Music

I have been meaning to post a blog about Carnatic music for the past few days. But as always time eludes the lazy! I am so grateful to my mother, for forcing me to learn music when I was younger. I remember days when I would whine and groan about going to those dreaded music classes, she would say "You may not appreciate this now, but this music will give you peace of mind when you are older". Well I am older now, and I realise how right she was. The pleasure of listening to M.S.Subbulakshmi is unparalleled. There are many reasons, why I choose M.S. over others but the most relevant of them all is that she reminds me of my avva (grandma) who used to sing so well. And at times, I am almost deluded into believing that it indeed she who is singing. I remember times, when we would sit by the kitchen door and avva would sing. Now I regret, not having learnt from her, all that she would have taught me.
I was so shortsighted and wasted my time, focussing on academics. Mere degrees give me only information, but music allows me to appreciate life. I guess it is not too late and have decided to learn atleast a new keerthanam on my own. The moral of the story: Listen to your amma..

-Subbu