The Music Room - A Memoir

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I stumbled upon this book quite by accident in a very unlikely place - on the shelves of the Peoria Public Library, hiding in the non-fiction section! The gorgeous cover and the blurb - from Ravi Shankar, no less - "A must for every musician and music lover" - I checked it out with no hesitation! And I'm so glad I did - "The Music Room - A Memoir" by Namita Devidayal, is an absolute treat - and not just for musicians and music-lovers, but for everyone with a fascination for Indian culture and traditions!!

Namita is 10 years old, when she first reluctantly starts music lessons with Dhondutai Kulkarni, the last eminent singer of the Jaipur gharana and a disciple of two eminent vocalists - the legendary Alladiya Khan and 'Surashri' Kesarbai Kerkar. From a cramped one bedroom flat in the seedy Kennedy Bridge neighborhood, to a spacious bungalow on Shivaji Park and then a nondescript Borivali apartment complex - Namita's unique bond with Dhondutai evolves over a span of 25 years. Dhondutai sees in Namita the potential to become a second Kesarbai, as Namita struggles to find the fine balance between a career and family and her passion for music.

Gracefully written, this memoir left me spell-bound. Namita Devidayal gives the reader a tantalizing glimpse into the enigmatic world of Hindustani classical music - "a world bound in mystifying tradition and irrational obsession", to quote from the book. A brief genealogy of classical music - starting all the way from Bharat Muni, to music of the temples, then moving to the royal courts followed by the Islamic or Persian influence during the Mughal dynasties and royal patronages during the pre-independence era - to the distinct Hindustani and Carnatic styles of classical music we have today - beautifully explained in a lucid manner!

Even more interesting is the information about the music itself - the way the seven basic notes are interpreted so differently in the Western and Indian classical styles, the composition of the ragas, and the cornerstone of Indian classical music - the gharanas and the gurukul pramapara of teaching music! Interspersed with this history of music, are the memories of Dhondutai - her own musical journey, and anecdotes about her gurus. Musical illiterate that I am, I had never heard of these musical giants - and Wikipedia has left me humbled. Truly, what a wealth of information this book has given me!!

Beyond the lofty world of classical music, the author also touches upon social mores prevalent in Indian society - the conundrum of a Muslim Alladiya Khan claiming to descended from a Hindu family, the stigma of being a female singer in the early 20th century, Kesarbai's struggle to establish herself, Dhondutai eschewing the traditional role of a Brahmin woman to embrace her music, the Hindu-Muslim divide - all the way to the bureaucracy and corruption of the government when Dhondutai applies for a flat in the Performing Artist quota! Adding to the local flavor, Namita Devidayal has effortlessly captured the essence of Bombay - and then beautifully juxtaposed it with the serenity of the temples - the Dattatreya temple at Narsimhawadi and the Mahalaxmi temple at Kolhapur!!

At little over 300 pages, this is not a huge book - but it packs an enormous punch! Highly, highly recommended - and not just for connoisseurs of classical music!! Without a doubt, a must-read!! Happy reading!!