Guru-Shishya Parampara - 2

"The main features of a fruitful Guru-Shishya relationship led to (1) purity of mind and body, humility, a sense of service, and a devotional and spiritual attitude; (2) a thorough grounding of technique and science of music; (3) the gradual development of the disciple as he sits behind his guru at concerts and joins in when asked, but does not perform by himself until his guru finds him fit to do so; and (4) freedom from economic worries by the disciple, living and serving his guru, as a member of his family."
Pandit Ravi Shankar (My Music, My Life)

Guru-Shishya Parampara - 1

In the process of learning, the first part comes through the teacher; the second part through the practice and devotion of the student himself; the third part emerges from the contact and interaction with other students; the last is the product of the alchemy of time.

Music leads to liberation

He who has mastered the art of playing the Veena, who is versed in the science of notes and sounds, and knows the Talas, can easily tread the path to Moksha - the ultimate Liberation.

Tala - rhythm and cycle

Tala is the measure of time - sound, silence, rest, variation of intensity and tempo, all play important roles. The word rhythm could be equivalent of Tala, but this is not an entirely true description. As Swara is the inner face of a note, so Tala is the inner face of a rhythm and demands an equally arduous seeking.
The structures of Tala are closed loops rather than open ended infinite series of rhythm. Round and round in repeated cycles, the Tala passes from stress to release.

Swara - the hidden note

The acquisition of Swara is the core and substance of Indian music. The Ragas are passing, changing; what is stable and eternal is the Swara. If a seeker of music does not understand Swara and its function, he is said to demean the art to the level of mere entertainment which it was never intended to be.Whenever Indian music has been true to itself, its seeking has always been after the Swara.
In Raga music, one seeks to get to the Swara, which is not merely a frequency or a note. At most, we can try and define it as the hidden side of a note. This seeking is the most awesome challenge for a true musician; it is a necessary process of the growth of the human spirit.