Often I experience something that leaves me with more questions than answers. Music, especially, is like a supernatural force that transports me into some unknown dimension, and I lose sense of everything,… repeat, everything. It has happened more than once. Particularly memorable were listening to pandit Shivkumar Sharma playing Santoor at Sawai Gandharva 2003, pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia playing Bansuri at his residence during Janmashtami 2005, and pandit Jasraj at Malhar 2006.
Yesterday was fourth such occasion. I was at Indian Ocean’s live concert at Toronto. (Indian Ocean is a music band, if you didn’t already know – not many people do.)
I hate stuff that makes me pause and think. It disrupts my schedule. Last time Indian Ocean music did that was in April, about which I wrote here.
So, back to the music concert. The guys started with a Vedic prayer (‘From the Ruins’), and the next moment I had goose bumps. This was followed by 2.5 hours of blissful music – ‘Jhini’, ‘Kya Maloom’, ‘Ma Rewa’, ‘Bandheh’, ‘Hille Re’, ‘Bhor’, ‘Kandisa’ and my favorite – ‘Kaun‘
Indian Ocean, playing live in Toronto (I know its not the best photo, but I had no interest in focusing on taking pictures 
)
Indian Ocean for me is in the same league as Pink Floyd, Nirvana and Tool. Listening to this music is a spiritual experience, and multi tasking seems impossible.
Take this song Jhini for example. Composed by saint Kabir, the lyrics seem simplistic on first glance.
झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया, झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया
के राम नाम रस भीनी चदरिया, झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया
अष्ट कमल दल चरखा डोले, पांच तत्व, गुण तीनि चदरिया
साइँ को सियत मास दस लागे, ठोंक-ठोंक के बीनी चदरिया
सो चादर सुर नर मुनि ओढ़ी, ओढ़ी के मैली कीनी चदरिया
दास कबीर जतन सो ओढ़ी, ज्यों की त्यों धर दीन चदरिया
This is fine, this is fine cloth.
It is been dipped in the name of the lord
The spinning wheel, like an eight-petal lotus, spins,
with five tatvas and three gunas as the pattern.
Lord stiched it in 10 months (the gestation period)
The threads have been pressed to get a tight weave.
It has been worn by gods, people, and sages
they soiled it with use.
Kabir says, I have covered my self with this cloth with great care,
and eventually will leave it like it was.
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(Sample file, from the band’s website)
It’s the complex interpretation of these simple words that I love so much, makes me want to hate it. And yesterday after a an hour long debate with my darling friend, I got freshly criticized for my Howard Roarkish approach. LOL!
PS: I think the website is back on track 
“कौन बीज बोता है यारो, फल ये कौन चखे,
ये जग जंतर मंतर माया कौन ये खेल रचे…
कौन चढाए रोज ये सूरज, पवन कौन फूंके,
ऋत् जो आए जाए निरंतर, कौन हिसाब धरे…”
Loosely translated: “[tag]Who[/tag] sows the seed, who tastes the fruit? the world is full of mysteries and puzzles, who sets the game? Who makes the sun rise everyday, who blows the wind? Who makes the seasons occur, who keeps track of all this??”
With a clear sky like that, and listening to [tag]Indian Ocean[/tag]‘s song “Kaun” from the album Kandisa, who wouldn’t get into a [tag]trance[/tag]? It rained few hours back and miraculously the sky is now clear as crystal. The air is filled with an aroma that reminds me of the rainy season back home and the large moon is beaming through dry trees as if it is greeting me.
For some time I lost track of everything. [tag]Time[/tag] seemed to lose its importance as I forgot everything about the pressing deadlines, hungry stomach, empty bank accounts and such worldly concerns. It was so fulfilling to simply stand there on the open field outside my apartment, bathing in the soothing moonlight. Don’t we all need such [tag]spiritual[/tag] cleansing once a while? And such things occur unplanned. Wonder who does it…
I must thank Vaarun for infecting me with this amazing music. At the same time, I must blame him for the deadlines I missed due to this new addiction.
Highly recommended albums of Indian Ocean band: “Black Friday”, “Desert Rain”, “Jhini” and “Kandisa”
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