- ‘Sacred ash' is set in Raga Shanmughapriya. It's said that it could evoke 6 types of emotions, and I am illustrating pathos, here. The fragrance of sacred ashes is one of my favorites from growing up. It reminds me of my frail grandfather who used to apply some on his forehead on summer evenings. Raga Shanmughapriya reminiscences of those indelible evenings where the fragrance of sacred ash wafted through thin air.
- Raag Kalyani/Yaman is one of the major ragas/scale/modes in Indian classical music. It's a joyous journey. A simple one. An auspicious one. Kalyani particularly reminds me of the morning-south-Indian weddings. The fragrance from weddings. The fragrance of Chrysanthemums. White and yellow ruffled chrysanthemum blossoms are ubiquitously found in weddings, from garlands to decorations. In Indian culture, the 'mum' petals signify joy and optimism.
- During my school days, I used to keep white camphor balls in my pencil box and I often opened the box to inhale the fragrance of the contained camphor. The scent is earthy, pure and auspicious. It's a piece of my heart, a piece of my childhood. Just like, Raag ’Shudh Sarang’ which I grew up listening to. Presenting ’Camphor,’ set to my favorite fragrance, the romantic scale ’Shudh Sarang.’
- Just like the umbral & penumbral shadows, Raag Pantuvarali (Carnatic)-Puriya Dhanashree (Hindusthani) casts several shades of a shadow. This is one of the most intricate scales I have come across, in terms of emotions it evokes. Not like the mildly fragrant red rose, it's rather that wild white intensely fragrant flower that blooms under the moonlight. Doesn't make you joyous but it might take you to a trance-state and later into sleep. Moderately poignant, arresting & bewitching; presenting Eclipse!
- ‘Silhouettes’ is composed in the magnetic and meditative scale ‘Rasikapriya’, (7 notes/heptatonic in both ascending and descending scales). ‘Rasikapriya’ means connoisseur’s favorite! I still can’t fathom my relationship with this scale. Sometimes she puts me into sleep, on other times she makes me meditative. It’s multilayered, with a slight poignant wave that bestows a transcendental experience!
- ‘Pink Petals’ a pure Indian classical piece played in the stringed instrument ‘Veena’ composed in Raag ‘Brindavani’ which evokes the beauty of love, devotion and the wait. I grew up developing deep infatuation to Raag ‘Brindavani’. This piece is very close to my heart and personally if am in low mood/stressed I would listen to Raag Brindavani.
The Goddess of Music and knowledge, according to Hindu mythology, is ‘Saraswati,’ and she is always pictured in a White Saree seated on a white lotus holding the ‘Saraswati Veena’ and surrounded by white swans and White, is the color of peace and knowledge! There is a late evening, gorgeous musical scale/Raag in her namesake, and this exists in both south and north Indian classical musical lineages. ‘Shades of Twilight’ is composed in ‘Saraswati’.
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