INDIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

I am writing this to share with you the joy of starting something new and exciting called the Indian National Orchestra for the first time in India.
Indian music is known world wide for its sophistication in expression, its melodic subtlety and the freedom of improvisation within the scientific boundaries of grammar.
Several Indian musicians have reached international acclaim and have become a musical sensation in the past and the present.
It is surprising though, that in spite of all of this, there is no comprehensive team called THE INDIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA consisting of performing musicians in their prime both from North and South India who can jointly perform Indian Music together and represent India in a national or international event.
This initiative of mine the INO (Indian National Orchestra) has been formed in the year 2011 with the continued ideas and enthusiasm of my friend Girishh Gopalakrishnan, a gen X music director to give its very first performance in Chennai on the 25th of June 2011 at the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha. This will be followed by subsequent performances of the INO in all the major cities of India and abroad.
The INO 2011 will consist of extraordinary talents from pan India covering both North Indian and South Indian classical music forms. This combined collaboration would present what can be called as SHASTRIYA SANGEETH, which is both Carnatic and Hindustani music, but with a contemporary feel. Hence the music presented by INO will truly reflect India, as it is today---diverse in texture and variety, but united in spirit and purpose!
It brings together about 22 artists from both North and South Indian classical music on a common platform. The INO would try and showcase the best of Indian music at national and international level and also seek to acheive unity among Indians through music.

Who is part of INO?
22 artists, 15 different instruments/talents, but one common purpose!
Listed below are the Artistes of INO 2011 (In no particular order):
Veena – Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh
Voice – Abhishek Raghuram
Arrangement – Girishh Gopalakrishnan
Violin – Akkarai Subbulakshmi
Akkarai Sornalatha
Charulatha Ramanujam
Flute – Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar
Naveen Iyer
Sarangi – Murad Ali
Sitar – Rafeeq Khan
Shafeeq Khan
Nadaswaram – Sri Lakshman and group
Thavil - Raja
Mridangam – Patri Satish Kumar
Neyveli Narayanan
Ghatam – Dr.S.Kathick
Kanjeera – Guruprasanna
Tabla – Uday Raj karpoor
Special percussion – Pramath Kiran
Veena artists – Ambarish Amaravadi and Ramya Raghavan

Who Cares!!

Meandering through a psychedelic maze
with actions, words and thoughts all in a haze
i try to cling on to a bubble so transient
which crumbles anyway even as time is resilient

“It isn't my thing” my mind sneers
“who cares”, my heart says amidst jeers...
the sun sets and the moon rises,
the moon sets and the sun rises....

who cares, who cares, it is all a Mirage in a mystic Pace

You judge and you are judged,
You try and you are tried,
Voices far away making no sense in its pretence
does it matter ? this wasteful banter?

Who cares? Who cares? It is all a mirage in a mystic pace

I realise I am breathing and yes, it is real,
I clutch this very moment and yes, it is real,
I free myself from the past and future somehow,
I then realize the real power of NOW...

But who cares, who cares, we are all planning for a psychedelic future....

Mother, Oh Mother!!

Mother, Oh Mother!!

Mother, I am so blessed to see thee in every place I go to,
Though moments I spend with you may be really few,
You take myriad forms and manifest in many ways,
you are beyond a sheer biological link as a link to any race.

I see you in the warmth of my hostess in every country I visit,
I see you in the caring gestures of my friends wherever I travel,
I see you in the eyes of my well wishers that fills up with pride
I see you in the undeserved praise that my fans shower on me

Mother, Oh Mother, you are an emotion, a sentiment, a feeling,
Mother, Oh Mother, you are the warmth given by just anybody in the world,
Mother my dear Mother, you are the care that even a stranger shows on me,
Mother, you are synonymous with the concern that anyone showers on me.

I see you in the God I pray to,
I see you in the good deeds I do,
I see you beyond a physical form
I see you in my heart's calm

Mother is a concept, a way of life, a meaning to love,
A reason to love, a reason to care for your fellow beings,
Mother is more than just one relationship, it is being unselfish,
Mother is a reason to be a better person.........to be human...