The seed for this musical idea was sown when I was in my early 20's. I was greatly attracted and inspired when I heard legendary musicians like Jimmy Hendricks, Chick Corea, Stephan Grappelli, Yehudi Menuhin, MS Gopalakrishnan, N.Rajam, John Maclaughlin, L Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Vikku and many more. What was so special about their music was that there was so much of virtuosity and versatility in their performance and personality.

When I wanted to replicate that in the music that I was pursuing, I felt a vacuum in expressing such an experience. It was all about reproducing a philosophical thought. I felt a disconnect and there was an urge in me to create a piece to express my feeling, my experience, my skill as a musical expression - something where I could challenge myself.

I also heard - flights of the bumblebee - a famous composition in the western musical form. All this was inside me as a churning process and stayed with me through this journey.

The germination of the idea started a few years back. This composition ( a garland of ragas - raga - a musical scale), naturally moving from one raga to another, is a journey from one musical moment to another - from one raga to another. I fine-tuned and changed a few phrases to make it more meaningful as a composition and also create some challenging passages to make it a fulfilling experience. Everything and every moment of this musical expression has been intuitive including the final climax. Just a natural flow.

After the completion, I was looking for a name. Coming from the background of a culture, steeped in the concept “Aham bramhasmai “ as a way of life, this had to be dedicated to somebody who stretched their boundaries. Anjaneya is the name that came to my mind, he is the first among all the superhumans that we know and worship. All of us are a reflection of Anjaneya in our own way, moving through this beautiful experience of life, facing challenges, conquering our own set boundaries, and devotees in our own way.

My dreams, My expressions, My expansions, My experience and My musical joy is represented in this musical flight

“ Flights of Anjaneya “ ……

dedicated to all those, who are free-spirited and are stretching their boundaries again and again.

I am sure there are many youngsters who would feel like the way I feel and I wish them all the very best !!!

As a practitioner and performer - one feels the unification of one with the sound - Unity
As a listener, the experience leaves each one with a unique yet different experiences - but the music is the same.
For some it is Bhakthi, for some it is Bliss, for some it is technical, for some it is Mathematical etc. . . (Diversity )

There has been many scientific studies which goes on to prove that listening to Music helps in the optimisation of the human possibilities.

A musical mind is what one must aspire to have.
To be that, one need not be a practitioner of the art.
Being musical is a step upwards of being spiritual.

Musical mind comprises of these three very key elements.

The key to success is to find a balance in these three.
Emotions with the right form of expression with in a structure will help live a balanced, successful and fulfilling life in every way.
Our land Bharatha - was and is named so and our ancestors perfected this art and many of us still do so.

Let us all strive to find this Musical mind and live a life filled with happiness and joy.

Feeling elated and satisfied after the completion of my single - Flights of Anjaneya... A project close to my heart - the seed for which was sown many years ago.

I have been greatly inspired by great musicians. Many from our land and many from outside.

I have always wanted to bring out the optimized potential of my instrument.

Our musical system is the most contemporary of all musical systems giving us the freedom to explore the ragas and talas the way we want to. Instruments are the best vehicle for that and hence my inner core, always looking out for fresh pastures to experiment started working on this dream project.

My experiences with life, inputs from Gurus, interactions with legends, co artistes, traveling around the world, most importantly the spirit that is with in --- all these made this effort possible...

I have named this "Flights of Anjaneya"

He is first among all the super humans that we come across in the modern world. To sing in praise of him is great as we get to understand the lyrics and can connect to his legend but on an instrument how do you celebrate him...

An attempt to encapsulate the energy and dynamism of this great avatar as a musical representation...

I have to immensely thank my friends Pramathkiran and Praveen D Rao in helping me arrange and record this musical offering. Their inputs and efforts in bringing this musical melody to life is something which cannot be measured by words.

Flights of Anjaneya - coming soon

The constant throbbing of the rumbling sound in a multilayered state of expression is a source of great intrigue and curiosity.

As I go deeper and deeper in to this abyss, all unnatural sounds gives way to the most organic and natural sound. That is still almost like a whisper and I can only feel it rather than hear it at all. The closest explanation could be that,it is like searching for light in pitch darkness. In the dark, once your eye gets adjusted you are able to see but still the clarity of detail is never the same as it is when there is light, like wise the feel of this sound is very elusive. It is audible but yet not there. But as I said earlier when the connect happens the experience is unlimited.

Is this what Rishis of yore heard as a constant thought and said Ulagam Nadamayam.

If this is the unlimited and original source of all sounds that we hear, then the concept that sound is the one that pervades in a space that is beyond light makes lot of sense.

As it is said in scriptures, Mantra (sound)comes first, then Yantra (the visual form of the same) and then Tantra, (the technique or the technology). Thyagaraja swami in his celebrated composition Nadopasana - Begada describes this in the Charanam - Mantratmulu yantra tantratmulu.

Like wise Shri. Gopalakrishnan Bharathi also in his celebrated song Aiyen Metha Kadinam says

Mandirathiley Potu, Yandirathiley Paarkum, Thantirathileyum illai..

So, it is evident that Sound is the primordial source of all beings..

In the early periods of living, all beings were embodiments of the divine and everything was still and constant. There was no communication between beings and every being felt their existence as part of the supreme. There was completeness and heartfulness. Then as days and years passed the stillness slowly receded and movements happened. As movement happened heartfulness and mindlessness gave way to mindfulness and heartlessness.

When the mind took over, communication between beings happened. Once that happened soundfullness gave way for sightfullness. Once the mind took over the connection with the supreme slowly diminished and slowly the beings started feeling themselves as separate entities. Separated by Colour, Region, Religion, Race etc etc. We have successfully managed to become limited from being "limitless."

Music is limitless as the sky. It transcends region, religion, race, gender, boundaries, etc etc etc.

It is one unifying phenomenon and let us strive to keep it that way.