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From the chanting of ancient Vedic hymns to the melodic bhajans of modern-day devotees, Indian music is ultimately rooted in basic theological principles of sacred sound. These primordial principles are documented in Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas and Upanishads (ca 4000-1000 bce)--which are regarded as eternal and authorless, though later committed to written form.
Music, both vocal and instrumental, is considered to be of divine origin and is closely identified with the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The Goddess Sarasvati, depicted with vina in hand, is venerated by all students and performers of Indian music as the divine patron of music and learning; indeed, She personifies the power of sound and speech. Lord Brahma, creator of the universe, portrayed as playing the hand cymbals, fashioned Indian music out of the verses of the Sama Veda. Lord Vishnu, the Preserver, sounds the conch shell, and in His avatara Krishna He plays the flute. Lord Siva Nataraja plays the damaru drum during the dance of creation.
Each of these instruments symbolizes Nada-Brahman--the sacred, primeval, eternal sound, represented by the syllable Om, which generates the universe. This sound is embodied in the Vedas and itself symbolizes Brahman, the Supreme Absolute of the Upanishads. Nada-Brahman appears in musical treatises as the foundation of music. Yoga texts use the term to denote the musical and inner sounds heard in deep yogic meditation. Nada refers to the cosmic sound, which may be either unmanifest or manifest. Since Brahman pervades the entire universe, including the human soul, the concept of sacred sound as Nada-Brahman expresses the connection between the human realm and the divine. Combining the principles of Nada-Brahman with Indian aesthetics of rasa and the structures of raga and tala, the various gharanas have nurtured the formal classical traditions of music to the present day
Nada-Yoga, the yogic discipline that seeks transcendental inner awareness of Nada-Brahman, has also influenced Indian traditions of chant and music. Nada-Yoga techniques, including Om meditation, are found in philosophical yoga texts such as the Yoga Upanishads and the major hatha yoga texts, as well as Patanjali's Yoga Sutra and its commentaries. My 1993 book, Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound, deals extensively with the Hindu philosophies of sound and Nada-Brahman http:/www.sc.edu/uscpress/1993older/9855.html.
It begins with Vedic chanting
Intrinsic to the ancient Vedic practice of fire sacrifice are chanting and meditation on sound. Recitation and chanting in Sanskrit are traceable to the Vedic period, when the Rig Veda was recited by priests during public and private fire ceremonies. From those early times, chanting has been seen as a powerful means to interact with the cosmos and obtain spiritual merit that would help one to gain a heavenly afterlife or an auspicious next life.
Special brahmin priests known as Hotri chanted selected verses from the Rig Veda in roughly three tones, notated in early manuscripts as accents on particular syllables: anudatta (grave, "not raised "), svarita (circumflex, "sounded ") and udatta (acute, "raised "). The grammarian Panini (4th century bce), who knew the early tradition, described the svarita tone as connecting the other two. But according to modern scholars--and in modern practice--the udatta, left unmarked, is considered the tonic, the principal note upon which the chants are intoned (like middle C); the anudatta, often marked with an underline, is a whole step below (B-flat); and the svarita, marked with a small vertical line above the syllable, is a half step above (D-flat).
Sama Veda chanting
The chanting and hearing of sustained musical notes has been linked to the Divine in Hinduism from early Vedic times. The Sama Veda contains Vedic verses set to pre-existent melodies. These songs, known as samans, were chanted by special brahmin priests called Udgatri during elaborate sacrificial ceremonies to petition and praise the Deities that control the forces of the universe. Unlike the three-tone chanting of the Rig Veda, samans were rendered in melodies of up to seven tones, ranging from F above middle C to G below. These notes were in descending order, as the melodies of the samans were usually descending in contour.
A unique feature of the Sama Veda chanting was the insertion of a number of seemingly 'meaningless' words or syllables (stobha) for musical and lyrical effect, such as o, hau, hoyi, va, etc. These stobha syllables were extended vocally, with long duration, on various notes of the Sama Veda scale for the purpose of invoking the Gods. Vedic scholar G.U. Thite explains, "The poet-singers call, invoke, invite the Gods with the help of musical elements. In so doing they seem to be aware of the magnetic power of music, and therefore they seem to be using that power in calling the Gods." Thite elaborates, "Gods are fond of music. They like music and enjoy it. The poet-singers sing and praise the Gods with the intention that the Gods may be pleased thereby, and having become pleased they may grant gifts." He stresses the importance of the singing of samans: "Without it, no sacrifice can go to the Gods."
Precise methods of singing the samans were established and preserved by three different schools--the Kauthumas, Ranayaniyas and the Jaiminiyas, the oldest. Each has maintained a distinct style with regard to vowel prolongation, interpolation and repetition of stobha, meter, phonetics and the number of notes in scales. In each school there has been a fervent regard for maintaining continuity in Sama Veda singing to avoid misuse or modification over the years. Since written texts were not used in early times--were in fact prohibited---the priests memorized the chants with the aid of accents and melodies, passing this tradition down orally from one generation to the next for over three thousand years.
Evolution of Gandharva Sangita
The early tradition of saman singing set the stage for the creation and development of Indian classical music known first as Gan-dharva Sangita, then as simply Sangita. According to Dr. V. Raghavan, Sangita is born from the Sama Veda: "Our music tradition in the North, as well as in the South, remembers and cherishes its origin in the Sama Veda, the musical version of the Rig Veda." Indian music, known as Sangita, has three divisions, as understood from the musical texts: vocal music, instrumental music and dance. All three have always been intertwined, whether in religious observances, sacred dramas or courtly entertainment.
Gandharva Sangita ( "celestial music ") was considered to be similar to the music performed and enjoyed in Lord Indra's court in heaven. Though primarily vocal, this ancient religious music included instruments such as the vina, flutes, drums and cymbals, as mentioned in Vedic literature. In fact, the vina was played during Vedic rites by the wife of the officiant. The celestial performers of the music were the Gandharvas, a class of male demigod singers who resided in heaven. They were accompanied by their wives, the dancing Apsaras, and by the Kinnaras on musical instruments. Each of these arts--vocal music, instrumental music and dance--was thus considered divine. The leader of the Gandharvas was Narada Rishi, the son of Brahma and author of seven hymns in the Rig Veda (and Sama Veda). He was also said to be the inventor of the vina and the sage who instructed human beings in Gandharva Sangita, having learned it from Goddess Sarasvati Herself.
Sangita's musical scale--used first in Gandharva Sangita and later in all other types of Indian music--differs from the Sama Veda scale described above. Sangita uses a seven-note system (sapta-svara) in ascending order. Current today, the standardized notes are sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-dha-ni-sa, taking their sounds from the names of different birds and animals: sadja, peacock; rishabha, bull; gandhara, ram; ma-dhyama, crane; panchama, cuckoo; dhaivata, horse; and nishada, elephant). These are set forth in the Narada Siksha (1st century ce), where the presumed author, Narada Rishi, explains how these seven notes were determined from the three Vedic accents: udatta into Ni and Ga, anudatta into Ri and Dha, and svarita into Sa, Ma and Pa.
Complex rules and standards for scales, rhythms and instrumental styles of Gan-dharva music were gradually codified in a number of texts which came to be known collectively as the Gandharva Veda, an auxiliary text attached to the Sama Veda. Several of these works have been lost; but the oldest surviving texts of Indian music--the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni and the Dattilam by Dattila (both ca. 200 bce) and the aforementioned Narada Siksha--provide glimpses into the evolution of Gandharva Sangita. Bharata's work in particular was foundational. It was he who classified musical instruments into four categories based on the Gandharva instruments: vina (chordophones), drum (membranophones), flute (aerophones) and cymbals (idiophones). Based on these four divisions (given in parentheses), the famous Sachs-Hornbostel system--used today in the academic field of ethnomusicology--was established in the early twentieth century. Also, the term raga ( "musical mood or flavor ") as a type of scale or melodic formula, first mentioned in the Narada Siksha, was derived from the parent jati enumerated in Bharata's work.
Gandharva music soon developed into the principal style of music performed in Hindu festivals, court ceremonies and temple rituals in honor of the great Gods and Goddesses, like Siva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha and Devi. The ancient epics and Puranas describe temple musicians and dancers who performed for the pleasure of these Deities and contain numerous references to temple music in ancient times. Music was also associated with sacred dramatic performances-, as clearly evidenced in Bharata's Natya Shastra.
Evolving vernaculars
Special songs used to propitiate the Gods, called Dhruva, were rendered not in Sanskrit but in Prakrit, a derivative language with less rigid grammatical construction, which led to the evolution of several vernaculars. The Dhruva form was the prototype of the medieval Prabandha, from which arose the classical devotional forms sung in vernacular and known as Dhrupad (Dhruvapad) in the North and Kriti in the South. The rapidly developing music of India also enlarged itself with materials from outside the original repertoire.
By the period of the early Bhakti movements in South India (7th to 10th centuries ce), Indian musicological treatises such as Matanga's Brihaddeshi began to incorporate the theory of sacred sound as Nada-Brahman, the principles of Nada-Yoga and the Tantra traditions, interpreting all music as a direct manifestation of Nada-Brahman--and therefore as a means of access to the highest spiritual realities. Music was viewed not only as entertainment but as a personal vehicle toward moksha, liberation.
Subsequent musicological authors influenced by Matanga discussed Nada-Brahman in relation to the Gods and as present throughout the cosmos, including all living beings. For example, the Sangita Ratnakara of Sarngadeva (ca. 1200-1250 ce), arguably the most important musicological treatise of India, opens with the salutation: "We worship Nada-Brahman, that incomparable bliss which is immanent in all the creatures as intelligence and is manifest in the phenomena of this universe. Indeed, through the worship of Nada-Brahman are worshiped Gods (like) Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, since they essentially are one with it." Thus by this time there was a full conflation of the tradition of sacred sound (the Nada-Brahman principle) with the art of music in all its phases, including religious, secular, classical and folk.
Celebrated by many as a distinct doctrine and mode of religious life superior to jnana (knowledge) and karma (works), bhakti--initially propounded in the Bhagavad Gita by Krishna--became the primary motive for religious music from the early medieval period. As early as the sixth century ce in South India, bhakti emerged as a powerful force that favored a devotion-centered Hinduism, with songs composed not only in Sanskrit but in vernacular languages. Leading this trend were two main groups of poet--singer--saints in South India whose devotion to Siva and Vishnu lives to this day: the Saivite Nayanars and the Vaishnava Alvars. The collections of their devotional poetry in Tamil--the Saivite Tevaram and the Vaishnavite Naliyar Prabandham--represent the oldest surviving verses in Indian vernaculars. These two books are the first hymnals of Bhakti-Sangita or devotional music.
Directly related to the word bhakti and to Bhagavan (a word for Supreme Being) is the term bhajan, which means musical worship. These three words arise from a single Sanskrit root: bhaj, "to share, to partake of " (as in a ritual). Bhagavan refers to the Lord who possesses bhaga, good fortune and opulence. Bhajan, a somewhat generic term for religious or devotional music other than Vedic chant and Gandharva Sangita, is directly linked to the rising Bhakti movements. In bhajan, God (Bhagavan) is praised, worshiped or supplicated in a mutual exchange of loving affection, or bhakti. The Bhakti traditions contained various styles of bhajan or Bhakti-Sangita, ranging from formal temple music to informal group or solo songs. Hindu music incorporated a simple aesthetic, reflecting back to these emerging Bhakti movements and their perspectives on music as a means of immediate communion with a chosen Deity.
The Upanishads describe Brahman, the Supreme Truth, as full of bliss and rasa ( "emotional taste, pleasure "). In theistic Vedanta, Brahman as supreme personal Deity--whether worshiped as Vishnu, Siva, Sakti or in any other form--was believed to be the source of all rasa and extremely fond of music. The emotional experience produced by music in the minds of the listeners (bhava) was thus also linked to God.
Raga and tala
It is said that the musical scales or melody formulas of Indian music, known as raga, are as timeless as the law of gravity and must be discovered, much like the Vedas themselves. Each raga embodies a particular rasa (mood or flavor) and can thus generate those same feelings within both the listener and the performer when properly invoked. When those feelings are directed towards God as Brahman or Ishvara, the result is higher attachment (also called raga). And if the music is both understood as Nada-Brahman and performed properly
in the spirit of bhakti or bhakti-rasa, then the musician and the listener are said to gain release and the association of Ishvara (Supreme Controller) in both this life and the next. Musicians in India have a saying: "through svara (musical notes), Ishvara (God) is realized."
Tala (rhythm) is also of great importance in Indian music. Vedic ritual chants were punctuated by metrical divisions. Besides aiding memorization, these divisions--when chanted--were believed to generate distinct units of merit that accrued to the priest or sacrificer, leading to afterlife in heaven. This connection of music to Vedic merit was explained in classical music texts such as the Dattilam. Since Vedic chanting was metrical, religious music also required a distinct rhythm or division of musical time sequence in order to yield the same benefits. In Gandharva music, similar metrical units were marked by the rhythmic playing of drums and metal hand cymbals (kartal or jhanjh).
Emphasis on devotion
The ancient theory held that performing or hearing music hastened one's liberation solely through the marking of ritual (musical) time. But in the emerging Bhakti traditions, it was recognized that moksha depends also on one's emotion or feelings--the depth of one's personal relationship with the Deity, including the proper rasa and feelings of bhava.
Bhakti literature saw a rapidly expanding assortment of song-texts in regional vernacular languages. Many of these were stimulated by Jayadeva's Gita Govinda, a Sanskrit work of 12th-century Bengal. This text contained linguistic innovations in Sanskrit meter which influenced the development of vernacular musical composition in Prakrit, including special dialects like Braj Bhasha and Brajbuli. The 14th century saw a magnificent outpouring of devotional poetry addressing almost every Deity of the Hindu pantheon, with nearly every region of India producing its own composer of songs to a favored Deity.
In the North, Sur Das wrote about Krishna as Sri Nathji in Braj Bhasha; Tulasi Das addressed Lord Rama in Avadhi; Tukaram and Namdev wrote devotional songs in Marathi to Krishna as Vitthala; Mira Bai addressed Krishna as Giridhar Gopal in both Raja-sthani and Hindi; Vidyapati praised Radha-Krishna and Siva in Maithili and Brajbuli; Chandidas composed songs to Radha and Krishna in Bengali; Govinda Das lauded Radha-Krishna and Chaitanya in Brajbuli; Ramprasad praised Goddess Kali in Bengali; and Shankaradeva venerated Krishna in Assamese. In the South, Purandaradasa expressed his worship of Vishnu in Kannada, and several composed devotional songs in the Telegu language--Syama Shastri to Goddess Kamakshi, Annamacharya to Lord Venkateshvara, and Tyagaraja to Lord Rama. These and many other composers are believed to have attained eternal liberation through their songs.
Classical music, East and West
Just as Christian church music has strongly influenced the development of Western classical music, these various traditions of Indian religious music in India, which developed in specific sacred places and within religious lineages, have been a rich source of material for Indian classical music. "Classical " music in India--as in the West--refers to music performed primarily as a form of art, for entertainment, by professional, skilled artists. Therefore, the development of this music is influenced by the preferences of patrons, individual improvisation and even foreign influences. This type of music tends to place great emphasis on virtuosity, creativity and "art for art's sake." The distinct northern and southern classical music traditions gradually developed from this background some time after the thirteenth century.
Carnatic music
Southern Carnatic music is grounded upon the devotional music performed by Vaishnava and Saiva saints in the temples and shrines of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. A major influence was provided by Purandaradasa (1480-1564), a Vaishnava musician said to have written nearly half a million songs known as Kirtanas. Hailed as the father of Carnatic music, Purandaradasa was the main inspiration of Tyagaraja (1759-1847), whose devotional Kritis (compositions) in Telegu to Lord Rama dominate the current repertoire of South Indian music. Tyagaraja is recognized as part of a trinity of great musician-poets from Tiruvarur which included Syama Shastri and Muttuswami Dikshitar, composers of songs to the Goddesses Kamakshi and Minakshi.
Hindustani music
The Hindustani music of the northern regions stems from the temple music, especially Dhrupad, that was performed by Vaishnava musicians in Mathura, Vrindaban and Gwalior as well as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The Persian and Islamic Sufi influences in the North also affected the development of Hindustani music.
The musical style of Dhrupad provided an ideal vehicle for the vernacular Bhakti lyrics. Several new related genres of music emerged, including Haveli-Sangit, Samaj-Gayan and Padavali-Kirtan. Dhrupad, linked to the Prabandha songs of earlier Sanskrit treatises, refers to the formal, slow, four-section vocal rendition of a poem using the pure form of a raga, along with the rhythms of mainly Cautal (12 beats) and Dhamar (14 beats). Most of these new devotional poems contained at least four lines, so there was a natural division into the four parts of Dhrupad--sthayi, antara, sancari and abhog. Dhrupad spread as a classical form wherever it was patronized by the ruling elite, in temples as well as the Hindu and Mughal courts.
A famous name in Hindustani music is Sur Das (16th century), a blind musician-poet associated with the Vallabha Sampradaya (Pushtimarga tradition) who spent his entire life singing to Krishna. In his Braj Bhasha work Sur Sagar, he praised singing as the most viable means of spiritual liberation. Sur Das was a member of the Ashta-chap, a group of poets considered foundational by some historians in developing and refining the Dhrupad style later known as Haveli Sangita--a form of temple music which is believed to be one of the forerunners of Hindustani music. In fact, many songs in the Hindustani vocal classical repertoire are drawn directly, or else paraphrased, from sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Braj Bhasha lyrics that describe the pastimes of Krishna, including especially the festival associated with Holi in the spring season and the Rasa Dance in autumn. Originally established in the Braj area, Haveli Sangit is now more widely practiced in the Vallabha headquarters in Nathadvara in Rajasthan. Many musicians known as kirtankars, attached to Vallabha or Pushtimarga temples and centers in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Mumbai, continue to perform Haveli Sangit.
Swami Haridas (ca 1500-1595), the founder of a Vaishnava lineage in Vrindaban, was another expert singer and musician of the Dhrupad style. Considered the father of Hindustani music, he was the teacher of the legendary Tansen, who sang at the court of Akbar in the 16th century and whose disciples were almost solely responsible for the transmission of Hindustani classical music through the Mughal period and thereafter. The various gharanas of Hindustani music today trace their lineages back to Tansen, or else to Swami Haridas or Baiju Bawra, both Hindu devotional singers. Beside the Seniya (direct from the family of Tansen), some of the famous gharanas are Gwalior, Agra, Patiala, Rampur, Kirana, Jaipur and Indore.
Although Akbar and his immediate successors, Jehangir and Shahjahan, were generally supportive of Indian music in their courts, music was banned after the rise of the puritanical Aurangzeb. Many musicians fled the Delhi area to take up work in outlying regions like Tirth Raj Prayag (Luck-now), Varanasi, Vishnupur in Bengal and ultimately Kolkata, where British colonials had become increasingly interested in Indian music by the mid 1750s. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Muslim families of many musicians who carried forth and preserved the art of classical music through those troubled times. It was not until the early twentieth century that, due to the efforts of pioneer scholar-musicians like V.N. Bhatkhande and V.D. Paluskar, Indian music was "relearned " by many Hindu musicians and began to receive due recognition on the concert stage and from general educational institutions. Modern music academies like the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata (founded in 1978) are doing yeoman service in the preservation and dissemination of Hindustani music. Likewise, the Music Academy in Chennai has carried forth the Carnatic tradition in the south.
Pan-Indian musical tradition
The musical texts and traditions cited above provided a common root for a pan-Indian musical tradition, setting standards of scale and rhythm systematization. This allowed Indian music to develop along very similar lines regardless of context or sectarian affiliation. Whether they believed in Nirguna (Absolute without qualities), Saguna (Absolute with qualities), Vaishnava, Saiva, Sakta or other Deities, all musicians drew from the same evolving corpus of musical genres, raga patterns, tala structures and assortment of instruments.
Music for religious purposes
Indian music performed for religious purposes focuses closely on the text and its clear pronunciation, at the same time maintaining established patterns of performance over many generations. Although melody and rhythm are important, musical virtuosity for its own sake is normally discouraged, as a distraction from the devotional purpose of the music, in Hindu temples and religious gatherings, unlike the developing classical traditions which place great emphasis on improvisation and technical mastery.
Religious musical sessions are usually observed as group enterprises, with participants seated on the floor. Generally a particular area in the home or temple, facing or adjacent to a Deity or picture, is designated for music. The lead singer reads from a hymnal--many of which have been published by various religious groups--with the group repeating afterwards in unison. The leader may also sing solo or with occasional refrains by the group.
Lead singers often accompany themselves on the harmonium. This is a floor version of the upright, portable reed organ used by 19th century Christian missionaries; but its metal reed is South Asian in origin, linked to the pungi or snake-charmer's instrument, and is the basis for the Western harmonica and accordion.
Other instruments used in bhajan may include pairs of hand cymbals called kartal or jhanjh, drums such as the tabla, pakhavaj, dholak or khole and occasionally bells, clappers or tambourines. Bowed chordophones, such as the sarangi or esraj, may accompany the singing, but the harmonium has tended to replace these. A background drone may be provided by a tambura, harmonium or shruti box, a small pumped instrument used in Carnatic music.
Modern bhajan
Nearly every Hindu religious gathering includes chanting or music; but in both India and the Hindu Diaspora, many earlier forms of devotional music are being supplanted by a looser style of bhajan. In the Bhakti tradition of class egalitarianism, bhajan sessions continue to stress openness to people of all social strata and are a frequent component of congregational rites in which there is a sharing of bhakti experiences.
Bhajan gatherings--whether male, female, or mixed--tend to be flexible regarding attendance and may take place anytime. Some bhajan sessions last continuously (24 hours) for several days, particularly in Bengal, where intensive akhanda ( "unbroken ") sessions of Nam-Kirtan are regularly held. The atmosphere of the bhajan session fosters intimate and informal social relationships where all participants sit, sing, and eat together regardless of caste, gender or religious viewpoint.
Beginning with the chanting of Om, a bhajan session proceeds with invocations in Sanskrit in honor of a guru, master, or Deity, followed by sequences of bhajan songs that reflect the group's distinct or eclectic religious outlook, sometimes punctuated by short sermons or meditative recitations of Sanskrit verses from scriptures. Toward the closing, an arati (flame-waving) ceremony is conducted as part of the puja (worship service), which includes offerings of food, flowers, incense, lamps, and the blowing of conches. The puja concludes with the passing of the flame and distribution of food, flowers and holy water to the devotees.
Bhajan can also be part of one's private worship, in conjunction with chanting on rosary beads, singing to oneself during personal puja activities and the chanting of scripture. The rosary chanting of mantras, called japa, is not done in a singing style with a melody but normally rendered in declamatory fashion in one or two monotones. Indeed, from Vedic chanting to classical singing to bhajan, the power of the sustained musical tone or note within the Indian consciousness cannot be overemphasized.
As musical compositions, bhajan songs in the current context range from complex structures to simple refrains or litanies containing divine names. Most have their own distinctive tune and rhythm that is easily followed by the public, though some are based on classical ragas and talas and require musical skill. The most common talas are up-tempo, such as keherva, eight beats roughly corresponding to a Western cut-time in 4/4. This rhythm, along with the use of the harmonium and the dholak drum, became prominent in the Muslim Sufi singing tradition known as Qawwali. The sixteen-beat tintal tala serves as a variable straight 4/4 time sequence with an accent on the first beat. Another common rhythm is dadra, a six-beat tala corresponding to Western 3/4 or 6/8.
One of the most refined forms of devotional music in India is the Padavali-Kirtan of Bengal. This form extends back almost 500 years to the time of Chaitanya Maha-prabhu, who is viewed as an incarnation of Krishna. It combines recitation of religious narratives with songs composed by Bhakti saints in Bengali or Braj-buli language. The songs include short improvisatory phrases called akhar added into the song-texts by the singers themselves in order to interpret or reiterate the meaning in colloquial language for the benefit of the audience. The performers usually include one or more vocalists, a khole player (drummer), a hand cymbal player and sometimes a violinist or flautist.
The public or group singing of the names of God, as in Sita-Ram, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, Radhe Shyam, Om Namah Sivaya, Jai Mata Di, etc., is very popular everywhere in India and is called Nam-Kirtan, Nam-Sankirtan or Nam-Bhajan. In the South, the Nama-Siddhanta tradition of Bodhendra, Sri Venkatesha and Sadguruswami developed a distinctive Advaitic tradition of Nam-Bhajan. Many South Indian bhajans are adaptations of these original songs. Sung to simple melodies accompanied by drums and cymbals, Nam-Kirtan or Nam-Bhajan expresses fervent devotion and serves as a means of spiritual release.
Religious and devotional music permeate the modern movements of Hindu leaders such as Swami Sivananda, Satya Sai Baba, Anandamayi Ma, Sri Aurobindo, Swami Rama, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and many others. Bhajans are also widely performed, even among non-Indians and non-Hindus. A new style of improvised solo bhajan has entered the classical concert stage. The "Pop Bhajan " has achieved great success, along with devotional songs sung by playback singers in Indian films. Film aratis such as "Om Jaya Jagadish Hare " (heard in the Hindi film Purab aur Paschim) are now widely used in both home and temple worship ceremonies all over the world.
Indian music remains an extraordinarily significant component of all aspects of secular life and religious practice wherever Indian culture is present. It aids in maintaining cultural ties, religious faith and moral discipline. Performed by skilled musicians or lay enthusiasts, Indian music continues to serve as both a vehicle for entertainment and a source of spiritual renewal and ecstasy. Alongside the modern popular, film and bhajan forms, the traditional religious and devotional music endures in temples, shrines and domestic chapels throughout India and the Hindu diaspora. And India's classical music is steadily gaining world attention on a serious scale.
Guy Beck is one of the first Americans to become proficient in the tradition of North Indian Hindustani vocal music and the first to appear in an All-India Music Conference (Tansen Sangit Sammelan, 1977, 1979, 1992). He has performed at the International Congress of Vedanta (1994), the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (1998) and at Oxford University (2001). He has performed on Radio Nepal (1980) and on Indian TV Doordarshan- (1993).
Dr. Beck, what is the current state of traditional Hindu music?
Indian classical music has slowly evolved into a polished art form that is being disseminated throughout India and abroad by a rapidly developing coterie of celebrity performers on radio, television, concert stages and on recorded media.
Prior to the twentieth century, the primary means of learning North Indian classical music was to be born into a gharana of musicians that were patronized by the royal courts, many of which were Muslim. Under British rule, the gharanas deteriorated rapidly. Beginning around 1910, a number of bold and aggressive pioneers among the Hindu intelligentsia, who had taken training from many of the Muslim Ustads (maestros), set out to establish open-enrollment music schools that would allow students from all backgrounds to learn classical ragas and talas in vocal and instrumental music. The names of Pandit V.D. Paluskar and Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande stand out in this regard, as they worked hard to bring Hindustani classical music to the general population. All-India Music conferences were soon held that showcased great artists before the general public and paved the way for the concert hall recitals of today. During the period from 1930 to 1950, after the establishment of democratized learning facilities, classical music also became a source of patriotic pride among the Indian population, as it supported the freedom movement toward Indian Independence. Classical renditions of anthems like Vande Mataram ( "Glory to Mother India ") became widely popular, and there developed a close rapport between Hindu and Muslim musicians as they performed together and learned from one another.
The gharana system in the North and the guru-shishya system in the South maintained the traditional focus whereby a student would learn, perfect and perpetuate a distinct style of music. This is still observed by conservative artists; but there is a growing tendency, especially among younger musicians, to mix traditions and to give emphasis to creativity of expression. In many music schools, however, adherence to the purity of one's specific tradition remains the norm and guideline for the transmission of musical education, especially in the context of one-on-one music lessons.
How do you see this music fifty to a hundred years from now?
When Westerners first encountered Indian music, there was much potential for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. To the Western ear, habituated to soothing harmonies and chord resolutions, the modal sounds of the raga structures were unfamiliar; and the rhythms seemed too complex to grasp, as they ventured far beyond the 4/4, 3/4, or 6/8 timing to which Europeans had become accustomed. In terms of the vocalizations, there were very unflattering responses to the long alaps and vistar (development) characteristic of Dhrupad and Khayal passages, which sound like long extensions of vowels without meaning. But as European musicologists began to study the theory of Indian music, they were astonished to find great profundity and depth of religious meaning. Despite the fact that many of the musicians were Muslim, those Europeans who knew some Hindi could detect the presence of names and pastimes of Hindu Gods in the lyrics.
With the fall of the courts of the Hindu maharajas and Muslim nawabs toward the end of the 19th century, Indian musicians gradually made the transition to the concert stage, radio station and recording studio as these maestros became known to the general public. In the late nineteenth century, the harmonium was introduced from the West and rapidly became a staple in teaching Indian music to new students. It was well suited to that use, allowing ragas to be played in accompaniment of voice with greater ease than on the vina or sarangi. Although used in major music conferences since the beginning of the 20th century, for many years the harmonium was banned by the All India Radio as unsuitable for Indian music. That ban was finally lifted during the 1990s. There continues to be opposition from conservative factions such as purists of Rabindra-Sangit (the musical rendering of the poems of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore).
Since the middle of the 20th century there has been a consensus among teachers and institutions of Indian music to strictly maintain the integrity of the music according to the gharana and guru-shishya systems, which have preserved the purity of the various singing and playing styles over many generations. Indians were also, since Independence, developing a new-found pride in their heritage and culture. With the classical rendering of Vande Mataram, Indian classical music even became a symbol of the struggle for self-rule.
New types of Indian music are being created all the time. Western jazz and popular musicians have shown a growing fascination with Indian classical sounds, although many of these musicians do not take the trouble to get formal training. There have been many experiments in New Age and jazz fusion that have caught public attention. However, none of this has had much impact on the course of Indian classical traditions. There remains a solid group of players and listeners dedicated to the survival into the future of the rich traditions of the classical masters.
How would you assess the expertise and education of young Indian musicians?
Today's younger musicians hold a great deal of responsibility in preserving and transmitting Indian classical music to the next generation. From what I have heard, there are many outstanding younger musicians very successfully delivering this product. For example, Pandit Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka is a fine sitar player who has recently performed at Carnegie Hall and is capable of attracting many new Western listeners. Pandit Ajay Cakravarti's daughter Kausiki is an outstanding vocalist who is carrying on the authentic tradition of the Patiala Gharana. Ajay Cakravarti is also training a group of younger vocalists at his new school, Abhinandan, in Kolkata. This complements the great work of the Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata that has been training younger vocalists since 1978 under the original direction of Pandit Vijay Kichlu, and now under Pandit Amit Mukherjee. So, I see a very bright future for Indian classical music and its timeless message of peace and serenity.
How strong is enthusiasm for Indian music today?
There are more classical music conferences today than ever before. There are also many more new venues for classical music than when I was studying in the 1970s. There has been a corresponding rise in the music industry and in the number of retailers of classical music. Previously, beside HMV Gramophone, few recording companies were willing to risk expanding their catalogs of classical artists. Today there are many more labels, with new ones on the rise. One new label, Bihaan Music based out of Kolkata, has been releasing CDs of many lesser-known classical artists, such as myself, as well as younger performers seeking a consumer market. When in Kolkata in 2004, I was told by the managers of both Music World, Inc. and Planet M, two of the biggest new chains of music and media retailing in India, that the sales of Indian classical music has risen so sharply that they have been overwhelmed with customers. This also includes many varieties of religious and devotional music. The musical genres in India are so finely divided that there really isn't a generic category known as "folk " music as understood in the West. There are types of Lok-Sangit, music with limited regional or linguistic outreach, that may be considered as folk, but most of this remains largely unrecorded today.
Is there enthusiasm for Indian music in the Western audience?
Many recall that before the popularization of Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in the Western music scene in the 1960s, hardly anyone in the West had heard of Hindustani classical music. Then it became something of a fad that was combined with the emerging hippie subculture. I remember speaking with Pandit Ravi Shankar in Kolkata in 1979, and he sincerely regretted that his music was still associated with the drug culture in the US and had been stereotyped as a kind of soundtrack for the psychedelic experience. I had attended several of his US concerts in the 70s, and his statements rang true. But as I studied the tradition further in India, I quickly realized that it had nothing to do with artificial intoxication, but had its own euphoric dimension completely unrelated to rebellious underground cultures. Listening to sitar music was actually kind of an "elite " occupation.
In order for Indian music to receive the respect and acclaim that it deserves in the West, these stereotypes associated with hippie culture must be broken through proper media attention. Sadly, as of today, I have not seen or heard any concert or interview broadcast on network (or cable) TV in respect of Indian classical music or its history. We are long overdue in this country for a proper documentary on public television, A&E or the History Channel. There are many great masters of Indian music who are still alive and performing. Why hasn't Pandit Ravi Shankar appeared on any feature talk shows or investigative reports? I nominate him for the Kennedy Center award.
How have instruments evolved through the years?
The same basic instruments that have been prominent in the last hundred years are still the most important in Hindustani and Carnatic music. However, innovative musicians have successfully brought in the violin, guitar, saxophone and even piano (to a limited extent), to the concert stage and recording studios. Even hybrid instruments are gaining a foothold. I recently performed a concert at the Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro in New Orleans with Andrew McLean on tabla and Tony Dagradi on saxophone. While I wasn't used to working with saxophone, the musician was capable of blending with the mood of the raga, and this innovation created many new effects. Andrew also played electric sitar by placing an electronic sitar pick-up on his Fender Stratocaster! The crowd was delighted.
Will synthesizers have impact?
While there has been the successful adoption of music synthesizers in pop music and to some extent in fusion, I don't believe that they will alter Indian classical music, which requires its own particular blend of acoustic sound to create and sustain the ideal listening experience. Music technology has advanced the access to good Indian sound beyond the need to acquire traditional instruments, however. The tanpura sound created by electronic devices like "Ragini Pro " and the tabla sounds of "Tal Tarang " are excellent, and remove the need of carrying around the larger instruments for informal use. Though nothing can substitute the real thing on the concert stage, electronic instruments are useful for practicing and small gatherings, and thus help to sustain the interest and accessibility of Indian classical music. The Ali Akbar Khan School of Music in San Francisco, besides providing lessons and instruction, is performing an important task in stocking and selling all types of acoustic and electronic instruments.
What do you consider the most religious musical expression?
There is much folk music in India that appears non-religious, such as wedding songs, work songs, recitations of village life, love songs, etc. Seen in the context of the Hindu world view, these also can be considered "religious." However, as most of the classical song lyrics are directly based on theological themes (i.e., Krishna's pastimes, praise of Siva or the Goddess, etc.), then I would place these compositions squarely within the religious category.
How do you see information technology impacting the music?
The rapid rise in technological innovations has made music much more available (on the Web, iPods, etc.), making it possible for many individuals, who otherwise would have no exposure, to learn about and listen to Indian classical music. Many new CD recordings of the old masters have been released, or re-released, providing an unprecedented opportunity for collectors and connoisseurs, as well as newcomers, to gain free access to many treasures. The world community is thus much more interconnected than ever before; however, some religious ideologies reject technology and musical development. I think that major changes must be made in the basic structure of human values worldwide if Indian music is to reach those segments of the population. Furthering the goal of mutual understanding, 2006 saw the publication of my second book, Sacred Sound: Experiencing Music in World Religions (http:/www.wlu.ca/press/Catalog/beck.shtm).
My personal journey into Indian music began in childhood with a fascination for yoga and the stories of Rudyard Kipling. During my teenage years, as I studied classical piano, I noticed that several western composers, such as Liszt, Saint-Saens, Rimsky-Korsakov, etc., utilized oriental or Middle-Eastern sounding scales or modes in their music, producing different emotional effects that conjured up exotic lands and cultures.
When the music of Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan became popular in the 1960s, I felt similar effects in their renditions of certain ragas and improvisations, drawing me into their enchanting world of tone and rhythm. I had a natural urge to learn to play the sitar, and I even contemplated ordering one from a shop in New York. However, since I was already a pianist, and to some extent a singer in school choirs and ensembles, I decided to explore the vocal tradition of North Indian music, aided by the harmonium, a reed-driven portable organ often used to accompany Indian devotional and classical singing. I had first heard this instrument in the Hare Krishna Temples of New York and Los Angeles, as well as at the yoga ashrams of the Divine Life Society and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Hearing the devotional singing and harmonium playing of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhakti-vedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1972-1974 introduced me to the potency of the voice in rendering a vernacular devotional lyric. Furthermore, visits to Swami Nadabrahma-nanda at the Divine Life Society in New York, in 1975 and 1976, first exposed me to the classical North Indian music tradition of singing with harmonium and tabla accompaniment.
Swami Nadabrahma-nanda described music as "Nada-Brahman, " or causal sound, and taught that it was meant for much more than mere entertainment. It was supposed to become a vehicle for attaining release from rebirth and for realization of Brahman. That was all I needed to know to embark on a trip to India in search of a musical guru in 1976. I initially traveled far and wide--to Hardwar, Rishikesh, Mathura, Varanasi, Jaipir, etc.--but it seemed most prudent to settle in a large city and seek out a reputable music academy. Just as if I were an Indian native, I enrolled as a beginning student at the Tansen Music College in Kolkata in June 1976, fell in love with Indian music and remained there in intensive training until October, 1980, when I came back to America--making return visits in 1988 and 1992. My teacher and guru, Sri Sailen Banerjee, Principal of Tansen Music College, patiently trained me in the Seniya tradition ( "Tansen ") of khayal singing in various ragas. Early in 1978, he performed the Narabandan ceremony in his house, in front of an image of the Goddess Sarasvati, which officially initiated me as his disciple in the traditional manner.
The legacy of Tansen is important for the performing tradition of Hindustani music. Tansen was the principal singer in the court of Emperor Akbar during the 16th century. His style of Dhrupad singing played a pivotal role in the development of the vocal tradition of khayal as well as instrumental styles. Most Hindustani musicians today, including Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, trace their musical heritage to Tansen. Prof. Banerjee of the Tansen Music College continued this vocal tradition, as he was a disciple of Ustad Dabir Khan, a vocalist and vina player descended from the family of Tansen. As his student and disciple, I practiced vocal exercises four to six hours daily and reported to him twice a week for lessons. After an initial period of one and one-half years, he judged and evaluated me as ready to perform in a recital before the public. He arranged for my concert as part of the annual Tansen Sangit Sammelan (Tansen All-India Music Conference) in December of 1977 at the Mahajati Sadan in Kolkata. Many famous artists such as Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Sharafat Khan, Pandit Jasraj and Sunanda Patnaik performed at this conference. I was nervous, but I rendered Rag Kedar in slow vilambit and in fast drut style to a large audience--and was given a standing ovation! There was wide newspaper and radio publicity, as this was the first time that an American had performed khayal vocal music in an All-India conference.
After the initial success at the Tansen Music Conference, I began to supplement my music training by learning songs from other maestros in Kolkata, especially Sri Ashish Goswami, who also sang in the Tansen and other local conferences. Goswami had been a serious student of a very famous musician, the late Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, for several years, and was willing to teach me his style and compositions. Weekly journeys over three years to his residence in a remote area of northern Kolkata for this training helped me to develop my vocal style. Sri Goswami also coached me for the state exams in music, which I passed in 1980.
Also in north Kolkata, from 1978-1980, I studied Dhrupad at the Chhandam Dhrupad Academy and studied the Padavali Kirtan of Bengal from Prof. Mriganka Chakavarti of Rabindra Bharati University. And during a visit to Nepal in 1980, I was invited to sing on Radio Nepal and at the palace of King Vikram.
In 1978, I had spent four months in New Delhi, studying vocal music under the Dagar Brothers of Delhi, two renowned artists of Dhrupad. I also learned devotional bhajans from the Sangeet Kala Akademi. During this time I learned of a new music academy to be inaugurated soon in south Kolkata, in Tollygunge, called the ITC Sangeet Research Academy. Returning to Kolkata in May, I quickly applied for admission and was accepted in the first class of students.
This academy, formally inaugurated in September of 1978 and directed by Pandit Vijay Kichlu, had an excellent faculty which included such famous musicians as Pandit A. Kanan, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan, Ustad Latafat Hussain Khan, Smt. Hirabai Barodekar and Smt. Girija Devi. Scholars like Pandit Ajay Cakravarti and Pandit Arun Bhaduri had begun their successful careers there.
I studied for a time with both Pandit Kanan and Pandit Kichlu; and following the demise of Sri Banerjee, I have had the honor of taking lessons from Pandit Arun Bhaduri, my present guru. Whenever I visit India, I continue taking lessons from Pandit Bhaduri, a senior guru at ITC, a Class A recording artist on All India Radio and a singer of outstanding abilities.
The careful foundation that was laid by Sri Banerjee provided the solid basis upon which I have been able to go on learning newer styles and compositions. His axiom was that once one had learned a few ragas thoroughly, the sky was the limit.
Yet the political climate of that time in India had its own limits. In the seventies, the Government of India, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was awarding one-year visas to American students who wished to study Indian culture. I availed myself of this opportunity, but had to renew the visa each year for the duration. My stay was finally exhausted when there were rumors that I was a CIA agent in disguise! Despite letters from my music teacher and other supporters, I was unable to convince the Government of India Home Ministry of my innocent designs and was advised to return to the USA. I am very thankful that before my forced return, I had reached a level of competency to have performed in several All-India Music Conferences and on Radio Nepal and to have successfully passed the theoretical and practical exams for the five-year Sangit Bivakar degree of Indian Music awarded by the Government of West Bengal.
On my return to America, I enrolled in graduate study in Religious Studies at the University of South Florida and studied Musicology and Religion at Syracuse University, receiving a Ph.D. in 1989. During this period, I began giving lecture demonstrations on Indian music to fellow students and faculty. I started my teaching career at Louisiana State University in 1990 and have since taught at Loyola University, the College of Charleston and Tulane University, where I am currently affiliated (although this year I am teaching at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington).
In each place, I performed a series of concerts and lectures, which led to the recording of two CD's: Sacred Raga, recorded by Prof. Sanford Hinderlie of the College of Music at Loyola University under the STR Digital Record label in 1999 and Sanjher Pradip, recorded at Plus Good Studios in Baton Rouge, LA, but released in Kolkata in 2004 by Bihaan Records. I remain dedicated to spreading the art of Indian music. (see http:/www.strdigital.com/beck.htm and http:/www.bihaanmusic.com/guy-beck.htm)
For centuries, the intellectual, cognitive and spiritual dimensions of Indian philosophy and science have positively influenced the slow but gradual rise of world civilization. I believe that India's vast cultural storehouse, especially its classical and devotional music, will come to play an increasingly important role in the world's much-needed evolution toward peace and harmony. From its sacred origins in Vedic sacrifices and Hindu temples, Indian music is already considered one of the great artistic contributions to world culture.
Since the arrival in the West of Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in the 1950s, several American and European performers have taken up instruments like the sitar and sarod and have become well regarded. Yet, the scarcity of American vocalists of Indian music has precluded the process of deep cultural assimilation, since the underlying basis of Indian music is the vocal or singing tradition.
As one of very few American-born students of Hindustani or northern Indian vocal music, I have been working to expand and further the aim of deeper cross-cultural fertilization through lecture/demonstrations of Indian music at American colleges and universities, pointing out that Indian vocal music can be effectively learned and appreciated by non-Indians and Westerners. By traversing cultural boundaries and helping to overcome the initial obstacles of language and intonation differences, such presentations may help to foster global harmony and world peace through promoting a much wider and deeper appreciation of Vedic and Hindu ideals and cultural traditions.
E-mail Dr. Beck at email@example.com.
Ravi Shankar, born april 7, 1920, in Varanasi, is the most famous sitarist in recent history, renowned for compositions of varying musical styles and techniques. He is best known for his pioneering work in bringing the Indian classical music tradition to the West. This was aided by association with The Beatles (notably George Harrison) as well as his own personal charisma. With a career spanning six decades, he holds the Guinness Record for the longest international career.
Ravi Shankar renounced a dance career to learn sitar and began performing in 1938. In the 1950s, he became music director of All India Radio. He has written two concertos for sitar and orchestra; violin-sitar compositions for Yehudi Menuhin and himself; and music for flute virtuoso Jean Pierre Rampal, for Hozan Yamamoto, master of the shakuhachi (Japanese flute) and for koto virtuoso Musumi Miyashita. He has composed extensively for films and ballets in India, Canada, Europe and the United States, including Chappaqua, Charly, Gandhi and the Apu Trilogy. Classical composer Philip Glass acknowledges Shankar as a major influence, and the two collaborated to produce "Passages, " a recording of compositions in which each reworks themes composed by the other.
Shankar married Annapurna Devi, daughter of his guru, Baba Allauddin Khan, and sister of Ali Akbar Khan, in Almora. The marriage produced one son, Shubhendra Shankar, but ended in divorce. He became involved with American concert promoter Sue Jones; they did not marry, but their union produced one daughter, Norah Jones. He later married an admirer, Sukanya Kotiyan (born Rajan), with whom he had a second daughter, Anoushka.
Anoushka and Norah are also musicians. Anoushka is a sitarist who performs frequently with Shankar, in addition to having her own recording career. Jones has achieved considerable professional success, including several Grammy Awards. Shankar is also the uncle of late sitarist Ananda Shankar.
John McLaughlin, also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is a highly accomplished guitarist from Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, who came to prominence with the Miles Davis group during the late 1960s. He helped form the The Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 1970s. The band was respected for their technical virtuosity and complex fusion of jazz and rock with a strong Indian influence. McLaughlin was influenced in his conception of this band by his studies with his guru, Sri Chinmoy, who encouraged him to take the name "Mahavishnu." McLaughlin later worked with Shakti, which combined Indian music with jazz. In addition to amalgamating Western and Indian music, Shakti also blended the Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions, since drummer Zakir Hussain (see left) is from the North and the other Indian drummers used were from the South. In recent times Shakti reincarnated as Remember Shakti, featuring eminent Indian musicians such as U. Srinivas, V. Selvaganesh, Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Ustad Alla Rakha and Zakir Hussain
Ustad Alla Rakha was born in 1919 in the village of Phagwal, near Jammu, India. He began studying tabla at the age of 12. The combination of good training and hours of disciplined practice culminated in skills that would make him one of the greatest tabla players of all time. He began his musical career as an All India Radio performer in Mumbai, playing the station's first tabla solo. From 1943 through 1948, he composed music and performed; but it was during the 1960's, with the legendary Ravi Shankar, that he achieved his greatest fame in the West. He was not only a masterful accompanist with flawless timing and sensitivity, he was also a uniquely creative soloist and an electric showman. Alla Rakha passed away on February 3, 2000 at the age of 80.
Following family tradition, Alla Rakha's son, Ustad Zakir Hussain, has become a most renowned tabla virtuoso. Zakir has won many awards and recognitions for his musical contributions. His performances have gained worldwide fame.
Trilok Gurtu was born into a highly musical family in Mumbai. His grandfather was a noted sitar player and his mother, Shobha Gurtu, is a famous classical singer. Trained classically on tabla from the age of four and, today, equally proficient in both Eastern and Western percussion techniques, Trilok is recognized as the Indian tabla maestro who has most successfully bridged the gap between Eastern and Western percussion to merge the best of both.
Ty Burhoe, a disciple of the great tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain (see page 33) since 1990, works with a broad range of artists including Art Lande, Krishna Das, Bill Douglas, Kai Eckhardt, Curandero, Ustad Sultan Khan, Bela Fleck, Kitaro and many more. Ty also teaches drumming at music and yoga retreats around the world, composes sound tracks and performs for film and video.
What attracted you to the tabla and how did you get to know Zakir Hussain? I first heard about tabla when I was 27 years old and just graduating from college with a psychology degree. I wanted to learn some kind of drumming and and had tried several things, including playing in a Balinese gamelan; but it wasn't until I heard Ustad Zakir Hussain that I fell in love with the tabla. I couldn't believe how deep the fusion of melodic and rhythmic expression could be within a single instrument, especially a drum. Inspired by Ustad Zakir Hussain's virtuosity, learning the tabla became an obsession for me. Although most Indians would never consider starting classical musical training at my age, I had a gut feeling that this single pursuit would redirect my entire life. It did. I became focused on practicing and listening to everything I could get my hands on. I never thought I would ever have the blessing of studying with Ustad Zakir Hussain, but I did. My training with him began in 1990. I would drive 1,400 miles from Boulder, Colorado, to his home in Marin County, California, for a single lesson--then turn around and drive home. I was living very simply in a cabin in the mountains. Because I was a single father, I could only make brief trips. My devotion to tabla and Zakir was difficult to explain, even to my friends and family. I was pretty much ready to do anything to make sure I was practicing every day. I never missed my lesson-pilgrimage. I felt truly blessed--as if a greater force than my own was at work. In this way music became the guiding force in my life, and has remained so to this day.
What are the differences for you between accompanying kirtan (devotional singing) and other more formal forms of music? In most every musical environment, an artist generally works to refine and expand his ability to express himself on his chosen instrument. A soloist who can express the inspired complexity and multiplicity of human feeling is considered a maestro. In kirtan, however, complexity becomes a distraction. Kirtan is a call-and-response between the divine and our spirit. It can be a very intimate and spiritual practice. I love the environment of the kirtan because there is no real separation between being a performer and listener. Although kirtan is group singing, each participant is directly involved in his or her own personal spiritual practice. I feel blessed to be a part of this process, and the best way I can serve is to understand how my roll as a timekeeper is like a glue. The drum provides the pulse which keeps everyone in sync. My main duty is to lay down a solid and good-feeling heartbeat. I am also a great lover of traditional and world music. I feel that both of these worlds are very important.
Can you share your thoughts on the relationship of music, improvisation and spiritual life? I would say that "sound " is certainly a key way in which I relate directly to the divine. For many years I have been fascinated with the physics of sound, the implications of semantics and the more esoteric path of Nada Brahma. Since I was very young, music has been a major source of inspiration. Music became a kind of "medicine for my heart." I've been finding that really listening to something can be a type of "yoga " in and of itself. Simply dropping our preferences, in order to let the artist show us new landscapes, becomes a process of stretching and expanding our perspectives and inner experiences. This is especially true when an artist improvises. It is amazing to listen to an artist who pushes the bounds of his or her personal experience and vision. This "risk taking " demands being in the moment.
Do you still study with Zakir Hussain? Absolutely, I will always be taking lessons with Guruji. To me, the freedom and power he has developed seems to have no limit, either in the outward musical sense or in the inward spiritual sense. My relationship with him is one of devotion and thus has no sense of beginning or end. Every time I sit with him, I become a beginner again. As a teacher, he is able to point out weaknesses in a student's performance that the student cannot see. This kind of in-depth teaching is invaluable for the sincere student. My 15 years of training with Zakir have completely changed my life. It is because of him that I started playing, and it is his guidance that influenced my decision to make a profession out of my passion for music. I feel very blessed to have been taken in by him. In my mind, we've only just begun our journey together.
The Vina (also spelled veena), a stringed instrument of the lute family, is used in Carnatic music. Vina designs have evolved over the centuries; variations include the Rudra vina, Mahanataka vina, Vichitra vina and Gottuvadhyam (Chitra) vina. Currently, the most popular design is known as the Sarasvati vina. This has twenty-four frets; four main strings which pass over the frets and are attached to the pegs of the neck; and three supporting strings, which pass over an arched bridge made of brass and are used as side strings for rhythmic accompaniment. The vina is played by sitting cross-legged and holding the instrument in front of oneself. The small gourd rests on the left thigh, with the left arm passing beneath the neck of the instrument and the left hand curved around so that the fingers can press the strings against the frets. The vina's main body is placed on the floor, partially supported by the right thigh. Sarasvati, the Goddess of learning and the arts, is often depicted with vina in hand, seated upon a swan or peacock.Soundclip: http:/www.swarsystems.com/Instruments/VolS1.htm
The sitar is probably the best-known Indian instrument in the West. This stringed instrument has been ubiquitous in Hindustani classical music since the Middle Ages. The sitar became popular in the West when Pandit Ravi Shankar introduced Indian music to the masses, aided by popular rock groups such as The Beatles. The sitar is distinguished by its curved frets, which are movable (allowing fine variation in tuning) and raised, so that resonant, or sympathetic, strings can run underneath the frets. In conjunction with the gourd resonating chamber, this produces a lush, distinctive sound. A typical sitar has 18, 19 or 20 strings, depending on the style. Soundclip: http:/www.swarsystems.com/Downloads/Instruments/sitar.mp3
Tabla and Mridangam
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent, primarily in Hindustani classical music. It consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres. Legend has it that the 13th-century Muslim Persian poet Amir Khusrau invented the tabla by splitting the mridangam into two parts. The transformation of the tabla from a religious-folk instrument to a more sophisticated instrument of art-music occurred in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century, when significant changes took place in the feudal court music of North India. Soundclip: http:/www.chandrakantha.com/articles/Indian_music/tabla_media/tabla.ram
The mridangam is a percussion instrument from South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. The word mridangam is derived from the two Sanskrit words mrid ( "clay " or "earth ") and ang, ( "body "). Alternate spellings include mridanga, mrudangam, and mrithangam. The mridangam is a double-sided drum made from a piece of jackfruit wood, hollowed out so that the walls are about an inch thick. The two apertures of the drum are covered with pieces of goatskin leather which are laced to each other with leather straps. In ancient Hindu sculpture, art and story-telling, the mridangam is often depicted as the instrument of choice for a number of Deities, including Lord Ganesha. Nandi, Lord Siva's bull mount, plays the mridangam during Lord Siva's tandava dance. The mridangam is thus also known as Deva Vaadyam, the "instrument of the Gods." Soundclip: http:/www.swarsystems.com/Downloads/Instruments/mridangam.mp3
The shehnai is a tubular instrument of Persia, similar to the nagaswaram but smaller, that gradually widens towards the lower end. It usually has between six and nine holes and employs two sets of double reeds, making it a quadruple reed woodwind. By controlling the breath, various tunes can be played on it. The shehnai was created by improving upon the pungi (or been), the musical instrument played by snake charmers. Soundclip: http:/www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/shehnai.html
The tambura (South India) or tanpura (North India) is a long-necked Indian lute, unfretted and round-bodied, with a hollow neck. The wire strings (four, five or, rarely, six) are plucked one after another in a regular pattern to create a drone effect. The larger tanpuras are called "males " and the smaller ones "females ". Soundclip: http:/www.swarsystems.com/Downloads/Instruments/tanpura.mp3
Louder than any other non-brass instrument in the world is the nagaswaram (also called nadaswaram), one of the most popular classical instruments of South India. It is a large wind instrument with a hardwood body and a large flaring bell made of wood or metal. The nagaswaram is considered to be highly auspicious, and it is the key instrument which is played in almost all Hindu marriages and temples in South India. The instrument is usually played in pairs and accompanied by a double-headed drum called tavil. Soundclips: http:/www.sawf.org/audio/kalyani/karaikurichi.ram
The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut, with seventy strings. The lightweight, specially shaped mallets (mezrab), also of walnut, are held between the index and middle fingers. A typical santoor has two sets of bridges, providing a range of three octaves. Like other forms of the hammered dulcimer, the santoor is derived from the Persian santur; similar instruments are found in Iraq, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkey and other parts of Central Asia. The Indian santoor is more rectangular and can have more strings than the original Persian counterpart, which generally has 72 strings. The santoor is placed on the lap with its broad side closest to the body. Using both hands, the musician lightly strikes the strings with the mallets, sometimes in a gliding motion. The palm of one hand can be used to gently muffle strokes made with the other. The resultant melodies resemble the music of the harp, harpsichord or piano. Soundclip: http:/www.worldmusicalinstruments.com/uploaded/sntr.wav
In the Hindustani music tradition, the most important bowed string instrument is the sarangi of North India and Pakistan. Of all Indian instruments, it is said to best approximate the sound of the human voice. Carved from a single block of wood, the sarangi has a box-like shape, usually around two feet long and around half a foot wide. The lower resonance chamber is hollowed out and covered with parchment and a decorated strip of leather at the waist which supports the elephant-shaped bridge--which in turn supports the pressure of approximately 40 strings. Soundclip: http:/www.worldmusicalinstruments.com/uploaded/srgi.wav
Bansuri an Venu
The bamboo flute is one of the oldest instruments of Indian classical music. Developed independently of the Western flute, it is simple and keyless; sliding the fingers over the holes allows for the ornamentation so important in raga-based music. There are two main varieties of Indian flutes: the bansuri, with six finger holes and one blowing hole, is used predominantly in Hindustani music; and the venu or pullanguzhal, with eight finger holes, is primarily used in Carnatic music. Soundclip: http:/www.chandrakantha.com/audio/bhajans/shiva_shankar.ram


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On the MessageBox dialog sample page, the MessageBox on the simple Confirm looks strange when first loaded. Looks like the title is cut off and everything is rendered too high. When you actually move the dialog with the mouse, it looks like it lays out everything ok.
Observed in FF 3.6.13

subset: commoncrawl


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Company Recommits to the Automotive Aftermarket
Scosche Industries (www.scosche.com), award winning innovator of mobile electronic products and accessories for the aftermarket, is pleased to introduce its all-new booth at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show. In an effort to seamlessly fuse its car audio and consumer technology segments, Scosche will be unveiling a brand new 80'x30'booth at CES that connects the two together. Visitors can easily flow from one section to the next in Scosche's newly designed booth.
The car audio section of the booth will feature six key panels that showcase Scosche's latest technologies in car audio. The panels demonstrate Scosche's complete car audio solution. From installation accessories, to audio accessories, to interfaces, to a head unit, Scosche Industries has everything an installer or DIY enthusiast's needs to customize an audio system. The six panels will include:
Scosche head-unit and full audio;
HD Audio with new amplifiers;
EFX audio components;
Redesigned EFX installation accessories;
Installation kits including new UAC kits and hydrographics.
The new booth is part of Scosche's ongoing commitment to the automotive aftermarket. Earlier this year, Scosche hired industry veteran Jason Kemmerer as Scosche's Director of Product Management – Automotive. Under his leadership, Scosche has developed and redesigned a number of its products, all to be showcased at CES.
"We are excited to show all of our new car audio products at CES," said Kas Alves, executive vice president, Scosche Industries. "Our car audio team has been hard at work this year and we have a lot to demonstrate this year." Alves continued, "We remain dedicated to the car audio aftermarket and believe our new product offerings will help installers and enthusiasts continue to upgrade their systems."
Going into its 33rdyear of business, Scosche continues its commitment of developing quality products for the automotive aftermarket. Stop by and visit Scosche at CES in booth #3806 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center to see the new booth as well as Scosche's award-winning products on display. To learn more about Scosche's innovative products, go to www.scosche.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.


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883416264903Regular price $5.99 Save Liquid error (product-template line 127): -Infinity%
Our 6 x 6" templates make an excellent background for your scrapbooking layout. They are great to use with texture paste, gel mediums, sprays/mists, paint, inks and much more. To create a different look for your layouts or cards, grab one of our designs and give your project a lift.
Great coverage, long-lifespan paint that can be used on many surfaces from wood to canvas.
Aromatic & made with premium blends, Tilley handmade soaps will leave the skin feeling enriched and moisturised.
Fun & on-trend socks destined to match your style and personality.


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During this time of thankfulness I ask that we, together, place our hands over our heart center and recognize how different we are –and yet very much the same.
Whatever religion you align with or light that you follow –we can all move together toward a common goal of gratitude.
As you hold your hands over your heart center, recognize that whatever our talents, our dreams, our backgrounds, or our life situations we can all join in the grace of gratitude.
Be grateful for our individuality and also for our common bond;
Be grateful for our families and friends
who are with us and those who have gone before us;
Be grateful for animals, plants and all living things that love, nurture and nourish us;
Be grateful for our occupations and the impact our work has on others – and ourselves;
Be grateful for the beauty that surrounds us created both by nature and by human hands;
Be grateful for the smallest of moments and the grandest of experiences;
Be grateful for our bodies that carry us through the lessons we are here to learn;
Be grateful for our breath and the rhythmic in and out of our life power;
Be grateful for the flow of pure love and the spirit of life that runs through us.
May our love be strengthened and our lives be broadened as we move together - in grace - toward a common goal of gratitude.
Blessings to us all.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
"Allow the flow of pure love and the spirit of life that runs through us all to fill you with the Grace of Gratitude."
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be grateful this week and all the days of your life!
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at:
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2015 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward this post.
Please keep the entire message intact, including
contact, logo, and copyright information.
If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission
please email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Thank you!


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(CNN) -- Getting the Tooth Fairy to pony up in this sagging economy has been like pulling teeth.
A recent survey found that the national going rate has seen a 40-cent decline this year: From $3 to $2.60.
What's worse? A full 10% of kids are reaching under their pillows ... and coming up empty. Compare that to last year when just 6% of kids found no reason to flash that toothless grin.
"It's a cardinal sin not to (pay)," said Rakshanda Liaqat, a mother of two in Phoenix. "It's about a child losing a part of her and the warm belief that the tooth fairy will take care of her precious tooth."
"Now, on the other hand, counting the number of teeth your kid loses. And that, too, multiple times in a year? And that, too, having two kids? I can understand the economic recession the Tooth Fairy goes through in terms of her salary."
Liaqat tried to leave $10 for every tooth her son lost -- "but my son didn't lose much of his teeth after the recession hit."
"He lost it right on time. Before the debt crisis," she said. "Amen to that!!"
The telephone survey of 1,006 adults was conducted on behalf of Visa and is intended to get parents talking to kids about money management.
It found that the economic pinch has taken a bite out of the Tooth Fairy's generosity most dramatically in the eastern United States. Kids there received just $2.10 -- a 38% decline from $3.40 last year.
In the West, kids pocket more than the national average: $2.80 and up 4% from last year's $2.70.
That doesn't surprise Scott Rivers in San Diego.
He leaves about $5 for every tooth his children lose.
"It's worth it just to see their eyes light up," he said. "Plus, it gives us a chance to talk about what they want to do with the money and what they should. Like donating a bit to charity."
But he's in the minority. Just 18% of kids around the nation receive $5, the survey found.
The majority -- 36% -- receive a dollar or less.
And 18% get between $2 and $4.
"My 6-year-old niece just lost her first tooth last week and her parents gave her about $2 in coins," said Jeanne Byrd of Fairfield, California. " Our family has never really given large dollars for the tooth fairy though."
Among the survey's other findings:
-- Kids in the Midwest receive an average of $2.80, a 3% decrease from last year's $2.90
-- But children in the South find the Tooth Fairy penny-pinching as well: $2.60 -- a 21% cut from last year's $3.30.
CNN's Maria P. White contributed to this report.


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- 07506 647883
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Marylebone Jelly is an experienced five-piece live band with a repertoire that covers the best and classic hits from the last five decades. We provide an excellent, friendly service from your initial enquiry right through to the end of your event. We pride ourselves on working to an exceptionally high standard as musicians and with our professional attitude, we guarantee an enjoyable event for all.
Marylebone Jelly can provide up to 3 hours of live music and can adapt the timings of the set up of their equipment and the subsequent performance around your own requirements. This is particularly useful for events such as weddings where a formal meal, the cutting of the cake and even the throwing of the bouquet need to be considered!
To complement the band's live performance, a disco can also be provided saving you money. Whether your requirement is a special song as a first dance, gentle background music or a full disco experience to end your event on a high, this can be supplied at a fraction of the cost of booking a disco separately.
With nearly a decade together as a band and hundreds of performances at a variety of events, Marylebone Jelly will perform songs that suit a range of ages and musical tastes. Our set list has been put together with one goal in mind – to entertain – and our musical ability is matched by our infectious enthusiasm.
A full professional lighting rig means that whether you're enjoying a live performance by the band or the optional disco, the right atmosphere will be created. The band's dedicated technician will ensure that both Sound and Lights are appropriate to your chosen venue.
Check out the Gig List for information and directions to forthcoming public performances.
Come and join us on Facebook here. Add us to your favourites, leave us some feedback and join in the discussion.


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Equity futures are lower this morning. Below is a 60 minute chart of the DOW futures on the left and on the right is a 30 minute chart of the S&P futures:
The dollar is higher, bonds are higher, both oil and gold are lower.
Let's start over at the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, where they missed earnings estimates for the fourth quarter. Gee, that's different. Sales, measured in dollars, were down 1.6% year over year. Again, that's measured in dollars, what would they be if measured in actual goods? And that's with all sorts of competitors going out of business over that timeframe, so what does that tell you about overall sales? It tells me to keep looking at sales tax receipts and keep ignoring all the other manipulated data.
Weekly unemployment claims jumped up towards the 500k level once again, coming in at 473,000, a jump from last week's 440k and much higher than consensus as well:
Stocks and commodities dropped in immediate reaction to a much larger-than-expected level of jobless claims, at 473,000 in the Feb. 13 week vs. expectations for 440,000. There's important special factors possibly affecting the data but their effects are unknown and the Labor Department isn't offering any explanations. There was extremely heavy weather through most of the nation in the reporting week, and results from four states had to be estimated including the key states of Texas and California with holiday backlog in the latter having skewed prior reports.
Turning to the four-week average points to steady conditions in the labor market. The average fell 1,500 to 467,500, a level roughly in line with the last four weeks and in line with readings in late December. Other data in the report include no change for continuing claims, at 4.563 million, and no change in the unemployment rate for insured workers, at 3.5 percent.
Wait and see is the best approach to judge jobless claims. The weather effect may yet appear, having produced perhaps another backlog due to the closure of claims offices. The outlook for the jobs report in February is open which will put the emphasis on private forecasts especially ADP's tally. Markets are stable at slightly lower levels.
LOL, there are special factors possibly affecting the data but the Labor Department isn't talking. Niiiiccce. Did that come from the DOL or from Econoday? Well, no mention of special factors in the DOL's report, but if they are talking about weather and the snow storms on the east coast, wouldn't that keep the number of claims lower, not higher? I mean maybe people who are layed off can make it into the unemployment office to file a claim but they can't make it into work, is that the way it works?
Here's what we know, there are now thousands of people dropping off the rolls, but the supply of new claimants is not letting up. As regular benefits are exhausted, the new Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits kick in. How are those looking? Straight from the DOL's report:
States reported 5,797,875 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 30, an increase of 304,748 from the prior week. There were 1,903,779 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
AN INCREASE OF 304,748 FROM THE PRIOR WEEK! Holly cow! Where are all these new jobs the administration keeps talking about? Where is the turn around in employment? What is so dang hard to understand about DEBT SATURATION?
And remember, our population keeps growing. We need to MAKE a ton of jobs just to stay even.
No, printing money and giving it to the banks to manipulate our markets does not make us a wealthy nation. It makes us a poor and corrupt nation. I can hardly look at the economic data, I have completely lost faith in what is being reported. The hot money funnels off into the markets and there are just flat out games being played with the supply and the price of oil. Now we're seeing that in the inflation statistics, here's what's going on with the Producer Price Index:
Higher energy costs in January jacked up the headline but the core rate also heated up a bit. The overall PPI jumped 1.4 percent after rising 0.4 percent in December. The January surge came in much higher than the market forecast for a spike of 0.8 percent. At the core level, the PPI increased to a 0.3 percent gain after a flat reading in December. The consensus had projected a 0.1 percent rise.
The headline increase was led by a 5.1 percent surge in energy costs with gasoline up 11.5 percent. Food costs also were up notably, gaining 0.4 but down from 1.3 percent in December. For the latest month, the core was led by light motor trucks which rose 1.9 percent and by pharmaceutical preparations which jumped 1.3 percent.
PPI numbers have been quite volatile recently. The latest headline is quite strong but you only have to go back to November for a number that topped it with a 1.5 percent spike. The same holds true for the core. The January jump of 0.3 percent is the largest since only November which saw a 0.5 percent surge.
For the overall PPI, the year-on-year rate increased to 5.0 percent from 4.7 percent in December (seasonally adjusted). The core rate year-ago pace firmed to 1.0 percent from 0.9 percent the prior month. On a not seasonally adjusted basis for January, the year-ago increase for the headline PPI was up 4.6 percent while the core was up 1.0 percent.
Today's report indicates that there are pockets of inflation despite the sluggish recovery. But if economic growth remains soft and if the Fed does unwind its balance sheet expansion in a timely manner, the pockets of inflation likely will not spread. But those are big ifs.
Markets are ignoring the PPI release for the most part as initial jobless claims jumped in a report released at the same time. Also, the energy based jump apparently is being discounted as not continuing. Treasury yields edged down on the release of the PPI and jobless claims as equity futures eased and the dollar firmed.
Month to month up 1.4% and year over year up 5%! Yowzaaa, that type of math doesn't give our system very much longer at all. The bigger these numbers get, the shorter the time our monetary system has, that's all there is to it. Deflation is the only thing that will make the numbers come down and allow room for more debt cycles. When you erase the deflation with hot money, the real economy still suffers twice as bad because the debt is still there yet the price of things continues to rise making the exponential math worse.
We get CPI tomorrow. Imagine Wal-Mart sales now, knowing that PPI is up 5% year over year. Businesses out of business and yet same store sales are down significantly measured in dollars. When will we wake up and realize that "it's the DEBT, stupid?"
We let the central bankers screw with and manipulate what could be a terrific time in world history. Just look at the technological advancements in the past few decades.
As I'm typing the markets are doing another low volume opening ramp job. I lost faith in the markets a long time ago, they are no longer performing their function of price discovery. No, when the bond market is underpinned directly by government intervention and when the word's largest banks are allowed free reign with hot money to use quant computers with shadow trades while the government cheers them on, the markets are not right. Don't tell me the markets are never wrong, the markets have been taken over. It's a very tragic thing to watch if you understand how this is happening and the long term effects that you know are going to occur.
The markets are very overbought in the short term. The rise in prices over the past few days has come on progressively smaller volumes. The market is absolutely being propped up on these low volume ramp jobs.
Yesterday was the best fit for a turn date, but options expiration is Friday. There is a wave 3 waiting in the wings. No, I don't think the computers can stop it once it comes and in the real world may only serve to make it more violent.
Yesterday the XLF produced a black outside hammer, a possible top indication and it is opening lower this morning:
Of course hammers have to be validated by today's action. And here's a snapshot of the opening spike. Yeah, that's natural, just mom and pop buying the market with their 401k's.
Maybe I'm just old fashioned, longing for a throwback to days gone by. No, I don't think that's it, I think were lost, lost in a masquerade…
George Benson & Dione Warwick - This Masquerade


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FIX-SSL has announced it can help business websites to get secure and protect themselves and their customers. It offers easy, simple and effective SSL to help ensure the safety of its clients.
FIX-SSL has announced it can help websites to get secure with SSL, after creating an easy process that makes it simpler than ever to secure and protect clients' websites. It helps clients to protect their business and their customers from cyber criminals, while simultaneously giving each website a boost in search rankings due to its protected status.
More information can be found at: http://fix-ssl.com
The site explains that website security is critical for the future of every online business. Each minute that an online business delays in protecting their site with SSL could be causing them to lose another potential client.
When a business website is professionally secured, it increases trust with consumers and gives people confidence that they can buy products or services safely. This helps to ensure that businesses can get more online sales, fewer refunds, and better conversion rates.
It also means that companies in any niche can benefit from improved ROI, higher clickthrough rate, and reduced bounce rate when people land on their site. Other benefits include less shopping cart abandonment, increased customer confidence, and more visits by the same shopper.
When online businesses have the faith and trust of their consumer base, they are able to better establish themselves as the leader in their field. It helps to establish customer loyalty, along with increased awareness and confidence in the brand.
FIX-SSL explains: "If you want to stay in business, you must protect your visitors and your customers by making sure that your website is completely secure."
SSL can help to protect sensitive information, while also preventing identity theft, fraud, data tampering, and phishing. This minimizes the risk for both the business, their visitors and their customers.
Other benefits include increased speed and effectiveness, better authentication, and a more professional feel to the site. Full details can be found on the URL above, and interested parties wanting to find out more can get in touch using the contact details provided on site.


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Companies are starting to let employees use privately owned notebook computers for work purposes, according to a Gartner Inc. survey of 500 IT managers in the U.S., U.K. and Germany.
On average, 10% of the notebooks at the respondents' organizations were employee-owned, the Gartner report said, and the IT managers said they expect that percentage to creep higher next year.
Some employees like the trend because it means they can have more-powerful notebooks and newer designs than their companies' IT departments provide, Gartner said. For employers, it can mean lower costs.
The survey found that 47% of workplaces have banned employee-owned PCs, 43% have policies that allow the use of employee-owned PCs for work-related purposes, and 10% have no policy on the matter.
Gartner noted some variations from country to country: More than 60% of German companies allow the use of employee-owned PCs, compared with 30% of companies in the U.S. and the U.K.


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text:
Stadiums in town Samnu, Libya2 objects
Libya, Sabha, Samnu
Libya, Sabha, Samnu
Are you looking for a stadium where you can watch the soccer match or another athletics competition? Our database has systematized information about all the sports facilities located around the world.
Our catalog includes detailed descriptions of the open-air and covered stadiums in in Samnu (Sabha), Libya, including their exact location on a map, the status of the sports facility, and the number of seats for spectators.
Our resource will tell you the shortest route to the stadium, where to buy tickets, how to watch scheduled competitions, as well as the business hours of ticket offices on weekdays and weekends. Our directory contains addresses, phone numbers, and the websites of the nearest hotels and hotel complexes where it is possible to book a room during the most sought after events. Our database also includes other information, including information about available parking, cafes, supermarkets, and taxi stands.
Use our service to find all the information about the services that you are interested in.


text:
ReefMaster v2.0 is Now Available! read more...
See what you've been missing
ReefMaster Software offers a suite of affordable, consumer-friendly Windows PC applications to help you get the most out of your sonar. View sonar logs and edit waypoints with our standalone Sonar Viewer, or create 3D bathymetric maps and sidescan mosaics using ReefMaster. ReefMaster is your complete sonar solution - ideal for marine professionals, academics and fishing enthusiasts. Get started with our free trial and experience it for yourself.
Underwater Mapping
Sidescan Mosaic
Waypoint Management
Multi-channel Sonar Viewer
| Flexible Data Import/Export
• Combine mapping data from a wide range of sources, including native Lowrance and Humminbird sonar logs, GPX files, NMEA 0183, Shapefile and CSV files.
Export maps in a range of formats, including:
• Navico AT5 for compatibility with a wide range of Lowrance devices, new and old.
• Full vector maps in Google Earth for use on tablets and smart-phones.
• ESRI Shapefile for use in a wide range of GIS applications.
• High resolution image files and MBTiles.


text:
Titan NONSTOP (Medium) Anthracite
Spinner Dual Wheels TROLLEY Medium EXP.
- EASY ACCESSIBLE - Two practical front pockets, the small one for travel documents and the large one for a jacket or similar
- ALL-ROUND PROTECTION - Water-repellent zips (with the exception of the expansion fold zip)
- UNIQUE - Only series with a metal appliqué logo
- REALLY ROBUST - The material is high-density dobby polyester, which is particularly tear-resistant
- PRACTICAL INTERIOR - Diagonal elastic packing straps, separate inside pocket
Master everyday with ease. Soft, voluminous, multifunctional and equipped with two useful front pockets: NONSTOP is perfect for everyone who's looking for something really practical. Despite its functional details, NONSTOP is not lacking in volume - quite the contrary, in fact. Thanks to its practical expansion fold, the interior can quickly and easily be enlarged. Two practical and easily accessible front pockets provide this trolley not only with additional storage space, but also, visually, with a face. All outside zips are water-repellent - with the exception of the one for the expansion fold - making NONSTOP an ideal companion in every situation. Practicability it's child's play to this trolley: NONSTOP's interior comes with some convincing extra, including a sewn-in beauty bag, diagonal elastic packing straps and a separate shirt compartment. This trolley is an all-rounder, plain and simple - multifunctional and eminently practical.


text: Another day another journey... As living on planet earth and its surrounding solar system seemed boring Sqrxz decided to check out another location in the universe. Just in case and to be extra careful he took a pocketful of emeralds with him to keep him in ready cash, but after starting his exciting journey he realized all his emeralds are suddenly missing! Retracing his steps Sqrxz notices mysterious creatures popping up all over the place to hinder him in his search… Oh what troublesome days... Help poor Sqrxz get back all his emeralds!


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Cameron Avery Shared Debut Album 'Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams'
Grounded in soulful songwriting, multi-instrumental virtuosity, and Avery's heart wrenching, crooning Baritone, the record challenges Avery to carry the weight of a leading man for the very first time. The result is a record that is beautiful, vulnerable, and powerful.
Stream the album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2SPoNPcAlfhUe84DH4SbQM
Underneath its orchestral arrangements and Avery's gravely vocal, Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams is an album about relationships. As Noisey writes, "At once a deeply personal and universally relatable, at it's core, this record is perfect for anyone struggling at the end of a meaningful relationship, groping through late nights and warm bodies to the next person who makes you really feel."
The record comes out as the Perth-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has just begin to tour his own project for the very first time, using his beautiful low voice and soaring soul-pop melodies to propel his audiences through the dreamscapes he'll create with his band. He'll also be making an appearance at this year's SXSW in Austin. See all tour dates below.
SXSW set times:
3/16 @ 5:05pm - THE AUSSIE BBQ @ Brush Square Park (East Tent)
3/16 @ 10pm Cameron Avery - Paradigm Showcase @ Parish
3/16 @ 1am*(technically 3/17) - Anti Showcase @ Elysium
3/17 @ 2pm - ANTI- / Culture Collide Day Party @Container Bar
3/17 @ 4pm - Laneway Festival @ Mohawk
3/17 @ 6pm - Showtime/Twin Peaks Party @ Clive Bar
Cameron Avery North American tour dates:
3/9 - Baby's All Right - Brooklyn, NY
3/11 - Ortlieb's Lounge - Philadelphia, PA
3/12 - DC9 - Washington, DC
3/14 - The Basement - Nashville, TN
3/21 - Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
3/22 - Rickshaw Stop - San Francisco, CA
3/24 - Holocene - Portland, OR
3/25 - Barboza - Seattle, WA
3/28 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
3/29 - Schubas Tavern - Chicago, IL
3/31 - The Rivoli - Toronto, ON
4/1 - Le Divan Orange - Montreal, QC
4/3 - Great Scott - Boston, MA