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Indian Fusion

An attempt to adapt and cover classic (and hard) rock songs in Sanskrit to explore the language outside of its purely liturgical use nowadays. The lyrics are by SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrbhrt), Vaishnavi S & Aarathi Bala

Sanskrit Rock

Krish Ashok

Vedic Rock

HANSADHWANI: (Sound of Swans) 
This symmetric pentatonic raga, usually sung at the beginning of a performance, was originally a raga in Carnatic music and was brought into Hindustani music by Ustad Aman Ali Khan. 'Lagi lagan' is a fabulous bandish composed by him, sung in the praise of Lord Shiva

Hansadhwani - Hindustani Classical Funk

A Carnatic classical remix of Daft Punk's Get Lucky (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NV6Rdv1a3I).  The raga is Karnaranjani (well, approximately). 

Daft Pankajam

Amr Ezz - Green Fades

Adam Hurst - The Shallows

A Cello and Violin adaptation of Chammak Challo. There are a total of 5 separately recorded Cello layers and 5 violin. The percussion was programmed using the "Indian and Middle-eastern kit" on Logic Pro X. The raga playing at the start is Thodi but the song meanders into melodic & harmonic minor keys. 

ps: Based on a suggestion by Abhishek Upadhya (https:/twitter.com/_logik)

Chammak Cello

There is a political battle in India on whether or not to replace German with Sanskrit in schools. My response to that is a Sanskrit adaptation of Rammstein's Du Hast with lyrics by the brilliant Vaishnavi S

The guitar used is a BC Rich Kerry King Special 

Lyrics

त्वम्
माम्
त्वम् माम् नीतवती

त्वम्
माम्
त्वम् माम् नीतवती

त्वम्
माम्
त्वम् माम् पृष्टवती
त्वम् माम् पृष्टवती
त्वम् माम् पृष्टवती
अहम् च किमपि न उक्तवान्

आमरणम् त्वम् तदीय भविष्यति वा?
न
न
यावत् सा उद्युक्ता तावत् त्वम् तदीय भविष्यति वा? 
न
न
यावत् सा सुष्ठुः तावत् त्वम् तदीय भविष्यति वा?
न
न

Tvam

A Sanskrit adaptation of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" with lyrics by Vaishnavi S (http://twitter.com/utprekshaa) & SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt)

The guitar parts were recorded in 6 separate layers and panned left and right. In the interlude, there is a key change from A to G and the raga playing there is Hemavathi. 

And oh, the wife did some of the backing vocals

Lyrics

All our times have come आगता अस्माकं कालाः 
Here but now they're gone आगम्य गता अधुना
Seasons don't fear the reaper ऋतवो मरणान्न त्रस्यन्ति  
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain नापि वायुस्सूर्यो वर्षाणि च

Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper आगच्छ प्रिये ... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः 
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper करमादत्स्व... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper उद्गच्छाव ... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः
Baby I'm your man अहं तवास्मि 

Valentine is done  मन्मथोत्सवस्तु नः 
Here but now they're gone परंतु तौ दूरं गतौ
Romeo and Juliet प्रेमलोकं प्राप्य
Are together in eternity... अनन्तसहवासः

Repeat chorus

Artwork credits: http://heylookadistraction.deviantart.com/art/Yama-jii-84521336

Mrityum Ma

A Sanskrit adaptation of Black Sabbath's Iron Man

Lyrics: SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt) & Vaishnavi S (https://twitter.com/utprekshaa)
Vocals, Guitars, Violin, Bass, Drum programming, Mixing & Mastering: @krishashok

किं सः उन्मत्तः? Is he mad?
द्रष्टुं समर्थो न वा? Can he see or not?
(पद्भ्यां) चलितुं शक्तः ? Can he walk?
उत चलन् पतति ? If he walks will he fall?
जीवति उत मृतः ?  Is he alive or dead?
चिन्तयितुं समर्थः?  Is he capable of thought?
तं न गणयामो वयम् We will ignore him
तेन किमस्माकम्? What does he do for us? 

चित्रायसम् अभवत्  He became steel
महायस्कान्तक्षेत्रे In the great magnetic field
कालम् अतीत्य गच्छति सति He traveled time
मनुकुलस्य भविष्यार्थम् For the future of mankind

कस्यापि न इष्टः  Nobody wants him
भुवनं प्रेक्षते  He just stares at the world
प्रतीकारं चिन्तयन् Planning his vengeance
प्रतीकारं चिन्तयन् Planning his vengeance

अयं मुहूर्तः This is the time
भीतिं प्रसारयितुम् For him to spread fear
परलोकात् परवैरम् Vengeance from the other world
ये तेन मुक्तास्तान् हन्ति Kills the people once saved by him

कस्यापि न इष्टः Nobody wants him
प्रतिमुखीकुर्वन्ति तम् They just turn away from him
कोपि न उपकरोति Nobody helps him
अथ तस्य प्रतिक्रिया Now his revenge

बहुमलपादरक्षाः Boots of lead
भयेन पूरयति तेषां हृदयम् Fill their hearts full of dread
धावन्ति यथावेगम् They run as fast as they can
अयोनरः पुनर्जीवति Iron man lives again

Lohapurusha

A Sanskrit adaptation of Eric Clapton's acoustic version of Layla (as लीला - Leela) with lyrics by SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt) & Vaishnavi S

Vocals, Guitars (Ovation acoustic) , Violin (Yamaha), Piano, Bass, Drum programming, mixing & mastering by @krishashok 

Lyrics

त्वयि एकाकिन्यां किं करिष्यसि  (What will you do for your loneliness)
Tvayi ēkākin'yāṁ kiṁ kariṣyasi 
यदा सहचरः कोऽपि नास्ति  (When for companionship there is no one)
yadā sahacaraḥ kō̕pi nāsti 
चिरम् धावन्ती गुप्ता असि त्वम्  (Time has past, you have been hiding)
ciram dhāvantī guptā asi tvam
जानास्येव तत् गर्व इति  	(You must know that it is your pride)
 jānāsyēva tat garva iti 

लीले, साष्टाङ्गं प्रणमामि  (Leela, I fall at your feet)
līlē, sāṣṭāṅgaṁ praṇamāmi     
लीले, प्रिये, त्वम् याचेऽहम्  (Leela, my love, I implore thee)
līlē, priyē, tvam yācē̕ham 
लीले, चित्तव्याकुलम् शमय  (Leela, pacify my troubled mind)
līlē, cittavyākulam śamaya 

तव शोकम् अपहर्तुम् अयते  (I tried to remove your sorrow)
tava śōkam apahartum ayatē  
त्वत्पिता यदा निराशाम् (अजनयत्)  (When your father let you down)
tvatpitā yadā nirāśām (ajanayat) 
मूढोऽहम्! त्वयि अनुरागो जातः!  (Fool that I am, love for you was born)
mūḍhō̕ham! Tvayi anurāgō jātaḥ! 
लोक एव अधोमुखीकृतः!  (My whole world was turned upside down)
 Lōka ēva adhōmukhīkr̥taḥ! 

उन्मादात् प्राक् मम (Before I become mad)
Unmādāt prāk mama  
मां पुनरुद्धर (Bring me back to normalcy)
māṁ punarud'dhara 
गतिर्नास्तीति मा वद (Don't tell me that there's no hope / way)
gatirnāstīti mā vada 
व्यर्थमिदम् प्रेम मा ब्रूहि  (Don't tell me that my love is in vain)
vyarthamidam prēma mā brūhi 

thanks to Kenneth Adair for the romanized version of the lyrics

Picture credits: Raja Ravi Varma's Urvashi & Pururavas

Leela

A Sanskrit adaptation of Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark, titled तमोभयः with lyrics by SP Suresh (https://twitter/com/vajrabhrt)and Vaishnavi S

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TF_0v8KMjo

Vocals: @ranjani-shanker and @krishashok 
Flutes - @indian_music_fan (Vijay Kannan)
Guitars, Bass, Violin, Drum programming, Mixing & Mastering - @krishashok

Lyrics

स्वमात्रं गच्छन् पुरुषोऽहम्
तामसे मार्गे गच्छति सति 
अथवा उपवने चलति सति
सन्ध्या आगच्छति सति  
वैचित्र्यम् अनुभवामि  
तमसि उद्विग्नो भवामि  

तिमिरात् भीतिः तिमिरात् भीतिः  
सदा भीतिः, जानासि त्वम्?  
तिमिरात् भीतिः नितरां भीतिः    
कोऽयम् माम् अनुवर्तते इति  

अन्धे दीपम् अन्विष्यन्    
किं नखेन भित्तिम् स्पृशसि?  
तदा रोमान्चम् अनुभवसि?  
कोष्ठस्य कोणे द्रष्टुम्  
बिभेषि किम् कदाचित्  
कश्चन अस्तीति भ्रमात्?   

रात्रौ (एकाकी) असि कदाचित्?  
भ्रमात् कश्चन शृणोषि  
यद्यपि न कोऽपि तत्र  
त्वरेण ततो गच्छसि  
पुनरवलोकनम् विना  
कश्चन अस्तीति भयात्  

रात्रौ भीषणम् अन्वीक्ष्य  
प्रेतपिशाचान् वितर्क्य  
अज्ञातं मनः पीडयति  
मनोः वञ्चयति स्यात् त्वम्  
पृष्ठतः चलत् तमः  
अकस्मात् वीक्षसे त्वम्  

Artwork: Eddie from Fear of the Dark + King Vikramaditya (from Vikram & Vetal)

Thamobhayaha

An ambient adaptation of Fayyaz Hashmi's famous ghazal "Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo" 

Vocals: Nitasha Sharma (@nitashasharma111)
Guitar, violin, piano, bass, drum & synth programming: @krishashok

Lyrics (language: Urdu)

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 
Yunhi pehlu mein bethey raho 
Yunhi pehlu mein bethey raho 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 

Haaye mar jaayein ge 
Hum to lutt jaayein ge 
Aisi baatein kiya na karo 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 

Tumhi socho zara 
kyun na rokein tumhey 
jaan jaati hai jab uth ke jaatey ho tum 
jaan jaati hai jab uth ke jaatey ho tum 
tum ko apni qasam jaan-e-jaan 
baat itni meri maan lo 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 

Waqt ki qaed mein zindagi hai magar 
Waqt ki qaed mein zindagi hai magar 
chand gharriya'n yahi hain jo aazaad hain 
chand gharriya'n yahi hain jo aazaad hain 
inko khho kar kaheen jaan-e-jaan 
umr bhar na tarastey raho 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo 

Artwork: Moonlight lady by Raja Ravi Varma

Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Na Karo

A Sanskrit adaptation of Rains of Castamere that makes a connection between the historical arc of Kashmir in 1947 and the destruction of Castamere in the GRR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire

Lead vocals, backing vocals (tenor), arrangement, mixing, mastering: @krishashok
Flutes, Backing vocals (Bass): @indian_music_fan

Lyrics by SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt)

अथ कस्त्वम् कुतो वन्द्यः ?
मानी प्रभुरवादीत् 
Who are you now, who deserves such respect (and obeisance)? 
So said the proud Lord 

उभावपि सिम्हौ रुचिरेव भिन्ना 
इदमेव तथ्यं जानामि
We are both lions, only the sheen is different! 
This is the truth that I know!

सुवर्णम् रक्तम् वा भवतु चर्म 
नखाः समाना एव! 
मम तु दीर्घास् तीव्राश्च  
त्वदीयेभ्यस् तीव्रतराः
Let the skin (sheath) be gold or red, 
the nails are similar! 
Mine are long and sharp  
Sharper than yours!  

इत्यवोचत् इत्यवोचत् 
काश्मीररजः  
So he said, so he said, the King of Kashmir

अद्य तु शून्या तत्सभा 
विलापवृश्टिस्तस्याम् 
Now his court is deserted 
And there is a rain of tears in it 


Rains Of Kashmir

A Sanskrit adaptation of Pink Floyd's "High Hopes" from the album "Division Bell"

Lyrics by Aarathi Bala
Everything else: @krishashok

शैशवं शरीरवासात् अतिरिच्यते
आश्चर्यभूतं तद्यत्र सर्वम्
अस्मद्विचारस्य न सीमा न परिमिति:
ततो विभागमणि: ध्वन्यते 

शैशवक्रीडांगणेषु तेषु 
के मिलन्तीति चिन्तये
      
मम मित्राणि विरलानि माम् अनुवर्तन्ते
यावत् वयं वास्तविकात् धावितुं यतामहे
तावत् प्रौढत्वम् अस्मान् आकर्षते
शनैः शनैः जर्जरजीवितं प्रति भूतले

तत्तृणं हरिततरम्
तत्तेजः प्रकाशतरम्
मित्रैः आवृताः
रात्रिकाः अद्भुताः

अतीतं पश्यामः तथापि गन्तुं न शक्नुमः
अहो शैशवम् अतिसुन्दरं च विशुद्धम्
अग्रे व्रजामः परन्तु पश्चात् स्वपन्तो व्रजामः 
चेतो नः पश्चाद्गमने प्रेरयति

निःशंकया मननं यदि यतेम निश्चयेन शिखरं प्राप्स्यामः

प्रौढत्वेन वयं लोभिनः जिगीषवश्च भवामः
शैशवाय तृष्णा एव परिशिष्यते
तानेव हि दिवसान् अनुपश्यामः
यद्यपि बहोः कालात् इममेव मार्गम् अनुसरामः

तत्तृणं हरिततरम्
तत्तेजः प्रकाशतरम्
रुचिः मधुरतरा
रात्रिकाः अद्भुताः
मित्रैः आवृताः
शीकरं भासते
जलं स्यन्दते
नदी अनन्ता
सदा सर्वदा...

Photo credits: https://flic.kr/p/nYhRdM by Premnath Thirumalaisamy (used under a CC license)

Vibhaagamani

Carnatic Classical Fusion - (Mokshamu Galatha) - Aathirai Sivapalan

My first collaboration with the extremely talented and enthusiastic  http://soundcloud.com/shivsu . I have played the raga hindolam (Malkauns in Hindustani). Shiva has done the amazing arrangement all with his Yamaha M06 alone. We hope to do more such awesome music :-D

Subscribe to YT: https://youtube.com/AboutIndianMusic
Connect on Facebook: http://facebook.com/FluteVijayKannan

Hindolam makes a move [Collab. with Shivsu]

Karthick Iyer Live’s 1st album "IndoSoul - Looking Within To Look Beyond" is now available on
OK Listen: https://www.oklisten.com/album/indosoul
iTunes: http://hyperurl.co/IndoSoul
Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/IndosoulAmazon

A Contemporary violin adaptation of Brovabarama(Thyagaraja krithi)

I have played different styles of music from traditional carnatic to film-pop. However something that I've always leaned towards is to explore the idea of propping up our beautiful classical music against various genres like pop, rock, jazz etc. So here is a song from my outfit Karthick Iyer Live. We have played Thyagaraja's krithi Brovabarama in the raga Bahudari

Do share! :) 

Covers music got a lively twist with the entrance of Karthick Iyer Live. Karthick Iyer who has played with bands and in festivals spanning almost all the continents in the world, has contemporized the existing format to suit the ever changing needs of the audiences. His concerts are known to touch every single person in the crowd, from old to new and from the laymen to the learned. He spices up his concerts with medleys of English, Tamil and Carnatic songs rolled into one. Dressed in a dazzling Moghul costume, holding a blue electric violin and armed with a compelling selection of Tamil, Hindi, English and Carnatic songs, Karthick is ready to cast a spell!

For wedding, corporate and other gig bookings please email karthickiyer.music@gmail.com

Musician Credits
Electric Violin, vocals - Karthick Iyer
Piano - Leon James
Mridangam - Sumesh Narayanan
Kanjira - Kishor
Live Sound - Mahesh


Check his youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/Thekarthickiyer

For Concert Bookings:
Email:  karthickiyer.music@gmail.com
Mobile Number: +91 77009 08966

Brovabarama - Release the burdens - Free Download

Waldeck - (2007). Ballroom Stories - 06 - Midsummer Night Blues

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