We hear a lot of grievance statements in the field of Indian classical music. Some of them are.
1.Most of the Indian music lovers feel classical music is out of their reach .The Raagas , the Gharanas , the Alaaps , the rhythm ,take any of it , they can relate to none and hence classical music falls out of taste of masses .
2.Musicians that belong to the older generations or those who follow older generations feel that musical sensibilities of audience of the present day have degraded. People don’t want to listen to a long drawn elaborate development of Raaga. They want classical music to be wrapped up as soon as possible and light classical/light music to be sung. If possible a fast beat, high pitched song that they can tap their feet on.
3. Artists that belong to the new generation feel that we are dragging our feet too much on the old sands; we must look out for new kind of music, innovative, original and fresh. Nothing should stop creativity even it means creating fusion. Art forms change and change is the truth of life. We must embrace it with optimism and joy. They feel that audience should encourage their creativity and thirst for the new.
4.The young artists also feel that, they are blocked by the walls of the influential older generations who dominate the “Sangeet Samarohas”. Artists have to request, plead, use influence, to be included in the list of performers. It is much easier to get a program if you are a son or a daughter of an already established famous artist .
5.Audience whose taste is the old style Gharandaaz music, feel betrayed by the attempts (sometimes disoriented) of well-established musicians. They feel we are losing our great old heritage of Sur Pradhan and Bhava Pradhan Music.
6.Gurus feel that Shishyas of today are not good enough. They don’t have the dedication and desire to work hard, stay put and strive for a long period of their life .They either give up too soon or need quick success.
7.There are hundreds of young music aspirants, who want to give their life for music. They are prepared to work day in day out under the guidance of an able Guru .But either it is difficult to find a good Guru or he is out of reach .Gurus may simply not accept a deserving Shishya either because of their prevailing mood , impressions about the seeker , lack of influence ,lack of money or lack of time .
Whatever are the grievances, there is something uniquely Indian about all this confusion that we live in. Absence of a well defined, structure and process of learning, concert management, the dominance of influential artists , preference of personal choices and money over merit, unending jealousy for fellow artists, are some of our fine distinguishing characteristics. Waiting, requesting, pleading, soliciting at every step in the journey of music only to get rejected can be frustrating !! We all specialize in the uniquely Indian trait of making life difficult for each other unnecessarily.
And yet our music thrives and evolves in these very trying circumstances. It grows, creates new monuments and retains its past treasures. Artists suffer and get hurt, audience feel the heart burn, disciples shed tears secretly but the journey of musical evolution continues.
Are all these difficulties necessary evils for an artist to conquer and arise as true heroes? Or they are weeds that affect all of us and sap our spirits? As a true Indian I can only contemplate about them and express myself!!
