When Puttachi was very young, I tried to find out if she could carry a tune. It didn't seem like she could, initially, and it didn't even seem like she had a sense of rhythm. I was prematurely worried. I come from a family which loves music, and a sense and appreciation of music comes naturally to us. So I was upset that Puttachi probably didn't have it.
In hindsight, I was probably comparing her to my cousin, the only one I had seen at close quarters at that age, who happens to be exceptionally talented. Anyway, I expressed my doubts to my mom and she said, "Nonsense, just wait a bit." She also told me that I probably don't surround Puttachi with enough music, and so perhaps she hasn't quite soaked in it enough.
My mother did have a point. For a few years after Puttachi was born, I avoided music. It was perhaps because Puttachi talked so much that we were involved in constant conversations. As a result, my brain was constantly buzzing. And so I craved for silence and peace, and the last thing I wanted was music to disturb the silence in my head. [That stage is past me, by the way. I again listen to music while I work.]
So, anyway, I waited. Gradually, I saw that Puttachi could indeed carry a tune, and when I tried making her sing with a tamboori, she sang with the correct shruthi. That gave me some peace. Then I worried that she didn't have a sense of rhythm. But that came too.
And then one day, we went into the badminton court, and switched on the lights. The lights made that soft electronic hum, and Puttachi listened to it, and with that hum as the shruthi, she sang Sa-re-ga-ma-pa correctly.
I told my mother - "Whether she learns to sing or not, whether she likes to sing or not, whether she'll sing another note in her life or not, it doesn't matter any more. Just the fact that she sang the right notes with that random hum in that badminton court - that is enough for me."
I'm sure musically-inclined folks will know what I mean, and how much that means to me!
In hindsight, I was probably comparing her to my cousin, the only one I had seen at close quarters at that age, who happens to be exceptionally talented. Anyway, I expressed my doubts to my mom and she said, "Nonsense, just wait a bit." She also told me that I probably don't surround Puttachi with enough music, and so perhaps she hasn't quite soaked in it enough.
My mother did have a point. For a few years after Puttachi was born, I avoided music. It was perhaps because Puttachi talked so much that we were involved in constant conversations. As a result, my brain was constantly buzzing. And so I craved for silence and peace, and the last thing I wanted was music to disturb the silence in my head. [That stage is past me, by the way. I again listen to music while I work.]
So, anyway, I waited. Gradually, I saw that Puttachi could indeed carry a tune, and when I tried making her sing with a tamboori, she sang with the correct shruthi. That gave me some peace. Then I worried that she didn't have a sense of rhythm. But that came too.
And then one day, we went into the badminton court, and switched on the lights. The lights made that soft electronic hum, and Puttachi listened to it, and with that hum as the shruthi, she sang Sa-re-ga-ma-pa correctly.
I told my mother - "Whether she learns to sing or not, whether she likes to sing or not, whether she'll sing another note in her life or not, it doesn't matter any more. Just the fact that she sang the right notes with that random hum in that badminton court - that is enough for me."
I'm sure musically-inclined folks will know what I mean, and how much that means to me!
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2 comments:
Lovely! My brother who is a plant physiologist always says everything comes from genes. And now I believe it completely!
I can totally relate to it. I am not that great singer, but i do play veena and appreciate music. My little one was ok singing songs, bhajans but when it came to SA RE GA MA PA.. he was not ready to learn the basics. But then i waited.. now he seems to be ok. I think kids take their own sweet time for everything.
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