Sonic Station

CALLING Occupants of Interplanetary Craft—it might sound a bit off kilter at first, but the popular Carpenters number is a surprisingly...

CALLING Occupants of Interplanetary Craft—it might sound a bit off kilter at first, but the popular Carpenters number is a surprisingly accurate summation of Swiss sound architect Dominique Barthassat’s raison d’être these days. For the last nine months, the 45-year-old pianist and his wife Sylvie have been engaged in the Herculean task of juxtaposing tens of thousands of digital sound files with scientific precision, in order to create a sonorous ‘‘musical cosmic clock’’—a soundscape for the Jantar Mantar, the ancient observatory in Jaipur that was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1726.

After nearly a decade of neglect, the Rajasthan tourism ministry has finally decided to resuscitate its ‘Adopt a Monument’ project, opening the once fiercely protected dominion of heritage preservation to private care. With the Jantar Mantar high on its list of priorities on one hand and Barthassat’s preoccupation on the other, there was enough fodder for a partnership to take seed. After months of negotiation, Barthassat lifted the curtain ever so slightly on his aural masterpiece, giving the state minister for tourism, art and culture, Usha Punia, and the grand lady of Rajasthan, Rajmata Gayatri Devi, a sneak preview of his still-unfolding project.

‘‘There will be 24 carefully camouflaged loudspeakers fitted at regular intervals,’’ says Barthassat, outlining the blueprint of his acoustic design, sounding more the scientist than musician. ‘‘Oh, but it is a science,’’ he insists animatedly, ‘‘for each panel of these Swiss engineered speakers will emit a different piece of music and these will all converge at a central point which I call the Sonic Mandala,’’ he says. So if you’re taking a stroll around the monument during the 2006-07 tourist season, you’re likely to hear the soft tinkling of harps around the Rasivalayas (12 relatively diminutive instruments that represent each zodiac sign) in perfect resonance with belly-rumbling, meditative chants emanating from the deep, spherical hollows of the Jaya Prakash Yantra.

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‘‘It’s important to blend the spiritual meaning and the scientific function of a public space while designing its acoustic environment,’’ Barthassat explains. So his soothing melody line, while borrowing heavily from Western instruments and technology, follows all the strictures of Indian ragas. And that’s not all. Barthassat will also create special lighting effects that will enhance the viewing effect of the monument at dusk and day-break, bathing their solid geometrical facades in rich pinks and blues.

Incidentally, Barthassat is no neophyte in the acoustic design industry. In 1995, at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the United Nations, he got a pat on the back from former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali for his sound installation at the Cedar Tree of Lebanon on the lawns of the UN headquarters in Geneva. Since then, he’s hardly put a foot wrong, designing sound logos for trade fairs, conceptualising sound and light decor for museums and art shows, choreographing fashion shows and even conducting workshops for handicapped children in India and Europe.

‘‘It’s sad to see an architectural wonder fall into such a state of disrepair,’’ he laments, as we stroll around the monument while he simultaneously regales me with minute details of each instrument that only a native raconteur would know. ‘‘If I can do my bit to breathe life into a structure that has long been off the government radar, it’s good enough.’’

But why the Jantar Mantar? Surely there are better options to be had. The Taj Mahal for instance? Barthassat reasons: ‘‘The Taj gets enough attention. Right now, we are in the midst of talks to develop a soundscape for the Rock Garden in Chandigarh. But what really got me star-struck is Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi!’’