Indian Newslink 1st February 2017 Digital Edition

22
Community/Classifiedlink
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
Spiritual healing sways with melody
Dr Phanishree
Scriptures such as the ‘Nada
Bindu Upanishad’ and ancient
Indian texts on Music like
‘Natyashastra (Bharata),’
‘Sangeeta Ratnakara (Shanrangya
Deva)’ and great musicians
of the present times like Ganapathy
Sachchidananda Swamiji, working
for decades on the therapeutic abilities
of Music, have described the musical
abilities and musical experiences as a
process ‘Nada Yoga.’
Ganapathy Sachchidanada Swamiji
uses a combination of the Indian
Ragas based on their aesthetic appeal,
self-composed lyrics (with resonating
seed letters like Om, Aim, Hreem,
Sreem), ‘Jyotisha Shastra’ (astrological
calculations), ‘Mani Shastra’ (healing
energy of crystals and gems) for selection
of appropriate music frequencies
during live music therapy sessions and
in studio recordings.
He also uses bonsai trees relevant
to the musical scale, and specific
bird-related to the Raga, along with
self-improvised combination of
various natural and instrumental sounds
(sampled on ‘His Datta Veena,’ the
synthesiser).
Ganapathy Sachchidanada Swamiji
Great Lineage
Born in the lineage of the great
Venkatamakhi, the musicologist who
popularised the ‘72 Melakartha System’
(parent scales) of Carnatic Music,
Swamiji is a prolific, versatile and
multilingual composer.
His proficiency is explicitly
demonstrated in more than 500 varied
compositions ranging from simple
‘Namasankeertana Bhajans’ to profound
secrets of ‘Vedanta’ accounting for
simple four to eight liner couplets to
elaborate descriptive and contemplative
songs.
Swamiji has employed all avenues
in attempting to explore the mystery
of therapeutic sounds hidden in the
inanimate as well as the animate.
Integration of Nature
He said that the mountains, the
waterfalls, the oceans, the five elements
as well as the flora and the fauna, in fact,
everything around us is full of Nada –
‘Nada Moolam Idam Jagat’ (The entire
universe is full of Nada).
His Kishkindha Moolika Bonsai
Garden hosts nearly 800 species of
Bonsai plants (www.sgsbonsai.org) and
Shukavana Avery (www.sgsbirds.com)
hosts nearly 400 species of birds.
These are testimony to his
experiments in analysing with different
musical sounds emerging from the flora
and fauna and studying the influence of
various sounds on their behaviour.
The Casurina trees at the entrance of
the Garden were brought in a near-dead
state. They were rejuvenated with his
raga Malayamaaruta.
Fruition and growth in some of the
trees has been shown to be influenced by
ragas. Some of the trees are named after
their respective ragas.
More than 200 recorded music albums
of Sri Swamiji have been released by
the Ashram; his hundreds of live music
concerts all over the world have attracted
and influenced the novice and music
scholars.
Millions of transoceanic admirers
and listeners of his music exemplify his
versatility.
Dr Phanishree PV is a Doctor of
Medicine (MD) practicing as a Paediatrician
in Mysore, Karnataka. He also
has a Diploma in Hindustani Flute.
Ganapathy Sachchidanada Swamiji
will present a Meditation and Healing
Music Concert at 6 pm at Dorothy
Winston Centre, Auckland Girls
Grammar School on Saturday,
February 4, 2017.