On very special request by Varuna whose love for Vincent van Gogh, Starry Starry Night painting and this Song “Vincent” by Don McLean is known well to me for last 5 yrs. So I decided to record this before I slept tonight. I first heard this song in 2002 and have always liked the vivid poetry of…
Category: Anecdotes
VOTE for Varuna – Fjallraven Polar 2019 Varuna says… Being from Kashmir (Himalaya), I look at myself as a mountain goat, doctor, amateur photographer, budding ukulele player, writer, yoga enthusiast, solivagant, and a bibliophile. I’m in love with wilderness. My heart leaps with joy at just a hint of an adventure. I am aiming to be a…
Shyam Venkatramani also known as Shyam Sunder or as I fondly called him, Shyam bhai when I knew him in 2012-13 during my volunteer days at Aurobindo Ashram at South Delhi. A master Mridangam player, amazing on Harmonium and gifted vocals he had. This morning while browsing through my Facebook friends, the infamous “Remembering” tag…
There is an old anecdote that my Father always tells me and my brother. “When you were little kids of 5 and 8 respectively (my brother is 3 years older than me) – people who would visit our house would often ask – who is listening to these ancient songs of Talat Mahmood?”. It turns…
A beginning of exhilarating, informative and adventurous series of write up on Kailash Manasarovar Yatra (250+ kms trek on foot) lasting 3 weeks – that my wife, Varuna undertook last year in July. I’m sharing it verbatim from her website. The original article is at her blog: http://vagrantspaces.blogspot.in/2017/02/kailash-manasarovar-yatra-2016-beginning.html And here we go… PART 1 This is a…
I wrote this short story in 2004 in my cramped yet cozy apartment in Lansing (US) during my student days. My notepad and my pen used to be my only companions those days (before Guitar joined up!) The plot is based in the Kashmir valley. My father was kind enough to offer his editing advice. …
Inspired by Billy Joel’s song “Pianoman” – I tried to recreate the scene and focus only on the old man while taking out the other elements of the original song. I wrote this (revival) version last Summer in Sitla Village, Uttarakhand and finally gave it a shot on my Acoustic Guitar and Harmonica yesterday (Saturday!)….
During my train Journey back to Uttarakhand this week, a lot of things went through my mind as I watched different shades of life zip by from my window; children playing in villages, anxious passengers waiting for their train, indifferent cows grazing without a care, women working in the fields, and so on.. Written &…
Changed strings on my beat up Steel Guitar today and went on a long long Journey while trying to sing this song. My final recording for a while before my next project. An old buddy Justin introduced this song (by Bob Schneider) to me back in 2006, and the song hit me today and I…
I dedicate this song as a tribute to the 23 yr old girl we all came to know as Amanat, Nirabhya (Nirbhaya), Damini, Indian Braveheart who left this earth today on 29th Dec, 2012 after staging a brave 13 day fight against all odds. Sadly, in the end the beastly Injuries her tormentors unleashed on…