 Parai DrumMusic permeates Indian social life from celebrating births to the final funereal journey. In Tamil Nadu, the parai or frame drum is commonly associated with funerals. And those who played it have been ostracized as untouchable pariars. Yet scholars agree that the parai has historically featured in every auspicious occasion of Tamil life. Dalit activists, social reformers and Tamil cinema have helped turn the parai and its playing into a source of empowerment. Catch this documentary trailer, This is A Music: Reclaiming An Untouchable Drum by Prof Zoe Sherinian to learn more. |
 Hindustani Music – An IntroductionHindustani Music is the classical music of north India. What are its origins? What are the distinct features of the music? How do students train in this genre? An introduction to this ancient musical artform featuring several stalwarts can be viewed in this short film here. |
 Beating the RetreatThe ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony marks the formal end of Republic Day celebrations in India in the last week of January. The ceremony showcases musical performances by military bands who play Indian and Western tunes. The latest one can be viewed here. Another video that caught my eye this week was the Indian navy band rehearsing the old Bollywood song “Monica oh my darling” with great verve. |
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Chitra Srikrishna 