The sublime beauty of Indian ragas

(Piano)

How many times have you
changed a decision

to forgive someone

after being determined not to

with the influence of a tune?

(Piano)

How many situations
have you felt melancholic

and yet good about something?

(Piano)

How many times have you felt

that someone good-looking
felt more beautiful

when the right music played?

(Laughter)

(Piano)

Do the notes matter?

Does the way the scales go up matter?

Does it matter if you have heard
or learned the tune

when you were very, very young --

for it to give you that nostalgic
[transcranial] attraction?

(Piano)

Indian ragas are tried and tested,

and these are the ones I know for sure.

So instead of dissecting [like] in a lab,

why don't we play it,

and check out the results?

(Piano)

Only to close your eyes,

open your hearts --

(Piano)

The first tune is based on Raga Khamas.

It's a very popular Indian tune.

It will be played by [...]

(Music)

(Singing)

Thank you.

(Applause)

Now [Shashaa] will be singing a tune
based on Raga Megh.

Interestingly, there are a lot of stories
on Raga Megh Malhar.

Centuries ago it was sung to bring rains
to a drought-plagued kingdom.

(Music)

(Singing)

(Applause)

Thank you.

[A raga ... ] called [...] in this music,

because [v....] music is mostly
on equal [tempermental] scales,

[as] Indian and Arabic music
has [... ] nuances

in many such ragas in Malkauns.

The ascending and descending of notes
plays a major role

in some of the [Vakra] ragas.

Very few composers have managed
to bring out emotional music and miracles,

heightening the possibility
of compositions.

The next song,

[... ...],

is one such song.

You might not know what it means,

but you can feel sublime beauty
the way it's sung.

(Music)

(Humming)

(Singing)

Beautiful, thank you.

(Applause)

The next song is based
on Raga Charukeshi.

It was written by a Multani poet
from 18th century India.

I think Charukeshi has a power

to connect to the consciousness
in a very empathetic way.

The poem says,

"You can break down a mosque,

you can break down a temple,

you can break down any place of worship,

but you should not break
a believer's heart

because in the heart
is where God really resides."

(Music)

(Singing)

(Applause)

Thank you so much.

(Applause)