FOR RAHU MAHADASHA/ANTARDASHA PERIOD. 

Listening or chanting the above everyday enhances native's natal chart's benefic Rahu or mitigates malefic Rahu results during Rahu Mahadasha/Antardasha period as well as during Rahu transits.

GURU VANDHANAM

My Guru, late Sri.T.M.Thiagarajan was an expert composer of krithis, varnams, pallavis and structuring krithis. His compositions of chittaswarams were admired by musicians and scholars. Many seasoned musicians perform his chittaswarams and compositions in thier concerts.

Above is a very humble offering of his chittaswarams through my album VEENA VANDHANAM for Geethanjali Audio (recorded in the 90s). Mridangam- Sri.R.Ramesh, Ghatam- Sri. Ghatam Karthick

Gems of Swathi Thirunal

 

FUSION ALBUM IN COLD STORAGE- 1) PARIPALAYAMAM-REETHIGOWLA, RUPAKAM. 2) PAHI JAGATJANANI, HAMSANANDHI, ADI.

This album containing 15 numbers with jazz orchestra was recorded more than 2 decades ago but never found its light. Above are 2 numbers from the unreleased album.

P.S- This is a raw product, as you can make out that the sound and pitch levels have not been balanced. The final mixing of the product has never happened so far.

My Veena was recorded alone to the metronome beat. The body of orchestra was added later on to the skeleton of my Veena. I was told that the lead guitar solos were played by Keith Peters.

Kindly pardon uneven pitches and sound levels- E.Gayathri