BhimaPaLasi

Rarely can anything compare to the maestro in his element. Pt Bhimsen Joshi performing Raag BhimaPaLasi is par compare. C’est Magnifique. The soaring swaras take me on a flying carpet tour of the musical valleys and mountains. The sublime P' n' S M... S g M, M g M g R S capture the soaring ambition of the human spirit. Listening to it with eyes closed, concentrating on the melodic nuances, I am transported into a transcendental state of complete serenity. I can glimpse the undulating landscape of sound stretching into nothingness. That is one of the few times when I am at peace with myself, one with the world. How can a medley of swaras create such lofty feelings, you may ask. But I cannot answer that. It has to be experienced to be believed. And the strenous initiation is reminiscent more of St. Simeon, The Stylite than the Dummies Guides

Here is how Rajan Parrikar goes ga-ga over this gem of a Raaga
“The ati-madhur and ati-priya Raga Bhimpalasi has the penetrating power to infect the human mind and control it for days and weeks on end. There is as yet no known antidote to the Bhimpalasi contagion. Fortunately, it strikes only those with a mind and so the damage is restricted to a very small fraction of humanity. My first memories of this expansive, orphic rAga hark back to the many bhajani utsavs in Goa I had the good fortune to be part of as a lad in shorts.”

Quintessential America : A Big Ten College Football Game

The biggest event during a typical fall semester is the Saturday morning football game. Especially if you are in Big Ten country, where a 100,000 capacity crowd cheers Ohio State to a smashing victory over Michigan Ann Arbor is nothing out of place. If it’s a game day, then when I go out for my Saturday morning jog, I see groups of yellow T shirted teens opening crates of beer. At nine in the morning, beer is de riguer, only for the game. And the festivities are just beginning.
We set out for the Indiana Hoosiers vs the Minnesota Gophers game and joined the crowd of raucous Gopher fans. The bus makes a special detour to the Metrodome on gamedays. The area is heavily policed , tailgating parties are in full swing. There is the crisp sunshine of a brilliant sunny fall morning We are frisked and let in. The Metrodome ….with a seating capacity of almost 50,000 is a climate controlled indoors arena that would make any cricket fan go ga-ga over its suitability for a match.

A rousing cheer for the homecoming of the Gophers, a special hurray reserved for Bryan Cupito No 3 , the famous quarter back. Then the cheerleaders do their stuff accompanied by the 50 member school band giving a rendition of the ancient school battlesongs. The match begins and passes by in a big blur, wherein we annihilate our opponents to a crushing 64-26 victory. 4 touch downs by Cupito. It is really great that he is back in form.

Go gophers, rah!

Update: Ohio State vs Michigan coming up next week. The Big Kahuna of the Big Ten, of College football itself.