dekhna aisa nahi rahega desh

SaiRam

carnatic

favourite lounge

Vlc - Record  -  07 - 15 - 20h57m26s - Andekhi Disha

"You could become a great horseman
And help to free yourself and this world
Though only if you and prayer become
Sweet lovers.
It is a naive man who thinks we are not
Engaged in a fierce battle,
For I see and hear brave foot soldiers
All around me going mad,
Falling on the ground in excruciating pain.
You could become a victorious horseman
And carry your heart through this world
Like a life-giving sun
Though only if you and God become
Sweet lovers."
Like A Life-Giving Sun
by Hafiz

Manipuri Hare Krishna by The Hanumen

Bhuvaneswari Devi Songs, Sri Bhuvaneswari suprabatham, guru vandanam, devi namaskaram, Sri Bhuvaneswari ashtakam, Sri Bhuvaneswari astothram, Sri Bhuvaneswari Navaratnamala,  www.bhuvaneswaripeetam.org

Sri Bhuvaneswari suprabatham

A collaboration with the brilliantly talented @rvijaynarain, this is a mashup of a Marwari dialect thumri Senraan Ra Baairya (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h7p4-15ZNU) and Kailash Kher's rendition of Kabir's Naiharwa. 

Both are love songs, but go deeper than just physical desire. The first one asks to be carried away by the sweet breeze while the second one uses the metaphor of a bride separated from her beloved to hint at the fallacy of duality (advaita, if you will)

Vocals: @rvijaynarain
Guitar, Violin and Arrangement: @krishashok
Key: F major
Beat: 7/4

Lyrics

سینڑاں را بائریا دھیمو مدھرو ری باج
senṛaan ra baairya dheemo madhuro ri baaj
listen, O breeze, softly and sweetly blow
دھیمو دھیمو مدھرو ری باج رے بائریا
dheemo dheemo madhuro ri baaj re baaireeya
softly, softly, sweetly blow, O breeze
سینڑاں را بائریا دھیمو مدھرو ری باج
senṛaan ra baairya dheemo madhuro ri baaj
listen, O breeze, softly and sweetly blow

تنری بنڑاؤں ڈھولا راجی تانسلی اے لو
tanri banṛaaoon dhola raaji taansali e lo
I make a serving dish, sweetheart, of my physical being
منڑے ری کروں من وار رے بائریا
manṛe ri karoon man waar re baaireeya
and following my heart, I offer up my heart to you, O breeze
سینڑاں را بائریا دھیمو مدھرو ری باج
senṛaan ra baairya dheemo madhuro ri baaj
listen, O breeze, softly and sweetly blow

साई कि नगरी ...परम अति सुन्दर,
Saai ki nagari...param ati sundar
My Beloved’s Town is Most Beautiful

जहाँ कोई जाए ना आवे
jahaan joi jaaye naa aavey
However, Nobody Goes or Comes from There

चाँद सुरज जहाँ, पवन न पानी,
chaand suraj jahaan, pavan na paani
There is no Moon, Sun, Wind or Water There

कौ संदेस पहुँचावै
kou sandes pahunchaavey
Then Who Will Take My Message There?

दरद यह... साई को सुनावै
darad yah...saai ko sunaavey
Then Who Will Tell My Pain to My Beloved?

नैहरवा हम का न भावे
Naiharwa ham ka na bhavey
I Don’t Find any Interest in My Parent’s House


Senraan Ra Baairya - Naiharwa Redux

A Violin, Cello, Guitar, Keyboard and Drum machine remix of Massive Attack's Teardrop blended with Thyagaraja's Brova Bharama (video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGXIc3iwEM8&feature=youtu.be)

Key: A
BPM: 77
Raga: Bahudari (for most part)
Guitar tuning: Open-D (tuned to D major)
Song meaning and lyrics: http://www.karnatik.com/c1002.shtml

Poster credits: Original by Simon Stratford (http://www.simonstratford.com/portfolio/illustration/teardrop/)

Teardrop Bahudari

@krishashok's reimagination of the Malayalam classic from the movie Kireedom, with vocals by yours truly. Loosely based on Job Kurian's cover for Asianet Rosebowl.

Cello, piano, violin, acoustic guitar, arrangement: Krish Ashok
Key: C minor
Beat: 3/4 120 bpm

Original song credits:
Composer - Johnson
Lyricist - Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri
Singer - M G Sreekumar

Original song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rznLiOZUVLo&feature=kp
Job Kurian's version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGUTb6QaGTU

Kanneer Poovinte

Bach's Badinerie from Orchestral Suite No. 2 and improvisation in Carnatic style.

Bach - Badinerie (cover)

Transcendence

Tree Of Life

Vidya Sankaranarayanan (https://www.facebook.com/vidya.sankaranarayanan) is an extraordinarily talented Bharatanatyam dancer who trained under the legendary Thanjavur Kittappa Pillai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._P._Kittappa_Pillai). She is, in the rich tradition of T Balasaraswathy, a gifted vocalist as well. 

She also happens to be my cousin so this is a family production of S Chidambaram's classic "Kanda naal mudhalaai" in Raga Madhuvanti. 

It's a trip hop version featuring violin, cello, keyboard and programming by me. The chords used are primarily variations of Gm, D and A 

Lyrics Translation

My love overflows my dear since seeing you, holding a spear (vEl) in your hand (kai), oh compassionate son of Shiva.

The people will come and sing (paaDum) songs (paNNisai) for you, Kandan (a name for Murugan) my child (baalan), to bring you happiness (sugam).

My heart has not forgotten (marakavillai) your blue (neela) peacock (mayil). I have not forgotten this love (nEsam) mixed with affection (paasam). Oh this sharp-eyed festive (kOla) prince (kumar) has been in the temple (kOvil) of my mind (mana). Showing a small smile (kurunagai), he placed (sooti) a fragrant flower (narumalar) of love within us. 

(source: http://www.karnatik.com/c1437.shtml)


Kanda Naal Mudhalaai

Track 01

Something To Believe In

A Tamil adaptation of Bo Diddley's classic "Before you accuse me" (made famous by Eric Clapton)

Vocals: @ranjani-shanker
Lyrics: Subhashini Vinay (twitter.com/neelavanam) 
Piano: @hariflute
Guitars, Violin, Bass, Arrangement: @krishashok

கேளாயோ நீ, சொற்கள் அம்புகள்,
கேளாயோ நீ, சொற்கள் அம்புகள்.
நம் காதலே பெரும் கனா,
விடையிலா ஒரு வினா!

Have you heard, (your) words like arrows pierce.
Have you heard, (your) words like arrows pierce.
Our love,  like a perfect dream, 
(ended like) A question without an answer.

நம் வானிலே, நிலவேன் இல்லையோ,
நம் வானிலே, நிலவேன் இல்லையோ,
வாழ்கைப் பூந்தோட்டத்தில், மலர்களே பூக்கவில்லையோ.

Why is it we have not had a moon to brighten our eventide?
Why is it our life did not bloom in a garden of flowers? 

வாராதே திரும்பி, நினைவுகளில் சுகமிலை,
வாராதே திரும்பி, நினைவுகளில் சுகமிலை,
துள்ளியாடும் மீன்களென வேண்டும் ஒரு வாழ்கை.

Don't come back, memories cannot be cherished.
Don't come back, memories cannot be cherished.
(I feel like a fish out of water and this is not what I want.) 
I want to swim in this vast expanse of life, happily. 

Abheri Blues

Just happened to record my cousin Usha do an impromptu rendition of Krishna Nee Begane Baaro in the style of T Balasaraswathi - slow tempo and expressive. So I have kept the arrangement quite minimal. The raga is Yaman Kalyani

Krishna Nee Begane

G Saraswathi, my 74-old grand aunt, taught me more about the finer nuances of Carnatic music than my violin teachers & a collaboration with her has been long pending. This is a Trip Hop adaptation of Muthuswami Dikshathar's Sree Kanthimatheem set in Raga Hemavathi. The vocals were recorded in a single take. 

Pallavi:
Sri Kanthimathim Shankara Yuvathim
Shree Guruguha Jananeem Vandeham
 
Anupallavi:
Hreemkaara Beejaakaara Vadanaam Hiranya Manimaya Shobaa Sadanaam
Paaka Shaasanaadi Deva Vinutham Parashuraama Natha Hima Shaila Suthaam
Shuka Shounakaadi Sadaaraadhithaam Shuddha Thaamraparnee Thatasthithaam
Shankadyashtotthara Sahasra Kalashaabhisheekha Modaam Surahithaam
 
Meaning: (From T.K Govinda Rao’s book)
I prostrate before goddess Kantimati, the young (“Yuvathim”) bride of Sankara. I prostrate (“Vandeham”) before the mother (“Jananeem”) of Guruguha. Her face (“vadana”) is of the form (“akaara”) of mystic Bijakshara – Hreem. She is established in the lustrous (“shoba”) golden (“Hiranya”) mansion (“sadanam”) studded (“maya”) with gems (“mani”).She is extolled (“vinutham”) by Indra (“paaka shasanaa”) and other celestials (“deva”). She, the daughter (“suthaam”) of Himavan, is worshipped (“natha”) by Parashurama. She is always venerated (“araadhitham”) by Suka, Saunaka and others (“aadi”). She dwells (“sthithaam”) on the banks (“Thata”) of the crystal-clear (“shuddha”)  river Tamra Parni. She is anointed with holy waters from 108 (“Shankadyashtotthara”)  pitchers (“Kalasha”) and conches. She is benevolent (“modam”) to the celestials.  

Sree Kanthimatheem

My dubstep remix of Coldplay's new song Paradise!
It features some calm melodies, vocal glitching and heavy bass lines!

Jóhannes Ágúst

Paradise - Jóhannes Ágúst Remix (Coldplay)

Song: Naiharwa- Sai Ki Nagari
Lyrics: Sant Kabir
Original singer: Kailash Kher
Covered by: Divya Venugopal
Guitar: Jainil Khandelwal

Sai ki nagari

Vocals - Sneha Gopal
Guitar Rhythm &amp; Leads - Arun Ravi
Sound Engr - Ankur Nehru (Tritone Labs)

Special thanks to Ankur for playing the Bass.

Mahaganapathim - Fusion Cover

The first single from the upcoming album, LIVING THINGS, out 06.26.12. Get an instant download when you pre-order the album at http://livingthings.linkinpark.com. Also available at iTunes- http://smarturl.it/lpsingle. 

BURN IT DOWN

Seeta kalyana vaibhogame k j yesudas1

Bantureethi Kolu Carnatic fusion in the ragam Hamsanaadam

Bantureethi- Carnatic Fusion- Chandramouli

Krishna Das - Kainchi Hare Krishna

I take the ridiculous and the sublime, add cellos, violins, guitars and random internet collaborators to make music of sorts