Indian Newslink 15th May 2018 Digital Edition

MAY 15, 2018
20 Communitylink
A Unique Chakra brings out the musician in you
Venkat Raman
venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
Aqualified engineer based
in Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
has created an innovative
formula, which he claims
would enable almost everyone to understand
and appreciate two major
forms of Indian classical music,
namely Carnatic and Hindustani
with easy adaption to the Western
format as well.
Ramesh Sarma, who prefers to be
called L S Ramesh, has designed a
unique Chakra that allows people to
identify various Ragas and sing them
or play on Keyboard and Piano.
Music for all
“Everyone, from a child to an aged
person without any previous knowledge
in music can very easily see,
learn and play the ‘Melakarta Ragas
of Carnatic and Hindustani Music.
It would be possible to extend the
knowledge to Western Music,” he
said.
“Children with Autism or Downs
syndrome are very good at identifying
patterns and Music is a language
they understand best. Parents
of such children can learn from this
Chakra and teach,” Ramesh said.
“Research has shown how playing
an instrument helps in brain development.
When a person plays an
instrument, the left and right hemispheres
of the brain get activated
and the motor neurons become
more active to help in sending or receiving
signals,” he said.
Academic Achiever
A postgraduate (MTech) from
Ramesh Sarma with his ‘Sri Saraswathi 72
Melakarta Chakra’
the reputed Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT), Chennai, Ramesh
was urged by a desire to make even
the uninitiated to become proficient
in music.
His Carnatic Music Wheel, titled,
‘Sri Saraswathi 72 Melakarta
Chakra,’ is the result of more than
six years of research, trial and
perfection.
“Most people feel that Carnatic
Music is beyond their grasp. I wanted
to simplify the concept and show
the main Ragas as a visual tool to
easily identify with the entire genre
of music. Carnatic Music is the
mother of all music in the world
and hence it is the focal point of my
innovation,” he said.
From Dots to Melody
Although there are more than
39,000 Ragas in Carnatic Music, 72
have been identified as ‘Melakarta
(Main or Parent) Ragas.’
Ramesh has depicted these 72
Ragas in the form of a Chakra
(Wheel) on which the Ragas are
Ramesh Sarma using the Chakra on Keyboard
(Images Supplied
clearly shown as ‘dots on the
Keyboard.’
“Playing the dots on your
Keyboard will bring out the melody
of the Raga,” he said.
Side One contains 36 ‘Suddha
Madhyama Ragas,’ which have
been categorised under respective
Chakra Heads. For example,
‘Indu Chakra’ has six Melakarta
Ragas, namely Kanakangi, Ratnangi,
Ganamurthi, Vanaspathi, Manavathi
and Danarupi.
“Similarly, other Chakras including
Netra, Agni, Veda, Bana and Ruthu,
with their respective Melakarta
Ragas are depicted with Swara
Stanas as Dots. This pattern of dots
can be seen and played even by a
novice to reveal a particular Raga,”
Ramesh said.
Side Two carries the remaining
36 Prathimadhyama Ragas, depicted
with Chakra names Rishi, Vasu
Brahma, Disi, Rudhra and Adithya,
each comprising six Melakarta
Ragas.
For instance, ‘Rishi Chakra’ has the
Melakartas from 37 to 42.
The following table shows a comparative list of
Carnatic, Hindustani and Western):
Some interesting facts
Ramesh demonstrates some interesting
results of combinations.
“As an example, if
we take Melakarta 29
(Dheerashankarabharanam) and
add 36 to this, we get the corresponding
Prathimadhyama
Melakarta Raga (29+36=65).
Mechakalyani is similar to
Dheerashankarabharanam except
for the MA note. This helps people to
quickly grasp the
Swara Stanas and visualise the
Raga patterns,” he said.
Ramesh has dedicated the Chakra
to the late Dr M Balamurali Krishna,
who lauded his efforts and was
among the first to certify its efficacy.
Among others who have
evinced interest on the Chakra include
Prince Rama Varma, Dr S P
Balasubrahmanyam, Balakrishna
Prasad and other music legends.
FACES Initiative
Ramesh and his wife Sridevi have
established a charitable institution
called ‘FACES,’ an acronym for Food,
Aid, Clothing, Education and Shelter
in aid of orphans.
They have adopted 1000 orphans
in four orphanages located in
Chennai, Bengaluru and Warangal
and donate a part of the proceeds
from the sale of the Sri Saraswathi
72 Melakarta Chakra to them.
“The Charity was honoured with
the ‘REX Karmaveer Gold Medal’
from United Nations on March 23,
2015 at Delhi,” Ramesh said.
Lectures and Workshops
Ramesh regularly conducts
Lectures, Demonstrations and
Workshops on Music and its effects
for corporates, teachers, parents and
students using his Music Chakra.
“Those attending the Lectures and
Workshops understand ‘How playing
music improves IQ and reduces
stress.’ My sessions on ‘Music
Literacy for All,’ and ‘Music and
Brain’ have been well received by
the public. My mission is to make
Music to be easily understood and
learnt by all,” Ramesh said.
Email: faces108@gmail.com;
Website http://www.faces108.com
https://www.youtube.com/
watch’v=jo2-4bKQ8Yw
Have your say on Police Vetting Law
Supplied Content
The government has
sough public opinion
on possible new
legislation to govern
the way Police handle
requests for a background
check on a person’s criminal
record.
“Police receive almost
600,000 requests each year
for a person’s criminal convictions
and other relevant
Police-held information
about them, such as active
charges” Police Minister
Stuart Nash said.
Important Service
“Police vetting is available
to around 10,000 approved
agencies including schools
and sports associations. It
differs from the service provided
by the Ministry of
Justice where any individual
can request their own
criminal history.
“Police vetting is an important
service. It enables
agencies to check that people
who work or volunteer
in roles where they come
into contact with children
or vulnerable people are of
good character.
About Police Vet
A Police vet is a response
from the Police Vetting
Service to a vetting request
comprising a vetting
subject’s criminal conviction
history, if any, as well
as other Police-held information
relevant to the purpose
of the vetting request,
if any. A Police Vet is often
Police Minister Stuart Nash (File Photo)
confused with a criminal
conviction history, which
individuals can obtain from
the Ministry of Justice.
At present, only ‘approved
agencies’ can obtain
Police Vets.
In 2016-2017, the Police
received over 597,000 requests
for a Police Vet from
nearly 10,000 approved
agencies.
According to the latest
figures, just under 13% of
Police Vets are ‘released
with results’ (i.e. Police-held
information is disclosed), as
opposed to just ‘released–no
result’ (i.e. there is no information
to disclose).
No Legislation
“However there is no legislative
framework to govern
Police vetting and it
has led to uncertainty and
some legal risk around the
procedures.
“Police vetting is an important
element of crime
prevention and community
safety and would
benefit from operating
within a legislative
framework.
“New legislation would
provide greater clarity
and certainty about
the purpose and functions
of the Police Vetting
Service and what type of
information may be disclosed.
It would also enable
greater consistency
in the way Police handle
vetting requests and
could lead to greater efficiencies
through less duplication
and timelier
processing of requests.
Public Consultation
Document
Police have released a
public consultation document
to seek feedback
about what the public
and specialist agencies
think about new legislation
for the Police Vetting
Service.
“I encourage anyone
wanting a say on possible
legislation to read the
consultation document
and make a submission,”
Mr Nash said.
The consultation document
and submission
form can be found on
www.police.govt.nz
Submissions close 13
July 2018 and can be
sent to: vettinglegislation@police.govt.nz