A clever, perceptive, inspiring conversation, for those interested in India and its performing arts: for Indian music lovers, for Tabla lovers, for classical music lovers and Bhakti music lovers, Alok Verma delivers a master talk about different aspects to consider in Indian music and how to connect to it with authenticity, respect, love, enjoyment, understanding.

Manish Vyas interviews Alok Verma about key aspects along the path of learning, presenting and developing Indian music. Below we share some of the most significative thoughts expressed by Alok during this talk:

"This musical journey begins but never ends: any step we take is a learning curve"

"My teacher (Guru) had shown so much love towards my playing, and so was my love for the teacher - that's when the Guru Shishya Parampara (Guru discipline tradition) started"

"I have my Indian Tabla classical roots which has been kept intact - and anywhere I play I incorporate those elements into the music: the grooves may change but in the end, the foundation and the authenticity of the material is kept intact"

"I have seen some musicians who took a couple of lessons and perform... I admire their confidence, but having a couple of lessons, these musicians have not even surfaced, have not even touched down the authenticity of what is required to learn from a Guru"

“A Raga has a feel, which is needed to deliver that Raga”

"Whether it's a bhajan, a folk song or a Bollywood song, if you compose something in raga Bhairavi and you have that foundation (of Indian classical music,) it's going to sound absolutely brilliant"

"You have to learn from the person who belongs to the country or place of the tradition"

"The student-teacher relationship as a silent-communication ("silent presence and observation") is a must"

"Kirtan cannot be taught, just like I cannot teach you how to feel sadness, because it's an emotion -- it can only be felt"

"There is a fine line between holding an instrument and really knowing how to play it"

"It is a responsibility to pass on the right knowledge to the next generation; otherwise what I am spreading across is wrong or not part of the real essence of the learning; this would feel like doing some sort of fraud to the next generation"

"I teach traditional music. Transformation comes when the student has achieved a certain standard, but when you're learning, you need to follow the tradition"

“As a Tabla player, my feet are far away from the Tabla, if a slight touch happens, I would bow down to the instrument and I would pay respect to that. Having come from that background, to see someone sitting on the instrument and jumping on it, and then performing and singing Mantras is totally wrong to me – I would never appreciate that.”

“People who want to learn Indian music of any kind, have to find the source of those who are in the right state of that music – otherwise you wouldn’t know what is right and what is wrong. By reaching the right source, then you come to know what the real essence of this music is. Delivering Indian music, one needs to have respect and a discipline; giving justice to what is required”

“The chord system used to play Harmonium by western 'Mantra singers' did not exist in Indian music. So they sit down with 2 chords – how does that make them a singer and harmonium player?”

“If intentions are genuine, the first intention should be to go and learn from the right source"

From Gujarat, disciple of Divyang Vakil Ji, Alok Verma lives in UK since many years. He started the studies of Indian music with his dad as a small child. He's percussionist, Tabla, Dholak and Pakhawaj player, composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and music teacher at one fot the best schools in London. THANK YOU! @alokvermamusic

As a kid, it was like a very natural process to grow into the atmosphere of Osho. It's like, I did not know anything else except that. It was quite a commitment in some way but really, as a kid, I did not know anything else, it was just like growing up in this... and it was perfect. And slowly-slowly everybody in the family became Sannyasin, but everybody had their voluntary decision.

Whatever it is in my life, it is thanks to Osho basically.

Musically, with Osho, it was a very good place to experiment many things and how to use the beauty and depth of Indian music into creating something different, something which has a purpose, something which has a utility, not just entertainment - and Indian music has that capacity.

Osho's teachings and his blessings and his guidance - everything shaped this life, not only for me, but for many.

Kirtan is a very-very simple but very profound way of connecting with the divine. In Kirtan you dissolve, your ego dissolves. There is no “I”, there is only “Divinity.”

It's a little bit like you are a statue of salt, and what happens when you enter the ocean? You become the ocean.

What I saw in the West in the people singing mantras is that actual element of India was missing there. It is very clear that when somebody is trying to represent a certain cultural element from a certain place, it must carry its authenticity - it must carry its authentic flavour, sound, taste, fragrance... because behind that there is a long tradition and a history, and a lot of thought put behind it.

It is about preserving this fire which has been burning since thousands of years.

Credits:

Podcast production, idea, audio, interview: Stories With Osho, YouTube channel: Divyadez HcO Watch whole interview 1 hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbHVgwJ05OI -- Interviewers: Sufi Abheeru and Divya Aminah

Editing to short version 28': Vanesa Nau Video link: https://youtu.be/0GI5qOIf5jY

A Podcast about meeting Osho, years at the Puna Ahram, power of Indian Music, Kirtan, the Mantra-Movie, the importance of respecting the culture of India and any tradition, the blessings of the Master. www.manishvyas.com

"It is important to bring an understanding that Mantra is not just limited to a musical format which brings you to a 'nice space,' since this format does not release its full potential. Mantra is not only what makes you come into a nice space, but it is something which can also work practically on various dimensions of one's life."

"The documentary will open up on how much more Mantras have to give to people, provided that they have the right access to the information, proper understanding, proper guidance, proper practice."

www.manishvyas.com/movie