Harini Calamur's Writings
This appeared in Splainer in January Played as the sun sets, Raga Marwa feels like a cool breeze that not just cools your skin, but also calms your soul, washing off the weariness of the day. It is a poignant melody that…
This Appeared in the Splainer in December 2023 In the northern parts of India, where Hindustani Classical Music became a tradition both in the temple and the court, summer disappears soon after the festivities of Diwali. As summer fades and the chilly…
This appeared in ‘splainer in November The heart of India’s rich cultural tapestry is woven with the vibrant threads of spirituality, and nowhere is this more evident than in the Bhakti movement. A surge of devotional fervour that swept through the subcontinent…
This appears in Splainer in October 2023 If you are feeling low, and down—and want a pick-me-up raga, there is no better cheer than one brought by Raga Hamsadhwani—that literally translates to the song of the swans. Hamsadhwani flows effortlessly, filling the…
this appeared in the Splainer in September 2023 I fell in love with the song, before I knew the Raga it was based on. The song was ‘Hari Ke Charan Kamal’ (below) sung by Pandit DV Paluskar. The Raga was Shree. And, since…
this appeared in the ‘Splainer on the 12th of August On the 15th of August 1947, as the world slept, India achieved independence from British rule. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first Prime Minister, raised the Indian national flag at the Red…
At the end of a long, hot summer come the monsoons thundering into our lives – soaking the parched earth and providing succour for the scorched soul. For a primarily agrarian land, the rains are rejuvenation – a chance for a fresh…
This appeared in the Splainer in June Brindabani Sarang is associated both with afternoon – played between noon and three – and the summers. The Sarang Family – Sarang, Gaud Sarang, Madhmad Sarang – like many of the other classical Ragas, have…
This appeared in the ‘Splainer in May. I cannot think of Raga Darbari without the hearing in my mind’s ear, the deep baritone of Bhimsen Joshi, exploring the many nuances of the Raga, deep into the night. The best way to describe…
Spring is the time for renewal. The time between the icy cold winds in winter, and the blazing hot summer. During this time, the temperature is neither too hot, not too cold. And there is usually a lovely breeze that carries the…