Kashmir was in the limelight, but curiously this time on account of music. For Zubin Mehta, it was music for peace, for some others it was music of conflict. Whatever be the nomenclature for this sort of music, I personally would vote it as one of the most admirable ventures in the land of bounties.

In the wake of the recent disturbing incidents in Mumbai, the media has been relentlessly analysing the city.

The last couple of months, I have been drawn into national day celebrations of different countries. Recently at the Canadian national day fest, I was in for two pleasant surprises on the musical front.

Few other swaras are as feared, rebuked, eschewed, yet held in awe as these. They have been called the dissonant note, the disturbing note, even the enemy note. The vivaadi swara or as I would call it, the “unlikely” note is amongst the most redoubtable in music.

I ran into Natraj, my neighbourhood friend, during one of my strolls. He exhorted me, as he always does, in vain, to attend one of his listening sessions on old Bollywood songs.

Sitting in my living room with a cup of tea one lazy morning this week, I was aroused by instrumental rhythm striking loud from outside the window.

Carnatic music lovers found it difficult to reconcile with the loss of violin maestro Padma Bhushan Lalgudi Jayaraman. With his demise, Carnatic music has a lot to mourn for. He not only became a front line accompanying violinist in his halcyon days, but also rose as a soloist of standing and took Carnatic music to hoary heights.

My forced hiatus due to a back condition helped me rediscover a few things that I hold on to. Foremost amongst all, the paradise outside my window.

The week that went was special for the reason that Muraagam was premiered in Kolkata. A treasured, well-worked project for over three years, finally came to fruition at the Fusion Fiesta.

The 166th Tyagaraja Aradhana happened a few days ago in Tiruvaiyaru at the saint-composer’s samadhi. A mega event at a heritage site, thousands thronged the venue for the collective singing of the composer’s five masterpiece creations — the Pancha Ratna.