Values from Carnatic Music

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 07 May 2007, 21:12

I am looking for some answers to the values that are cultivated from this divine art

shishya · Post by **shishya** » 07 May 2007, 21:54

patience is definitely one of them... especially if you participate in a lot of recordings

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 07 May 2007, 21:54

By seeing the Trinity's life, it's clear that they took carnatic music to attain salvation in life. Made lovely compositions on various deities using various ragas which helped in expressing different human emotions etc. Music being a ocean is a lifelong absorbing activity.

shishya · Post by **shishya** » 07 May 2007, 22:03

Okay. I will get serious.

I can list a few of what I consider as virtues that one could imbibe by practicing music:

discipline (niddura nirAkarinci - been there done that)
attention to detail
punctuality and time management (specially if you have given a few concerts)
team spirit ( again if you have been performing)
concentration - the ability to tune out any unwanted thoughts and focus
planning
appreciate the power of practice
and in addition, I think it is the easiest way to get closer to God (or converse with God) on a daily basis.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 07 May 2007, 22:22

The ancient system and people are gone and new way of life has come in. How do we make our children get these values and enjoy atleast the way we enjoyed the divine bliss when we were young. Any role models important to us in this current world?

shishya · Post by **shishya** » 07 May 2007, 22:49

narendra,
If your kids are small, I think you are the best role model. They absolutely adore parents when they are small and try to mimic parents. Even though we may think that kids are too young to understand the deep meanings in our lyrics, try explaining the songs and contexts and above all experience yourself the beauty of our music and communicate with the kids. They will absolutely love you as a parent and will try to mimic you. However, I have no advice if you have teenagers or are dealing with your older kids questioning our values. I think everybody goes through these phases.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 07 May 2007, 23:12

Shishya..that was an excellent answer.

Home is the first place to begin our musical journey because that is where we make our first decisions. No doubt that this enjoyable journey should come from parents. I have also seen children being punished for not performing well in music. Teachers who are in stress also punish them. So what do you think about these acedamic like teaching.

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 07 May 2007, 23:14

As shishya says, don't look for role models elsewhere: be one yourself.

I am reminded of the apocryphal story of the parent boarding a bus with his son and lying to the bus conductor that his son is younger than 10, hence should travel free. The son on hearing this says, "but papa, I am 11!". Children learn right and wrong from each one of our actions, so we need to be careful how we conduct ourselves. Music is just one aspect of life.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 07 May 2007, 23:50

Look at the power of sports. Playing cricket with friends is a very informal activity. We just look for friends and we go to the ground and start playing. Why cant this happen with music. Has it become or made too formal and strict or is just my perspective?

shishya · Post by **shishya** » 07 May 2007, 23:51

Narendra,

I have a slightly offbeat take on the punishment for not performing. I understand that we get too much caught up in "delivering results" that we lose the enjoyment of playign the game. Yes, teachers do get stressed out if the students do not perform well. After all their reputation is at stake. However, if the teacher is feeling stressed, then he or she should deal with it and not hold the student accountable. Each child blooms at his/her own pace. TVS did not take up music as a profession until well into middle age. And I have seen with my daughter that once I stress her out, nothing I say gets into her mind... so we take a five minute break, and resume or resume the next day. Although I will hold the student responsible if they do not practice and/or prepare for class. As a teacher I prepare for class and I expect the students to do so. As parents, it is our responsibility to make sure they go to class prepared. Once in a way we all have off days but off days should not be the norm.

shishya · Post by **shishya** » 07 May 2007, 23:56

Narendra,

Music has not become too formal... times have become that way. We as parents and teachers expect that out kids excel in whatever they take up and we want them to do everything every other kid is doing. That is the difference. We are not happy with being "average", which is statistical truth. You can have only less than 99% that are well beyond 3 standard deviations. An yet, we want our children to be in the top. How many kids are capable of that?
As it comes to learning the art and playing cricket, no matter what field you choose, if you want to be visible/ participate in competitions/go pro, you have to formalize it. I tell my students and their parents to enjoy music... Along the way if you pick up a prize or two that wouldn't hurt. But the important thing is that they should be excited about participating.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 08 May 2007, 00:18

Shishya..I really appreciate your responses. I can feel the breadth and depth of a balanced experience in dealing with the great musical system. You should write more about the values and your experience in teaching and parenting here.

shishya · Post by **shishya** » 08 May 2007, 00:22

Narendra,

By no means am I am an expert parent or teacher. I am learning as I go. I am pretty sure everybody has a process in place to parent or teach music. I can share my views on the forum but I am in no way qualified to dissipate general advice.
There are wiser men and women on this forum from whose participation we can all benefit.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 08 May 2007, 00:43

As generations passed by, life and music and values dont seem to go together for many of us...very few imbibed these qualities naturally or some through studies, etc. but why do you think the life and values that we talk about is different from the life we live for majority..where is the problem or is there a problem at all?

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 09 May 2007, 02:07

Looks like people are over obsessed with any subject and they try to do it too much and in turn receive less. Dealing within the scope of the subject and activity and maintaining a sense of balance keeps us stable and the subject.

rasam · Post by **rasam** » 09 May 2007, 04:45

Whats with dEsis and redundancy? On more than one occasion, I have heard terms like 'over obsessed', 'rural village' etc. etc.

(Narendra, I'm not poking fun at you or anything, just making a general observation)

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 09 May 2007, 06:28

Among all men and women I hate and despise, I find nothing in common.

Among all men and women I love and admire , I have one thing in common.
We all love Music.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 09 May 2007, 16:31

http://www.kamat.com/database/articles/ ... _music.htm

A fine article .Written by a Fine Critic.Mohan nadkarni

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 09 May 2007, 17:47

Whats with dEsis and redundancy?

I'm sure you meant to say: What's with dEsis and redundancy?

Well, perhaps it's because we dEsis like to stress a point...
Even the bard of Stratford-upon-Avon wrote "...the most unkindest cut of all" in Julius Caesar.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 09 May 2007, 19:20

how do we keep up the balance and discipline in values and traditions while dealing with a beautiful subject like Carnatic music. Is it just a subject like any other acedamic subject or does it influence directly our way of life and our habits?

take a minute and reflect on these 3 fundamental words

sAdhya - goal
(Note: divine enjoyment which primarily includes your own Ananda or Shanti - other than this what else are we looking for)

sAdhana - tool or knowledge or activity (in our case it is the south indian musical framework, instruments, etc)

sAdhaka - individual or group

bhaktha · Post by **bhaktha** » 11 May 2007, 08:26

Since bhakthi and mukti have been discussed here, I would like to raise a point. I have been a cm rasika for many years now and have, over the years, been totally drawn towards the bhakthi aspect. But of late, I find musicians (the younger crop) speaking openly about eschewing the bhakthi aspect and concentrating only on the raga, swara etc, trying to make cm more a mundane art than a divine art. One vidwan even went to the extent of saying that he would rather appreciate the "begada" in nAdopAsanA than the bhakthi aspect of the kriti. I mean, people have a right to their opinion, but isn't this going overboard, giving scant respect to the divine values that cm has stood for? Having listened to vids like MSS, SSI etc, I feel youngsters today are concerned more about other trivial aspects (like say, the frills and gimmicks) than the bhakthi itself. I welcome more views on this.
-bhaktha

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 11 May 2007, 09:22

Before going into this discussion in detail , one should set the cornerstones for what is broadly defined as Bhakthi.
Is it very very personal or something that can be defined by clear line and compass ?
Sitting at my reading table I used to see hundreds of factory workers rush for the morning shift balancing their bicycles on a curved stretch right in front of the temple , with a 5 millisecond namaskaram.And I used to pray silently that they should not fall and hurt themselves.
Or just look at all those necks craning at Kapaleeswar temple on a saturday evening , forgetting that the Lord has a Zillion eyes.

Decades ago a famous Vidwan visited a city in the North with his entourage(I have this story from the organiser , in whose flat, all those great Vidwans had lodged for the two days).
After the performance , the organiser was aghast to see the two senior accompanists rush back home to have their dinner well before the main artist returned.Obvioulsy they did not want to have it along with him since he was not a Brahmin.But were being poilte.
In due course the main artist arrived , and not finding the threesome around , sensed what had happened .
And his reaction !!
" Did they eat comfortably .I deliberately slowed my return so that they need not cheat themselves after such a stupendous effort in the concert today.Poor Souls!!"
And he was sincere to the core , in his enquiries.Not a bit sarcastic.
My point is not to bring in a Caste angle here.But the Bhakthi we seem to be talking is not a fruit that grows on a tree.Everytime time we reach out to a divine experience, we are all like that boy in this story

[quote]One night a boy dreamed that he saw a new shop in the High street. He went in and saw an Angel behind the counter. Nervously he asked what the shop sold.
â€œEverything your heart desires â€œ the Angel said.
â€œThen I want peace on earth â€œ cried the boy.â€

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 11 May 2007, 09:52

http://www.badongo.com/file/3012301

Ah ! Upacharamu by Somu .
Looks strangely very relevant here , to me.

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 11 May 2007, 15:40

I feel true bhakthi is the feeling of reverence one has towards the world around him.
The person who is in the throes of bhakthi while infront of his favorite deity, but immediately afterwards scowls and shouts at his fellow human being is not a true bhakta.
Samsara and Nirvana are two sides of the same coin - if we can see god in everyone we meet, moksha is not far away.
Several composers have made this point in their kritis, I believe. A good value to imbibe.

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 11 May 2007, 18:38

coolkarni wrote:http://www.badongo.com/file/3012301

Ah ! Upacharamu by Somu .
Looks strangely very relevant here , to me.

For completeness , I am adding the meaning of this song as given in Spiritual Heritage Of Thyagaraja.

"Pray, do not forget me and refuse my services on the ground that there are others to serve you. In the hope of obtaining your grace, I have been singing your glory. True, there is Anjaneya to keep safe watch at the gate, your worthy brothers are assembled near you to do your bidding, and there is Sita to cheer you when you are alone; and you may therefore feel that there is no need for others."

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 11 May 2007, 19:22

jayaram - i totally agree.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 11 May 2007, 19:33

If bhakti is a feeling, then any feeling is this world is a valid feeling. The term feel still means a temporary experience of something. The meaning of bhakti must go beyond the scope of temporary feeling. So it must be ones original, honest, real nature of pure love which remains throughout ones life. This must be an effortless and real. Music was a means of this effortless expression. Later it was systematized so that this tradition could be preserved. Now it is a effortful serious bhakti which never remains or happens even after taking mountainous efforts. Just like making husband and wife to love each other or mother to love her children or Thyagabhrama love SriRama..who needs to take that effort. Bhakti just happens when we listen or perform divine music.

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 11 May 2007, 19:57

i disagree that bhakthi as in "ones original, honest, real nature of pure love which remains throughout ones life" - "just happens when we listen or perform any divine music".

If so, then during and may be after listening to CM we will compassionate to everyone. I see plenty of evidence to the contrary

Arun

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 11 May 2007, 20:09

Arun
I meant to say CM is a means to this expression when you are honest and real. Being honest and real are the conditions to the presense of pure love. Tell me when we were all children at one point of time did we think about our own child nature but our elders always said children are god like. Did we know we were form of pure love?

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 11 May 2007, 20:32

i think i see. Although if one is real and honest (i.e. has bhakthi), it will be expressed in everything one does - i.e. cm or not.

Also at the same time, i wonder if we mistakenly associate the euphoric/deep feelings we get when listen to soulful music to bhakthi (as in its true sense). You often hear - if the singer has true bhakthi, he/she will move me or I will feel it. And following that, if what you sang had no effect on me - you do not have bhakthi, or sang it with bhakthi. I think those two are not always related - and i will dare say most of the time what we are feeling (as listeners) has nothing to do with (true) bhakthi.

Arun

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 11 May 2007, 20:49

you are right....at the same time our expectations as CM listeners looking for bhakti in every artist to be wrong. It is as good as saying I wanted more bhakti and I dont get that from this or that singer. This reminds me of a friend who said that he stopped listening to CM and that he can get the divine experience and bhakti only from studying and reciting Vedas. So is bhakti available like the way we buy grocery from a store?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 May 2007, 20:58

Cool,
I was going to ask how one was going to define bhakthi (slippery ground). You say it so well in your anecdotal way, with wisdom sprinkled in. Bhakthi cannot be there if you try to catch it, categorize it, or be conscious of it. We can be 'asking' questions endlessly (like Rooney? in Sixty Minutes), jogging in the same spot without moving.

Jayaram, yes, to me as well, bhakthi comes across as a way of life.

Arunk, right you are. We would all be walking out of every concert, sanctified, if that were the case!

In all this, we should not forget that music is very much there, the easiest of means to feel the nearness of God--by singing or listening to it--call it bhakthi if you wish.
We have Van Goghs and variations in CM too. That is not our concern. If it is, then we are creating our own hurdles in our path to betterment. A rasikA who was against drinking, would have lost some great musical moments had he boycotted Mali's concerts. Mostly, rasikAs put up with delays and quirky delivery in Mali's concerts because they wanted those moments of bliss his music would bring.
Our enjoyment of music need not be impeded by a musician's personal life. Our concern is what connects us with music and at the moment of hearing, he happens to be that medium. After all, in great music, iindividuals blur, and music reigns.
We had a thread recently on Bombay Jayshri's comments on music. It is very easy to misinterpret statements (we read things that are sometimes taken out of context too, as perhaps in the case of this vidwAn).
In the end, what matters is the music which transports us...

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 11 May 2007, 21:58

arasi wrote:Our concern is what connects us with music and at the moment of hearing, he happens to be that medium After all, in great music, individuals blur, and music reigns.

you made some wonderful statements

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 11 May 2007, 22:41

Our enjoyment of music need not be impeded by a musician's personal life.

I remember two stories -
(1) There was a physician who was fond of sweets. A boy was taken to him for healing of some stomach problem. Having felt his pulse, he asked the boy to be brought back next week. Next week came and again the same message. Ultimately, after 2 months, the physician told the father of the boy that his son should not eat sweets. The father was confounded and asked the physician why he did not tell this at the first instance. The physician said "I am myself fond of sweets; how can I advise anyone not to have sweets till I overcome the urge. The delay is what I took to overcome my weakness".
(2) The film - I think it is 'nandini'. SPB is the doctor and he had to advise a patient to stop smoking but the doctor himself was a heavy smoker. So the nurse - (SuhAsini?) makes him quit smoking in order to implement his prescription.
I can visualize Mali playing flute in an inebirated condition Sri tyAgarAja kRti 'mOkSamu galadA' - What a contrast! And is the personal life really doesn't matter?

rAga sudhA rasa yuta bhakti
svarg(A)pavargamurA O manasA

paramAnandam(a)nu kamalamupai
baka bhEkamu celagi(y)Emi O manasA

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 11 May 2007, 22:59

Oh, that is all very well for tales and parables --- and very nice ones too: but in the real world, if we wait for our physicians to become perfect we must surely die sooner rather than later.

Indeed, if we wait for our own perfection before helping others the world will be a poorer place.

We cannot and should not expect our musicians to be saints. One thing is that it is not fair on them! We might expect them to be able to put aside much of their own selves in presenting their music, and the more successful they are, then the more we will feel the music rather than the performer.

I do not expect sainthood of musicians --- but at the same time I am aware that a numer of them have what I would describe (others may share the experience with differing definition) as a very special energy, which makes being in their presence an experience in itself. Of course, this is not limited to musicians, but for performing artists, i would say, performance is a way of giving this energy and thereby uplifting and healing their audience.

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 11 May 2007, 23:03

Indeed, if we wait for our own perfection before helping others the world will be a poorer place.

Indeed. This thread is all about 'values'.

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 11 May 2007, 23:18

Govindan does make a valid point, i.e. one's actions are as important as one's words/music etc. Having said that, Valmiki was a 'bad' man before he turned a new leaf and composed Ramayana. I guess it's the direction of spiritual transformation that matters?

Wagner's music is shunned by many people because of his association with the Nazis.

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 11 May 2007, 23:35

All that we experience in this world is really ourselves..nothing other than you, you can experience. Whether you are talking about something internal or external, mental or bodily its all your own experience that was possible only because of your own existence.

Our ancient people realized this truth and they wanted their future children to have a balanced way of life and to keep the fellows away from various wordly disturbing experiences which can make them unstable, the birth of the various systems came about all with a final goal of reaching the Absolute.

So was born the great Carnatic music system which is helping us realize this truth.

So all forms of mental and bodily disturbances are not good for the realization of this Absolute. But if one wants to take a different direction, may be the time in reaching the destination can be delayed.

Infact some one called music as nervousness and just a mental excitement and enjoyment. Once the nervous system is weak, then the entire system becomes weak.

And also depends on whom we want to promote. Always promote our own feelings and enjoyment or promote our Source who has given us all this. When I listen to MSS music, she always promoted the divinity and that inturn always promoted her. This is an interesting possibility. Thats the beauty of this music. Many dont realize this fact.

In all respects I believe CM definitely maintains that balance when compared to all other types of musical systems.

ksrimech · Post by **ksrimech** » 12 May 2007, 00:09

coolkarni wrote:And if we all do agree that Bhakthi has got more to do with the seeds than the fruits, Boy ! what a fertile Land do we have in the realm of Carnatic Music.

Coolji, your words fertile lands, seeds, bhakti, etc., kinda reminds me of tyAgarAjasvAmi's "toli janmamunajEyu duduku". As tyAgarAjasvAmi says, we have to sow the right seeds. I think great past masters have done really well in sowing the right seeds in our (or at least my) heart(s).

jayaram wrote:I guess it's the direction of spiritual transformation that matters?

100% true. There is no use just putting tirunIr or tirumaN/SrIchUrNam. If bhakti is not there, all these are only some nice costumes. (viz. teliyalEru rAma bhaktimArgamunu)

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 12 May 2007, 00:37

If those who shun Wagner (some, because they can never erase from their memory how their families and people perished in the most cruel way because of Hitler), may it be so:(. A friend who was in a concentration camp always kept her shower door open because she associated the shower with the camp euphemism 'come, you are going to have a shower' (being led to the gas chamber). A parent who drank too much and hurt the family might well be the reason for a music lover to have shunned Mali's performance--it hurt him to see Mali inebriated.
Now, bear with one more story, Nick.
If we cry like the woman who wanted her dead baby resurrected by Buddha--he sends her away saying, 'go get me a handful of mustard seeds from a household in the village which hasn't experienced death'. She returns empty handed of course, and is handed out the wisdom to accept what we cannot change.
Of course, it would blissful to hear a performer who is half divine himself!
On the listeners' part, do we consider a performer as a man of bhakthi if he wears a caste mark? If he is humility personified? Follows religious rituals? It is like the blindmens' story again, their trying to describe an elephant (bhakthi).
Who knows? If this gets to be a trend, bashing musicians for their own way of thinking, it might even drive a few of them away from the concert halls, to sing just for their own joy (now, singing for their own joy and partaking it with rasikAs is my kind of a musician). The problem is, how am I going to find him in this wide world? My loss. ..

ksrimech, our posts crossed. Yes, costumes don't equate bhakthi.

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 12 May 2007, 01:04

One's actions are certainly more important than mere words or musical expression. In fact, they are the only ones that count.

But if you look at the other side, an interesting notion appears to me. Say one, and i think this "one" can apply to most of us, says "i will heed this advice about good behaviour" only if it comes from a person who also heeds to it. In other words, we look to see if the following apply on the hearing the advice: "Are you qualified to say this to me"?, "who are you to advice me ot talk about lofty things when you dont follow it yourselves" etc. etc. We may feel right in asking this, but does it not simply reflect our ego? Arent "good words" still good even if it comes from a sinner? Of course most of us will find that extremely unpalatable - again a reflection of our ego - is it?

Arun

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 12 May 2007, 01:34

vgvindan wrote:(2) The film - I think it is 'nandini'. SPB is the doctor and he had to advise a patient to stop smoking but the doctor himself was a heavy smoker. So the nurse - (SuhAsini?) makes him quit smoking in order to implement his prescription.

manadil uRudi vENDum. Nandini (suhasini) deals with Dr. Ardhanari (SPB) as you have described.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 12 May 2007, 01:35

Arun,
There are one or two egotists among musicians who make me forget that when I listen to some of their music. Of course, this happens more when I listen to them faceless

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 12 May 2007, 02:32

Music can also become an escapism for some people. Instead of facing day-to-day life, they may find solace in music. Somewhat like hitting the bottle or gambling. Is this a good value to imbibe? Tough call indeed.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 12 May 2007, 02:46

What a way to escape, if escape one should!

narendra · Post by **narendra** » 12 May 2007, 04:42

Jayaram...
another question asked is what do we gain thinking about values of music and not waste time on the theory side of it. Many hate these subjects and they dont want to discuss this. So why is this happening or why are we hesitating to know this. Many say that we should just practice and listen to music and not waste time on theory or spiritual side of Carnatic music. This is also another escapism running away from knowing values.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 12 May 2007, 07:07

Anyone game for another round of Sixty Minutes?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 12 May 2007, 09:04

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ovqrk7

In the album Thulasidas Ramcharitmanasm, Channulal Misra Makes a wonderful point about the point of creation and practising of Music.
The point where Swar and Laya merge, that is where God is found to be found, and not in Temples.
And also that the practice of singing these hymns reinforces our beliefs in then , more than reading.

This is a fine album that must adorn the shelf of every discerning Music Lover.
I am indebted to NNRamya here for introducing me to this great great album

bhaktha · Post by **bhaktha** » 12 May 2007, 09:53

As has been pointed out, the meaning of bhakthi differs from person to person. For me bhakthi in music is all about realising God through nAdOpAsanA. (What then is nAmasankeertanam for, somebody might ask??) If a vidwan is able to make me visualise and feel the beauty of say krishna while rendering bAlagOpAla, then that's my defn of bhakthi. Not only should the vidwan realise it himself but also transfer that blissful experience to the listeners, just like MSS or SSI used to do. That's what made them so great. I agree that external signs of bhakthi (like vibhuthi, rudrasksham etc) don't necessarily mean that one is a bhaktha. True bhakthi is when one can experience that feeling of oneness. It's a very personal experience. Only then the spirit in which great souls like Thyagabrahmam had composed kritis will be realised.
-bhkatha

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 12 May 2007, 10:56

I do not expect sainthood of musicians

No one expects a musician to be a saint. If so he be, he will not be singing in a concert hall, but like Sadasiva Brahmendra, though being an avadhUta sanyAsi, singing for the benefit of mankind 'brUhi mukundEti' and like an advaitin Adi Sankara singing 'bhaja gOvindam' and other Slokas like viShNu Satpadi and Sivananda lahari dripping with nectarine bhakti.

When we go to a (Hindu) temple, would you accept a priest performing Pooja in an inebirated condition? Sensing the impossibility of making a priest a preacher, Hinduism has made him a professional. Yet he has certain minimum decorum to follow when he comes to Temple.

How is it different in case of Musicians? No one expects them to be nAdOpAsaka. No one expects them to be performing uncavRtti for livelihood like Purandara Dasa and Thyagaraja. Let them do theerthavari at their leisure. But when they come to concert hall, they should maintain certain minimum standards. Singing in inebirated condition in a Musical hall - no matter how sweet the music is - is in insult to the Music itself. Is this the value that we are handing down to the younger generation?

There is a certain minimum amount respect and regard to be shown to the compositions of personages like Purandara Dasa, Thyagaragaja who spent their lives roaming the streets spreading the message of bhakti to the humanity. They did not have any copy rights. To the best of my knowledge, Tagore's Gitanjali is still a copy-righted work. Is this the case with Purandara Dasa and the Trinity? This minimum respect, you may call it 'copy right' and IPR, is what we pay back to their toil.

The other day I heard Mohd Rafi singing an English Song in Hindi tune in Farishta - World Space - an utter nonsense. Are musicians expected to be like that? Are they not supposed to know at least the general meaning of what they are singing? If not, they are no more than parrots. Whether they know the meanings or not, atleast let them not insult the compositions of these saints by singing in a drunken state.

The best actors are those who 'become the character' at least for the duration of acting. Let the musicians try to become good actors if not best. Nada is both the path and destination. No other profession has this advantage.