Ancient mantras and modern day melodies through raga rhythm

"Having grown up in Canada, I didn't get a lot of exposure to my own culture. I was singing along to Avril Lavigne and Green Day, and it wasn't until one day I was watching a Bollywood movie that the music caught my attention."

And that's how Aditya (Adi) Chaudhuri's journey to mastering the craft of Hindustani classical music began.

Adi shared his passion for music with a captivated audience on a recent spring evening at the Memorial Park Library branch. Sitting on a purple couch in a lotus position and strumming both the tanpura and the sitar, Adi was the featured artist at the fifth instalment of CBC Calgary's music series called Instrumental Stories.

It was a night exploring the origins of Hindustani music — hailing from northern India.

An ongoing partnership between CBC Calgary and the Calgary Public Library, Instrumental Stories offers an intimate and unique perspective for music enthusiasts, beginners and curious individuals to delve into the history, culture and music of a region. Every month, the audience is invited to experience a new genre, expanding their musical and cultural horizons.

While there are various classical Indian music instruments, such as the sitar, sarod and tabla, Adi's preferred instrument is the tanpura.

"The sound of the tanpura is meditative to me," Adi explained as he closes his eyes and sings an alap, a melodic improvisation in Hindustani classical music, while playing the tanpura.

Dating back to 1000 B.C., this long-necked plucked instrument is the foundation of all Indian classical music. Often adorned by decorative carving, the base of the tanpura is made from pumpkin and typically has four strings. Tuning consists of fifth, octave and tonic. It produces a rich, resonant sound that provides a constant drone.

While playing the tanpura, Adi explained that the notes of Hindustani music are based on a system of scales known as ragas. These ragas consist of a set of seven notes, which are referred to as swaras.

The audience learned the notes of Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha and Ni, and even sang a few melodies with Adi's guidance. 

That's what makes Instrumental Stories special. It's an exploration of music, with a depth and complexity that gives our audience an opportunity to learn, and personally engage with the musician.

On this particular evening, speaking with Tarik Robinson, the host of CBC's Key of A, Adi described the importance of understanding the structure and notes as it sets the frame of reference for any musician who plays Hindustani music. Simple yet complex, the genre can be best compared to jazz.  

If you love music, music will love you back. It is truly a practice.- Aditya Chaudhuri

Both forms of music are improvisational that prioritize creative expression and individuality. Both rely heavily on the performer's skill and ability to interpret the underlying structure and rhythms of the music. 

However, the difference is that the musical notes of Hindustani music are sometimes not transcribed.The rich and vibrant tradition of Hindustani music is steeped in the art of oral transmission, a practice that has been passed down through generations for centuries.

Adi demonstrates his point as he hummed some notes and jovially challenged Tarik, himself a musician, to transcribe the melody. Tarik laughed and shook his head, admitting that the complexity of the Hindustani notes makes it impossible to transcribe in a Western sense.

As Adi played, an older, elegantly dressed woman sitting in the front row beamed with joy. She had a reason.

"He has been my student for 10 years. He is one of my best students," said Dr. Jayashree Bhat, who is Adi's teacher and mentor.

Music is traditionally passed through the generations through mentorship and support. And performance thus takes on an element of paying tribute and respect to those who help keep tradition alive. 

As Adi weaved intricate rhythms on his instrument and the sparkling sequins on his maroon shirt matched the pulsating beat, you could sense his deep connection to the music and those who had preserved and nurtured it for generations.

"If you love music, music will love you back. It is truly a practice," Adi told the audience as they admired his skills.  

In his final song of this special evening, Adi brought to life an ancient Indian hymn through his vocals — demonstrating that music can transcend a combination of notes and rhythms. It is for many a vibrant, living entity that links us to our cultural roots, and to the past, present and future.

Our next Instrumental Stories is on April 27. Singer-songwriter Walter Macdonald White Bear will draw from his Cree ancestry and bring a wealth of songs, both original and traditional, to our stage. You can expect beautiful melodies, a healthy dose of humour and ancestral wisdom.

Register for the session here.