Delhi Jazz festival 2012 ended last Sunday at Nehru Park, New Delhi, India

Delhi Jazz Festival 2012 was celebrated at Nehru Park in New Delhi for 3 days, which started on last Friday and ended on Sunday. (16th March- 18th March, 2012). I also thought of visiting it for some time on second day which was off for me from office. I reached the place at 6:30 pm which was time for beginning of the evening on second day of Delhi Jazz Festival 2012. At first a local band from Delhi University performed and then next one was from Georgia. Overall environment around the place was awesome and I am still a non-Jazz fellow :) ... Will surely plan to visit Delhi Jazz Festival 2013 to really understand this form of music !

इक लड़की भीगी भागी सी, सोयी रातों में जगी सी !!!

इक लड़की भीगी भागी सी, सोयी रातों में जागी सी...

मिली इक अजनबी से, कोई आगे ना पीछे. 

ये भी कहो, कोई बात है...

This Photograph was shot during one of the theater plays at National School Drama, Delhi, INDIA. She is Rajni in 'Chekhov ki Kahaniyan' play, which is directed by famous Theater Director Mr. Ranjit Kapoor.

Festive season in India is still ON !!!

Although Diwali is over now but still November and December remain more colorful in India. Welcome of winters with lots of other small special days. And these days all US festivals/special-days are more important in India as well. Christmas is next big day in next few months...

Classical Muscians @ BIG HORN FEST 2011 inside India Habitat Center, Delhi

 

Marriage band-master @ Pathiar, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

Recently I attended my friend's marriage in Himachal. I was the first one to reach early and other friends were on the way... So had a good opportunities to see various things happening around and of course, there was hardly any other choice :) ... So I was listening to this band group. In Himachal band-group arrives one day before the barat day and they play during most of the ceremonies happen during the marriage. So every 30-45 minutes, they were playing various things like Aartis, Bollywood numbers, local folk etc. 

Usually in these band there is  leader who starts the song with a different music and other carry on further. The person in photograph is band-master who starts and guide through a song. You can notice the other person on left who is not playing anything right now. So he is just listening to the music his master is playing and then all of them will continue. While is proper mood, they do various experiments with songs we listen to. And many times these folk tunes are used by big composers in Bollywood !!!

Girls dacing in colorful dresses at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi, INDIA

During May and June months of 2011 National School of Drama Repretory company was hosting Summer Theatre Festival at Kamani and Smmukh auditoriums and various plays were showcased multiple times. During very first play called 'Baanbhat ki Atmakatha', all the artists were dressed up in colorful dresses and there were some scenes when folks were dancing on the stage. It was wonerful to see these folks dancing in such vibrant cloths...

A Sitarist coming towards Stage @ BIG HORN FEST 2011 inside India Habitat Center, Delhi

Recently Big Horn Fest held at IHC in Delhi and it continued will 6 evenings of April 2011 ! I also planned to go during one of th evening and it was dedicated to Classical Indian Music.. I reached early and grabbed appropriate seat in Open Amphitheater of IHC... Here comes the first music performer of the evening along with various other folks in Tabla, Dholak, another sitarist along with main classical singer !!

Sitarvadak @ BIG HORN FEST 2011 inside India Habitat Center, Delhi

A Sitar-vadak @ Big Horn Fest 2011 in IHC Amphitheater, Delhi !!!



The Sitar a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Indian classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages. It derives its resonance from sympathetic strings which is a long hollow neck and a gourd resonating chamber.
Used throughout the Indian subcontinent, particularly in Northern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, the sitar became known in the western world through the work of Pandit Ravi Shankar beginning in the late 50s, particularly after George Harrison of The Beatles took lessons from Shankar and Shambhu Das and played sitar in songs such as "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" and "Within You Without You". Shortly after, The Rolling Stones used a sitar in "Paint It Black" and a brief fad began for using the instrument in pop songs !!!

Sounds of Classical Music @ BIG HORN FEST 2011 inside India Habitat Center, Delhi

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Recently Big Horn Fest happened in Delhi during 6 days of April 2011 !!! Different evenings were dedicated to one type of music and  I also attended one evening of Indian Classical music !!!



Indian classical music has its original in the Vedas which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition !!! Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda which is one of the four Vedas, describes music with lots of details... 


Indian classical music is considered as very elaborate and expressive form of music. Like Western classical music it divides the octave into 12 semitones of which the 7 basic notes are in ascending tonal order, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa for Hindustani music 
and "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa".  But Indian music uses just-intonation tuning unlike most modern Western classical music which is more about equal-temperament tuning system.


Indian classical music is monophonic in nature and based around a single melody line !!! The performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. Because of the focus on exploring the raga, performances have traditionally been solo endeavors, but duets are gaining in popularity.

Indian President's House in Delhi on the day of Beating Retreat Ceremony

Indian President's House in Delhi on the day of Beating Retreat Ceremony... This special lighting is done for few days between Republic Day and Beating Retreat which happens on 26th Jan & 29th Jan respectively... If you are attending the ceremony and planning to take camera with you, please ensure that you have right place to keep it somewhere during the ceremony because its not allowed during that time...

Wonderful Lighting @ President's House in Delhi, INDIA

Some special arrangements are done for few days during Republic day of INDIA... This particular Photograph was clicked on Beating Retreat day which was on 29th of Jan'2011 ....

Night shot of India Gate on the day of Beating Retreat Ceremony @ President's House, Delhi, INDIA

Night shot of India Gate on the day of Beating Retreat Ceremony @ President's House, Delhi, INDIA

Himachali People playing Gajjus near Marhi @ Himachal Pradesh

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Himachali People playing Gajjus near Marhi...

Gajju drums are seen mostly in the Kulu, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Sirmaur Districts of Himachal Pradesh. They are kept in monasteries and temples to be used in the times of any religious festival or Pujas. People belonging to certain tribes prefer Gajju over other rhythm instruments and they play it in various social functions. The tribal dances where the men and the women dance together wearing colorful attires are incomplete without the magical rhythms of Gajju.

The Gajjus are played in different fairs and carnivals. Auspicious occasions like weddings, births etc. are welcomed with the beating of the Gajjus. The Gajju players lead the religious processions and thus they are an inseparable part of the festivities.