Remember Shakti

“Tyagaraja Aaraadhanaa Utsavaalu” (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ ఆరాధనా ఉత్సవాలు, Tyagaraja commemorative music festival) were going on in Nellore as conducted by “Tyagaraja Gaana Sabha” (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ గాన సభ) in the year of 2000. There, for the first time, I had great chance of witnessing prodigy of Prasanna, playing Carnatic Music on guitar. I was amazed to see all the kritis (composition) that I have been listening in my home, since my childhood, getting rendered so beautifully and blissfully on those guitar strings.

In my Bangalore days, I learnt guitar a little. Then, I happen to listen John McLaughlin Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Remember Shakti. Shankar Mahadevan was the guest, for vocals. Tabla by Zakir, Mandolin by Srinivas (rest in peace, legend!), Selvaganesh on Ghatam. I was spellbound by all those tracks — Caruna, Ma No Pa, Sakhi and Giriras Sudha. I was just spellbound. I took leave from work and roamed in Bangalore chasing for that CD/DVD. I could get nowhere. But in one Music Planet I found one but guest was Hariprasad Chaurasia. I did not think twice, bought it.

Just see :) “Vikku” Vinayakram is on Ghatam. I just bought it. I still have this CD in my possession. You can buy this on iTunes here. Each and every track on this album is a blessing. I spent weeks listening to only these tracks and developing my projects. Just get onto YouTube and and listen some. I hope you will be able to find the unexplainable feeling and experience that I had.

This album had definitely filled my life with beautiful moments. This music band and album are like a time machine for me. Whenever I play any track from this album, I quickly go back in time to my Bangalore days, my personal projects in those days, those late night code commits celebrations, late night walks to BTM Layout bicycle-chai-wala and eating onion samosas, and subsequent failure of those projects :). That was a chapter in my life.

You should listen to this album. Give it a try.