Hariprasad Chaurasia  Hamsadwani

Kirwani has always been one of my favorite melodies. It is a nighttime raga that is several thousand years old. In 2002 I played a few concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina with my friend Rasikananda Das accompanying me on tabla. Here is a recording of me playing Kirwani February 28, 2002 at Ariel's. I'm playing my F flute. I play a short alap (no rhythm), and then a composition in jhaptal (10 beats) and teental (16 beats). The scale of Kirwani is a harmonic minor: 
SRgmPdNS up
SNdPmgRS down

This recording was without mics. I recorded it on my minidisc player. These days I use a Zoom H2N for handheld recordings and in a pinch my iPhone has a digital recorder.

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Kirwani - Bamboo Flute - Indian Classical Raga

OM SHIVAYA NAMAHA

Hari Prasad Chaurasia - Raga Vachspati - Music Of Joy

Morning Vedic Mantras

Your Thoughts Are Not Yours

Osho on Fuck

Download:
Bandcamp: https://indianmusicfan.bandcamp.com/track/mokshamu

Others:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vijaykannan/mokshamu

The second track from my Carnatic Projekt Series, the epic Tyagaraja Swami kriti in Raga Saramati, Mokshamu Galadha. Peace.

Details:
Song: Mokshamu 
Raga: Saramati
Tala: Adi
Tyagaraja Swami

Arrangement, Flute and Video: Vijay Kannan
https://compiled.social/VijayKannan

Previously released on Carnatic Projekt:
Ep 1: Alaipayuthey Kanna - https://youtu.be/z56_VOYA_MY
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Saint Thyagaraja, one of the Trinity of carnatic music, was a musical genius with single minded devotion for Lord Rama. He was born in 1767 in Tiruvarur in Thanjavur district. His parents, aware of the divine predisposition of their child, named him Thyagabrahmam, after Lord Thyagaraja, the reigning God of Thanjavur, whose temple marks this place. Saint Thyagaraja's life is full of accounts of his musical scholarship (impromptu compositions and extempore singing, inimitable singing skill with a voice spanning 3 octaves) and deep devotion. Several compositions of his mark his encounters with Lord Rama. 

Reference: shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in 


The Saint, content in his devotion, lived a simple life free from materialistic desires, on alms given by the audience that listened to his music as he sang on streets every morning. At least two incidences are known where he eschewed the company and patronage of a king, in order to serve ONLY ONE, the one in his heart, the Supreme Spirit.

His compositions speak of his love and longing for his beloved Shri Rama, entreating Him to come to him, to end the misery of separation. These songs depict the soul's longing for the infinite spirit. Along with his musical genius, Saint Thyagaraja was a self realised soul, who knew that the misery of the mind could end only when it merges in the Divine. Some of his compositions address the mind, even chastise the mind, asking it to focus on Him who delivers the soul from its delusion of sorrows and bestows upon it infinite bliss.


He is said to have received the divine gift of musical knowledge from Devarishi Narada. Several krithis of his are known, that are in praise of this Divine Sage.


For Saint Thyagaraja, music wasn't mere technical elegance or emotional expression but the path to attain salvation by immersing oneself in its devotion. Such was his life, his music, his habit.


In 'Mokshamu', in the beautiful engulfing notes of this philosophical song, the Saint ponders over this very theme; how music inspires devotion, and leads to salvation, Moksha ('jivanmukti', the realisation of the self, 'jiva', that liberates one from the cycle of births and deaths). The Lord waits to bless the devoted heart with His presence. 

The Saint ponders, not as one who has doubts or questions about these, but as one who has already found the answer, and knows that answer to be true.

Carnatic Projekt

Mokshamu

Carnatic Projekt - Ep 2: Mokshamu

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKmp930_jQY

Download/presave:
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/mahaganapathim-single/1522176335
Bandcamp: https://indianmusicfan.bandcamp.com/track/mahaganapathim

The third release in the Carnatic Projekt is Mahaganapathim, one of the most popular kritis of Mudduswami Dikshitar. One of my very favorite as well. 

Details:
Song: Mahaganapathim
Ragam: Naatai
Talam: Chatusra Ekam
Mudduswami Dikshitar

Arrangement, Flute, Video: Vijay Kannan
social links: https://compiled.social/VijayKannan
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Releases in Carnatic Projekt:
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Ep 1: Alaipayuthey - https://youtu.be/z56_VOYA_MY
Ep 2: Mokshamu - https://youtu.be/yZ6H8gCpB_0
Ep 3: Mahaganapathim - https://youtu.be/wKmp930_jQY
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Saint Mudduswami or Muthuswamy Dikshitar is one of the trinity of carnatic music. His devotion to the Almighty, frugal mode of living, and unmatched range and skill in musical compositions (both lyrics and music) are well known. Born in Thiruvarur in 18th century, Dikshitar learnt music from his father, a celebrated musician. When iving in Madras (Chennai), he came across Western symphonies. Later, he became a disciple of Chidambaranata Yogi in Varanasi, where he became acquainted with Hindustani music too. 


It is said that, after the demise of his Guru, when he moved to Tiruttani, Lord Muruga blessed him and initiated him into composing music.

Several incidences of his life are known, that portray his deep devotion to the Supreme. 

As Saint Dikshitar played Veena, his songs are composed in a way suited to be played on instrument, or sung. 

He was well versed in philosophy, scriptures, yoga and other sacred ancient teachings. 

He has composed songs on multiple deities, including Ambal, Muruga, Ganesha, Shiva, Narayana. 

These songs reveal the Saint's intimate knowledge of the names and forms of divine beings (nama rupam), their stories and the spiritual significance of these descriptions. To him, these divine beings were all personalities, with their attributes, preferences.

As he visited temples in specific places, he would compose songs exclusively in praise of the deity at that particular divine place (kshetra)

He was a realised soul who could see all deities as manifested forms of one Supreme Spirit. His songs, even as they describe beautiful, exciting tales of the deities at their kshetra; stories of various divine forms, stories of the temples, also speak of their spiritual significance. In these songs, the moral, emotional relationship of the devotee with each name and form melds with the philosophical truth, of Divine Consciousness as the fundamental reality of the universe. 

The role of the Supreme Being as the Provider, Protector, and Controller of the Cosmos, His (or Her) nature as the Absolute Truth - Pure Existence (Sat), Consciousness (Chit), Bliss (Ananda) are evident in his songs.

Mahaganapathim is a short composition, with only 2 stanzas (Samashti Charanam) and describes Lord Ganesha, His preferences, His glory, as the mind dwells on Him in devotion (smaranam)

Mahaganapathim

Carnatic Projekt - Ep 3: Mahaganapathim

Jayen Varma | With Indian Classical Music Band

Jayen Varma | with Indian Classical Music Band 3

Shiva Atharvashirsha is one of the most comprehensive definitions and explanations on Shiva. This is the biggest Atharvashirsha among the five for major deities. This atharvashirsha includes the praise of Shiva done by all gods, the definition of Shiva and the list of benefits one receivies listining it. 
When the gods ask Shiva, "Who are you?" Shiva answers, "I am the One!" 
Om Namah Shivaay!

Your Thoughts Are Not Yours

Blissful Madness