An evening with Pandit Hari Prasadji Chaurasia.

As a child I have listened to the call of the valley a thousand times, no may be a million times. The beauty of listening to instrumental music not only lies in the notes strummed in quick unison in a set pattern. The most powerful and evocative experience for me is the images!
I am fascinated by the images,music paints for me. I remember sharing my mum's delight on experiencing the playfulness of a rivulet, through the music. Nadi ki kal kal charting its own course or the drawing the rats out of town or Krishna engaging the gopis.
On the 3rd of February at the National Centre for Biological Science Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia did just that. I second the lady in the audience who was moved to tears by his prayer. The prayer for everyone's good health. My mind evoked humbling images of asking for grace and direction.
My heart sprang with delight when 72 year old panditji, after playing for two hours obliged us with playing the pahadi tune. Though his fellow musicians had kept away their instruments. However, greedy me still yearns to hear the call of the valley from his lips,in his audience.
He gave us a true feeling of the lecture demonstration asking for questions. Earlier before the concert in true journalistic fashion I did the stupidity of interviewing him. The following is a loose transcript.
Panditji, please tell me more about your experience in engaging with your students at university. Do they interact with your students in the gurukul?
Yes, I stay abroad for 6 months, some of my students come and stay at my gurukul and learn and interact with my students here too.
Have these interactions being documented? Using technology which is cheap e.g. Videos can we have these students create something new, remix the original, question the traditional interpretations?
However After I used the word remix, I realised he had disconnected. I don't blame him. Till very recently I also had different echoes for the same word.
“So what do you want from this?,” He asked.
I floundered,as I tried to articulate my enthusiasm to understand, respect,imbibe,capture the great art form he embodied.
The beauty of his lips sealed in a kiss with the flute that uncoiled such peace in my soul, The brow tense with concentration in creation of a divine revelation. Art,life,beauty....how it fills me with despair and hope at the same time!