On a peaceful note

Her belief is rocksolid. In its therapeutic powers,its scientific precision and its spiritual effect. Music to classical musician Vinita Gupta is like a prayer,meditative and levitating,something which is in direct communion with the superior being. “Anything melodious is music to me,” says the Panchkula-based singer who’ll be performing at the 32nd Chandigarh Sangeet Sammelan on the evening of October 23 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan,Sector 27.

Trained under Late Dr Sharayu Kalekar and now her sister,Sulochana Brahaspati,Vinita’s musical roots lie in the Rampur Sadarang gharana. Apart from receiving several award for her excellence in music,it’s music in academics that has got her recognition too. In fact,she set up the music department at St Stephen’s School in Chandigarh and feels that children find immense peace once they follow classical music. “Classical music is not for the masses…it’s music of the temples,spiritual and calming,and I’ve had children,especially troubled ones,who have taken to it,and used its as therapy. That’s when I truly realised its healing powers,” says Vinita who feels that it’s extremely important to have music as a proper subject at elementary school level so that children get fine tuned to it. “You’ll notice that unlike other sammelans,we don’t stop children from attending ours. We want them to come,listen to it,enjoy it and feel it.” Indian music is like an ocean,and Vinita’s let down by the fact that western countries appreciate Indian music while Indians ignore their own heritage. “They focus on rhythm and not the musicality. Classical music plays according to scientific precision,in fixed taals like maths tables. It’s a whole exercise,and once you acquire the patience to listen to it,you get hooked to it,” tells Vinita who sometimes experiments variations with her musician son,Vinayak. “To educate people and simplify this form of music,we’ve been holding annual music appreciation classes,and this year these will be held in November,” informs Vinita. So,be there,and at the Sammelan too!