WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menoculayshunal; Musicalism, Ashram Style 1

As previously mentioned, we had lots of things to bring light relief while still keeping with the Vedantic lifestyle. The festivals themselves offered many opportunities for entertainment outlets. Every batch of students brings its own dynamic to performances. Still, Guruji openly acknowledged that ours was one of the most diverse, artistically, and well-endowed with musical talent. 

I would love to share some of the video recordings I made of various events, but most of them are really very poor. They serve well for my memory but are not at all of a standard to place here. 

One of the events laid on extracurricular to the course was a weekend with the teachers from Naada Bindu, the music academy of the Chinmaya Mission. We were given introductions to the differences between the southern Carnatic style and the northern Hindustani form of music. We were taught the Carnatic scale and given exercises in groups which built up to a final evening performance for the acharya and ashram staff and invited guests. Each of the eight groups had to compose their own five minutes based upon the scale we had learned and create a visual representation of instruments from our own bodies through which we could convey that scale. 

Oh yes, we had fun and gave Swamiji a good giggle!!!

This group would have fit in with this month's "muscalisms" posts - they body percussed!


The group I was in made ourselves into a harmonium. 
The front row kneeling were the keys, and the back row provided the scale...
but sometimes the 'keys' got stuck, so we had to sustain notes and would run out of air...
we were voted second place under the group that harmonised through spoken word.

On the first anniversary of being at Sandeepany, we had a 'birthday party' to celebrate. Everybody had something to do - in my case, I was part of a group that did a skit based upon one of the texts that we had covered, in which we parodied Sanskrit grammar. 


A number of the lads performed an excellent dance, choreographed by upacharya Samvidji, in which the story of Sri Ganesh was told. It was outstanding and got a lengthy ovation, which was richly deserved.




None of us will ever forget that night - by now, we all knew one another, all who were to depart had done so, and there was a real sense of purpose for the remaining fifteen months growing within us.


10 comments:

  1. there is always a smile and joy in all people... and it is real joy...

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  2. YAM what fun and such love coming from each person's smile.
    Loved your photo group
    Hugs cecilia

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  3. i wish we could hear your group and also the voices speaking harmony. i enjoyed every single photo. the one thing evident in each photo is happiness and joy

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  4. That really rounds out the cultural embrace. It looms like a lot of fun. XXX F & Mr T

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  5. It looks like you had some fun times mixed with all your scholarly learning.

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  6. It looks like you were all having such fun!

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  7. Your \"family" photos are fantastic! You can feel the love!

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  8. This is wonderful to see! I've enjoyed these posts. xx
    P.S. You are right about my header. Good eyes, Yam! The trees just weren't as colourful this year. I think fall happened too fast.

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