The Anoushka Shankar Experience
I have been following classical music since my college days. I get attracted to a certain artist’s music for a few days and then lose interest. That has not been the case with Anoushka Shankar. Her music has been an enduring companion for decades. Sometimes I wonder why that has been the case.
Reunion
I was privileged to listen to this piece live at the Siri Fort Auditorium on the 16th of December. During that night, I barely opened my eyes.
I had goosebumps on my skin even though I had worn a warm coat to the concert. It was not a normal musical experience. My entire life till that very moment flashed in front of my eyes.
The first few seconds reminded me of a very playful and pleasant childhood (and a slightly rocky teenage).
1:23 probably marks 10th-grade results when I did very well in a supposed landmark exam, and things had been reset for the better. Of course, that event also created some problems (the aura of an overachiever).
Sometime around 2:29, the music picks pace. That is when I felt I had entered college and felt the stress of getting through courses and eventually getting a job at a good company.
At 3:13, I realised that I had finally started my first job in a new city, and that had opened a fresh chapter. The track pulls on with zest and wonder as I remembered how I had explored Chennai and its culture all by myself.
3:50 marks a slight doubt in the trajectory of the song. It reminded me that I had paused and questioned my moves.
But it goes in a very cheerful and harmonious manner after 4:02 in the same way I had carried myself all along. Some parts were hazy. While others deliberately smudged out to make space for pleasant memories. Going into details doesn’t make a lot of sense right now.
Familiar tunes had acquired an entirely new dimension. When you think of it, ‘Reunion’ seems like a vague name for a piece of music.
But a reunion with who?
With oneself.
With one’s own story.
I felt my existence on earth was justified because I could relate Anoushka’s spellbinding music to my journey.
Knowingly or unknowingly, Anoushka brings her personality into her music. Every time she picks the sitar, she tells a story. And it resonates with her audience. That is the reason for the enduring magic.
Every piece of music rekindles stories hidden within the listener. It forces one to ask whether these stories are in sync with one’s nature. Only a great musician has the power to have such an effect on her listeners.
I strongly urge you to listen to ‘Reunion’ with your eyes closed. After listening, grab a piece of paper and write what you felt. What were the images that came to your imagination?