Often I experience something that leaves me with more questions than answers. Music, especially, is like a supernatural force that transports me into some unknown dimension, and I lose sense of everything,… repeat, everything. It has happened more than once. Particularly memorable were listening to pandit Shivkumar Sharma playing Santoor at Sawai Gandharva 2003, pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia playing Bansuri at his residence during Janmashtami 2005, and pandit Jasraj at Malhar 2006.
Yesterday was fourth such occasion. I was at Indian Ocean’s live concert at Toronto. (Indian Ocean is a music band, if you didn’t already know – not many people do.)
I hate stuff that makes me pause and think. It disrupts my schedule. Last time Indian Ocean music did that was in April, about which I wrote here.
So, back to the music concert. The guys started with a Vedic prayer (‘From the Ruins’), and the next moment I had goose bumps. This was followed by 2.5 hours of blissful music – ‘Jhini’, ‘Kya Maloom’, ‘Ma Rewa’, ‘Bandheh’, ‘Hille Re’, ‘Bhor’, ‘Kandisa’ and my favorite – ‘Kaun‘
Indian Ocean, playing live in Toronto (I know its not the best photo, but I had no interest in focusing on taking pictures 
)
Indian Ocean for me is in the same league as Pink Floyd, Nirvana and Tool. Listening to this music is a spiritual experience, and multi tasking seems impossible.
Take this song Jhini for example. Composed by saint Kabir, the lyrics seem simplistic on first glance.
झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया, झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया
के राम नाम रस भीनी चदरिया, झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया
अष्ट कमल दल चरखा डोले, पांच तत्व, गुण तीनि चदरिया
साइँ को सियत मास दस लागे, ठोंक-ठोंक के बीनी चदरिया
सो चादर सुर नर मुनि ओढ़ी, ओढ़ी के मैली कीनी चदरिया
दास कबीर जतन सो ओढ़ी, ज्यों की त्यों धर दीन चदरिया
This is fine, this is fine cloth.
It is been dipped in the name of the lord
The spinning wheel, like an eight-petal lotus, spins,
with five tatvas and three gunas as the pattern.
Lord stiched it in 10 months (the gestation period)
The threads have been pressed to get a tight weave.
It has been worn by gods, people, and sages
they soiled it with use.
Kabir says, I have covered my self with this cloth with great care,
and eventually will leave it like it was.
[audio:2007-11-04_jhini.mp3]
(Sample file, from the band’s website)
It’s the complex interpretation of these simple words that I love so much, makes me want to hate it. And yesterday after a an hour long debate with my darling friend, I got freshly criticized for my Howard Roarkish approach. LOL!
PS: I think the website is back on track 
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