Customized Gods

Recently it has been interesting to track the evolution of ideas..one such spontaneous event occured at an unofficial brainstorming session with The Rakhi, The Wild Bull and The Dude (name changed for no reason) ..here is a dedication-

How the market has changed? 

industrial revolution for quantity followed by focus on quality then augmented products and services and now customized solutions (tangible or intangible)..this has been the evolutionary change in product space

How new products and concepts hit market in todays socio-economic landscape and a techno-driven society? 

Firstly capture the IT world..the most penetrative medium to educate or train human beings to accept a change. Advertise on phone, on websites..numb the brain to thinking it isnt a new product..its always been around.

Stage 1 the dice

for every individual customized google homepages..context driven adds..Mont Blancs with initials..shoes with personal signatures..customized jeans..(why did phones get left behind..Nokia Hello????)

And it wont stop within the cyber IT space..thats just the introduction..thats where we get used to a concept remember....Yeah! go ahead..

customize the air we breathe..its not ours to claim so there is room for some muscling to buy the rights and ensuring we get air specially designed for our specific body requirements..maybe after gym we need some extra oxygen..and while sleeping someone else needs much less, who knows this might actually begin something..

Stage 2 the roll

How about Gods..in India as it is there are what.. many thousands? so maybe we have customized Gods, like GOD for Marriage during the December season, GOD for Election especially commissioned every 5 yrs..

With some cheap media gimmicks and publicity stunts..it might even get accepted..considering our enormous potential to digest right about ANYTHING.

and then franchises in Villages..

Something like Mr Birlas Private Temple Limited and every few months some new GODs will be sent to all franchises depending upon regional urgencies..

A GOD for reducing tourist rapes in Jaipur

A GOD for helping the AIDS patients in Calcutta

Here a GOD there a GOD everywhere a DOG GOD

Stage 3 the number

But there is a venture which WILL work..All India Shreks on Phone..

Like calling GOD..call a friend..share your problem and who knows a fresh mind may give a good solution..

such a telephone call might stop suicides..mental traumas..

in a country where fathers are raping daughters..policemen slap their juniors..NGO's are labelled commercially profitable..school kids get beaten to the grave by teachers..we need some SHREK and very soon..

Call "HELP ME" at 18001800*  

*2 Rs /min+maybe some other rates :)

What say THOU loaded ANGELS?

Here is a proof of concept

Hindustani Classical Music

Training and innate talent, both in harmony, produce stellar musical performances. 

I realize today years later that I was in the audience during one such performance when I had just finished high school. Between juggling through the notes and lecture material for university entrance, my otherwise troublesome landlord offered me tickets to attend a classical Indian music concert, to which they were themselves not too keen, at Siri fort Auditorium in New Delhi. It was probably my only 'out of studies' experience for a long time (Hindustani music on wiki).

Frankly, I wasnt too keen since classical Hindustani music was always boring according to pop taste of my age group. My only exposure came from watching a small Indian government promoted video on the TV in 80's - Baje Sargam (Video 6:36). But being the only opportunity for a change, I also remember wearing my best clothes to the event.

The performances of, 

Shiv Kumar Sharma on Santoor 5:05,

Hari Prasad Chaurasia on Flute 3:14,

Ustad Bismillah Khan (recently deceased) on Shehnai 9:14

actually mesmerised me. For some readers the links may do the same, and since then I have heard recordings of many other performers who are masters of their arts in Hindustani Music-

Pandit Ravi Shankar (on Sitar 8:22 , a lesson 8:24),  Ustad Zakir Hussain (on Tabla 4:24), Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi (Vocals, english subs 9:59, male)  and Shubha Mudgal (Vocals, female, other commercial piece 3:35).

Also try an amazing roadside performance of a melancholic sounding instrument called the Tanpura ( Roadside Tanpura 2:08).

The links are of some personally liked pieces.

Another realm which is commercially more popular is the semi classical form. It originated from the inclination of kings towards music being played in their courts during Kathak (meaning story telling. Derived from "Katha", sanskrit story. A popular dance form which today perhaps unknowingly forms the basis of most commercial bollywood dance videos, ofcourse the western influence is unquestioned nowadays, here is a mixture 5:47, also the wiki link). 

Tansen (wiki), is legendary in hindustani music folklore, who is believed to have invoked rains and thunder and lit the wick of a lamp by his singing in the court of Akbar.

For educational purpose - 3 very humble videos on youtube

Part 1 (6:09)

Part 2 (6:22)

Part 3 (5:00)  

Unique text material from introduction to ellaborate databse of videos and mp3 regarding Hindustani Music can be found by a Patrick Moutal here .

For events, concerts, education and other programs related to Hindustani Classical Music visit

ITC Sangeet Research Academy Sammelan (official website), Kolkata, Hyderabad, Annual

Gunitas Sangeet Sammelan, Mumbai-Delhi-Kolkata, Nov -Dec, Annual

Saptak Music Festival (institute's official website), Ahmedabad, Gujarat, January, Annual

Sawai Gandharwa Music festival (wiki) , Pune, Maharashtra, December, Annual

Tansen Music Festival (MP tourism info), Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Nov-Dec, Annual

Dover lane Music Festival (official website), Kolkata, Dec-Jan, Annual

Week long, all night classical music and dance is also on show by the most illustrious performers of India at Khajuraho Dance Festival which is organized at the erotic temples of Khajuraho (MP Tourism info) usually around end of February, annually.