My prayer, my dream

My prayer, my dream

By Amjad Ali Khan

India-a land that has been blessed abundantly and has witnessed aplenty. Right from the Vedic times to the Silicon age, India continues to intrigue, motivate and fascinate. Today, India is a symbol of grace, style, deep-rooted culture, trade, enormous growth and, of course, BPOs! Sometimes, I feel I'm going to witness one of the most momentous times of the world in the coming years.

So much has changed in the last 10 years. India has become a show window to the world. There is nothing that we don't already possess. In fact, we have more than the rest of the world put together, including our wondrous seasons. We are a country which has the best to offer-be it the widest range of music, arts, textiles, politics, cinema, technology, sciences, religions, a billion strong work force, diverse languages, landscapes, wildlife, museums, forts, festivals and people. We are a young nation and an ancient country rolled into one.

India has evolved over the years. Somewhere within this process of evolution lies its ticket to success. Just where have we gone wrong is difficult to assess in a short span of time. But I shall attempt to put before you some of my thoughts.
Education tops my list. I hope that one day, like Kerala, all states will be 100 per cent literate. Education will begin the transformation, both from within and the outside. People will begin to see and recognise differences among themselves and then comparisons, which are not always pleasant, will spur them to do better.

While there should be more job opportunities, the attitude to work should change. Today, young people have ample opportunities to explore. We are no longer inhibited in our choices and can be anything we want to be. Our work environment is amazing. In fact, through our younger generation our older generation is also learning to appreciate newer and unheard of options. People are realising what work culture is all about.

I've been fortunate to see so many workplaces over the years and I must say that the look, the people and the energy are very tangible here. We want to do more and we are willing to learn more. As the world outside focuses on India, it does seem to be a good time. But we need a lot of catching up to do. The eighties and the nineties witnessed the brain drain, but today we see a reversal. This is the brain recovery age.

Moving on, poverty is a major millstone around our necks. Perhaps the world of science could find a way out for us. Resources and their management, fuel, energy, water and food are all areas of concern.

One area that touches me dearly is culture and perhaps closer is music. Having been reared on a diet of tradition and continuity, it is difficult living in a modern world with classic values. Yet, I chose to belong to a system, where oral knowledge is passed on from guru to student along with actual music lessons. I am standing at a crossroads. Where do we go from here? How will classical music evolve? There is a deluge of pop and so-called fusion, remix ragas and experimental music out there. Great work is being done. I'm doing a lot of stuff myself. The instant success of any of these, as opposed to the long hours of dedication required in the traditional set up, sometimes stands in the way of progress. I think it is great to imbibe cultures from all around the world, but let's not forget who we are or what we have to offer. We need to be first and foremost, proud of ourselves. It will indeed be a sad day for all of us if our musical traditions that date back more than 5,000 years, is sacrificed at the altar of modernity. While the standard of living may have improved for some, it has worsened for many. Amenities and fast-track development in cities excite us. But, a closer look reveals the true picture, as you don't have to travel far to see that there are many who have no clue about where the world has gone.

I have heard people say that India is going to be a super power. Amen to that. But I also hope that India becomes a super power in terms of humanness, love, peace and tolerance. Values that we all hold sacred. I pray that India will set the benchmark for the entire globe. I hope we are able to show the world that we can do without war and weapons. I also dream of a politically stable, refined and healthy nation! This is the India I want to see. I hope that my music will be all this and more.

music@sarod.com