When there are very few choices in life people often try to arrange, and segregate the things they have, the little happiness, the child’s cry, or even the person who tries to deal with the happiness of the truth. There are very few who really enjoy the happiness of being loved by others. Love, we can’t control it,it is not the control of the senses or any new age mumbo jumbo.

For me Love is what she does to keep herself happy, for a person like me it is very easy to use the appropriate words for love. Shipra, when she is happy I too feel happy, no worries that she’s not near to me I haven’t met her in my life but I have heard her voice her resonating laughing sounds. These words I know hold no importance for an ongoing person who is busy or has some other perspective about love.

This can be only imagined when a person is in true love. Initially, we became friends, and then we became best friends, she says she had an old love-hatred story, and she says love gives a lot of pain. But after talking to her I feel that yet it is painful that when she’s in trouble I feel the pain, physically I can't prove it, but mentally I feel the grieving effect for her. She might not pick up my call, she might think that he is a boring guy, and let her give slang to me also, She is my Shipra, the girl whom I love unconditionally. When I fell in love there wasn’t any pact that in return she would also accept me. Maybe a dream will remain a dream but how can I let go of the Love that I have for her, at least I can see her updates through Facebook and WhatsApp, she’s a very nice girl, a kind one, a silent one too. Unlike me the most devastating desperate person at desperate times,I eat music to say, for ailing this part of my life,i.e Music, the feelings I have for her really work I take my love for her as an inspiration rather than than taking it to Café Coffee Day, I date with my guitar usually when I feel that yes! today is the weekend and my love will be taking a rest and will be feeling happy.

How can I explain, many people say me mad, they ask me, how can you love a girl, without knowing her properly, or haven’t met her at least once in life. My answer is as simple as always, we don’t know when is our end or when we are going to listen to lullabies in the heavens or be cooked in hell, the very next day, the sunshine on my shoulders makes me either happy or to cry, this is life, a person like me who know the importance of tears can only make you know the worth of a smile.

I see people enjoying their trip, spending thousands of money on rave parties, I see no interest in these, even though they prefer nightstands too. I have never read any of the novels or fiction books throughout my life, my poison for eyes only goes with ancient history of the world. I see girls around me reading books related to love, in my college too they read these books. I stand as a musician, my love story starts with the first note and ends in 7^th note of musical annotation. There is always a conflicting approach in my life where I see that I feel insecure when I don’t belong to the common corporate world or usually an engineering background. I feel gloomy about knowing this, that there are a lot of sacrifices I have made in my life to achieve this stage or position as a tabla student. The world is very small indeed, where I found an angel in my life, she smiles like a small cute giggling infant, she may be older than anyone but she’s like a child to me. I feel outraged when she is in trouble or unhappy. There are few choices in my life where I chose her to be part of my small world. I don’t have denars or ashrafiyan to gift her I can't gift her the best or the costliest necklace, but I can give the best part of my body which is my shoulder to lie on and to cry on. I can confidently say that I can care for her,I can make her feel like she’s with her dad,

May not be the first hero of life, I can be the second supporting actor in her life. Tears should come from her eyes I wish every day that she’s happy, no t in grief but in laughing.

Microsoft Word really helps to write down the feelings in approx 900 – 1000 words, but I believe love can't be valued in terms or quantitative measures but it can only be given homage through one medium and that is MUSIC.

SRIKANT

Riyaaz

Should I do Practice, Riyaaz or Saadhna ?

Since childhood , I have seen and had been seeing many different approaches  of doing tabla practice. The main aspect of learning tabla was never known to me , i just blindly selected an instrument which wasn't in my knowledge how does it was played , initially I was inspired in some ways understanding music ,because of my father.

Some experiences and techniques of getting sathik haath rakhaayi and nikkaas on the tabla shared.

A student when he starts initially , he is always in a hurry and wishes  to play the tabla like a pro master.
He always haves that curiosity to play like his guru or the maestro he is inspired by watching him on any performing forums or YouTube.

A person or a kid when starts learning is in a dilemma that how easy it is to listen , but ;"why am I not getting the speed and clarity ,as that of Ustad Ji " . a lot of problem occurs when playing this instrument such as physical conditioning, concentration, patience , endurance, devotion,interest etc.

There is always a difference between a musician and an artist. The great legends of the Tabla tradition like Ustad Ahmed Jaan Thirakhwa , Ustad Amir Hussain Khan ,Ustad Habbibuddin Khan , the list goes on . When you listen to the records or audio of these great masters you would know how much hard work has been done to achieve this level of excellence, and that too they differ in playing styles and vistaar.

There has been several changes been done in tabla making and playing , it is not only about possessing a good tabla set, but the practice and utilization of the membrane of the percussion is almost every possible way. Connoisseurs while listening the tabla solo of a musician , suddenly give appreciation in some places where you find it difficult to crack, and think why is that person suddenly giving an appreciation when he has  just begun the tabla solo . It is because of some sound syllables which resemble as that of the great maestros or the listener is too happy or he finds immense joy in listening to the Nikaas produced from the tabla. As in the Documentary of Ustad Zakir Hussain , the Speaking Hand ; Ustad Sultan Khan mentions , "Mujhe Badi Khusi Hoti hai ,Jab main Zakir Bhai ko Sunta Hun, unmein woh Bujurgon ki Baat Hai" this statement say that there is always a reminiscence of old masters of tabla , when Zakir ji plays.

There is a lot to Indian Music than just learning for appreciation ,accolades and performing before the gallery.
It is difficult because the every time you play or create it is something different , with a different set of musicality and sound in it.

STUDENTS WHO ARE STARTING ,HOW MUCH THEY SHOULD PRACTICE ?

Tabla practiced cannot be quantified or speculated to a particular time , Yes if you're into many things . A beginner should practice daily ,as per my experience , because tabla is a muscular tradition, if you miss a single day practice then you might find yourself into trouble, on the next day difficult to figure out the syllable or bol .

Beginners should get inspired , but shouldn't get influenced. If you are watching ten tabla players everyone have made or adapted to their own styles of presentation and , they have their own methods of sound production. You can't just go blindly following a ten methods , a guru gives a good number of exercises and lessons , based on your hand and observation of your playing style . Most important for a beginner is that whenever he is getting ready for practice , he shouldn't be exhausted and sleepy while playing . High level of concentration and Stamina is to be built with rigorous practice.A beginner is not ready to do Riyaaz or Saadhna , because it is the next level of understanding the sound and its patterns while playing the rich language on the tabla . While playing the basics a student  always has  recite  the bols or syllables, becaus eon this base he has to build a strong understanding for the rhythm language.

This is the most toughest part for the guru to make the student inspired and here the student knows a lot about tabla history. Beginners should keep listening to various genres of music while has got some good work on rhythms, probably dhrupad ,jazz and haveli sangeet are good choices to start with.

If you're unable to understand the music , the just keep listening don't try to evaluate . Somewhere down the line , with your hardwork in music you will be able to understand the music .