Experiencing the music of India

Life was very different in the sixties and seventies - people had so much more time. Perhaps that was why there was so much amateur theatre and music all around. In Bombay (which is what it was called then), my father had a group of friends in the world of Marathi theatre. For him theatre was an old passion - I have fond memories of the productions in Calcutta (which is what it was called then) when the final rehearsals would be at our home with my mother cooking for the whole 50-odd cast. Bengal had a strong history of theatre and my father had an undying passion for it. I well remember the plays that he had taken an active role in organising - mainly historical productions presented at Star Theatre. Picture Courtesy Wikipedia Dad was forced to lead a bachelor's existence in Bombay since we, the family, stayed on in Calcutta to ensure that my brother finished his schooling. Theatre was in his blood, so he didn't have to try too hard to meet up with enthusiasts. But his work s...

They say babies hear sounds even when they are in their mother's womb. For me that is when the journey must have started. My mother always made sure I listened to 'good' music - there was such a profusion of it at home. Our record player was hardly ever switched off! Even when it was switched off, the radio would take over. Those were the days of 78 rpm records and medium wave radio. (How different life would have been without them!) There were also of course the music sessions that began whenever friends or relatives came over or when my mother felt like singing - which was pretty regularly especially when Dad wasn't in town. Over the years I have come to the conclusion that if you get something without having to work too hard for it, you take it all for granted. It's only when it isn't there, that you miss it! (For me that happened when I moved out.) A century back, thanks to good old male chauvinistic society, a woman's life was pretty much overridden b...