Smt. Shobha Srinivasan
Nov 2022
Question: Have you ever experienced situations where our belief systems drove us from a conscious mode into an auto pilot mode?
Every student of music feels naturally connected to certain aspects of music. Growing up in Indian Culture is a boon to many that experience the vastness and diversity of it on a daily basis.
Within Indian Music itself - there are so many genres - the classical, the devotional, the folk, the popular, the ghazals, the Sufi and we can keep going on. Many of us would have grown up listening to film songs on Radio and chitrahaar on Television. I still remember those days when not many would have TV and some of us would go to our neighbours house to watch Chitrahaar.
The music that we listen to, has to do a lot with what and how we think. This is not just a feeling anymore but there is a lot of research articles that back up this idea. It also gives us clues about how we feel deep down inside about us.
Musical Experience
As a child, I was always more drawn to Ghazals, Melodious film songs, Bhajans, Devotional Songs, etc. At home, I was learning Carnatic Music - a South Indian Classical Music form. Learning Music back then was very different from what it is now. It was very rare those days that classes would be personalised based on the student. Also, there was this belief that was instilled into us that when we learn classical music, when our base is strong, we can learn any genre easily. While this statement is true in certain aspects, it tends to put classical music at a higher level than other forms of music and it unnecessarily creates a separateness in the mind of the music practitioner. All this happens in a very subtle way without us consciously knowing that some belief systems are instilled onto our subconscious mind.
Once, a musical family friend of my parents and father of a musical prodigy commented to us that my voice was very good for devotional songs and I would make a very good devotional music singer. This was when I was around 10 to 12 years of age. The comment was made by him after listening to me at various events and so it was not that one off comments.
Now I would like you to imagine two scenarios
Scenario 1: The music practitioner is training in Devotional Music and wants to be known as Devotional Music Singer
Scenario 2: The music practitioner is training in Classical Music and wants to be known as Classical Music Singer
I belonged to Scenario 2, even though I liked devotional music and ghazals to listen to.
Now, please take a moment to think how the comment made by the father would be taken by the practitioner in both the scenarios.
At that point in time, when I was a child myself, instead of thanking him and feeling grateful, I felt offended and it did affect my self esteem to some level but I was able to navigate around it.
Connecting the dots…
Now when I look back at the incident, I exactly know why I was offended. It was due to the fact that, at that time, I considered bhajans or devotional singing at a lower level than classical singing. And I did have a very strong and convincing reason to feel so. I had listened to bhajans and devotional songs sung by people who were not trained in music and their Sruthi would falter at many places and due to that, in general, in common public view, Bhajans and Devotional singers do not gain respect for technicality of music.
Mary O’Malley in her book “What is in the way is the way” explains beautifully about these and she calls these subconscious beliefs as spells.
Practice
When I get offended now, I ask myself
- Am I taking it personally?
- How much truth is there in their statement?
- Is what is being said, for my highest good even if the tone may convey differently?
- Where do I need to look into?
- Is there a need to change anything from myside?
When I ask these honestly, something will pop up that will let me know what I need to do.
See you in the next episode with yet another musical experience and life lesson.