Free Press
Journal Indore, Saturday, August 2, 2003.
For
a stethoscope he carries a sitar and for medicines he has
the raag and raginis. He knows music heals. No? Experience
and then you will 'feel'. Dr. Chandrakant Sardeshmukh, world-renowned
sitar maestro and disciple of legendary Ravi shankar and
Annapurna Devi, has made music a medicine for many.
'A body is made up of five basic elements. If anyone of
them is disturbed, you are diseased. Music helps align the
elements back,' he says with as much ease as he plays the
instrument, close to him from the last 44 years.
As in the Atharvaveda, there are mantras. An incorrect pronunciation
of it can negate the overall effect. A slight disturbance
from the true path makes you stick to aberration. In due
course of time it becomes a habit and people believe that
the habit is the truth,'he elucidated adding that music
helps unwind but one should have delved into the knowledge
to use it.
A Sanskrit
doctorate in 'Samavedic basis of Indian Music,' the sitarist
said that Samaveda has elaborate description of music and
body. He uses the same in his therapy, which he puts it
as healing without yoga, meditation or medication. 'There
are no complicated procedure in the therapy. I just ask
them to lie down and listen. They themselves come up with
experience, which helps them resolve their problems,' he
said.
Notably, the therapy is being researched in Australia with
Indian music and hospital in Japan, where Dr Sardeshmukh
is now settled, are also using music to reduce physical
symptoms of patients having headache or hypresthesia.
About Indian audience culture, the renowned sitarist emphasized
that they believe that they know it all, which is false.
'Experience first and then establish. In the west they don't
question, they come with a keenness to learn and they succeed
in it,' he said.
And does this Dr Sitar take his own medicine? 'Of course,
if I will not be happy how will I make others happy. Concerts
or no concerts, I always play for Him and remain happy,'
he concludes.
Beyond
languages and barriers.
Talking about irony of cultures, Dr. Sardeshmukh mentioned
that once an officer stating that the instrument he was
carrying was 'imported' stopped him at Mumbai airport when
he flew in from Germany.
Meanwhile, about 1500 students and teachers hung on to every
note he played in a small village in Japan. 'Music has no
language, no barriers, it can join the world and the cosmos,'
he says adding that it belongs to anyone who wants it.
For
a stethoscope he carries a sitar and for medicines he has
the raag and raginis. He knows music heals. No? Experience
and then you will 'feel'. Dr. Chandrakant Sardeshmukh, world-renowned
sitar maestro and disciple of legendary Ravi shankar and
Annapurna Devi, has made music a medicine for many.
