On Christmas day, 2022, I experienced my very first, very severe, vertigo attack. I woke up with the world spinning around me. I broke into a cold sweat, mouth dry, breathing hard.
I am truly indebted to Dr. Vinaya Chitale-Chakradeo for opening up her hospital for me on a holiday and performing the Epley maneuver. I'd walked in wobbly, palpitating and panicking, and in a few minutes, I felt calm and normal!
Her advice to me was to keep my eyes open and fix my gaze on a steady point. I thought the vertigo experience and her advice were a great metaphor for life itself. When things are chaotic and you feel the world is spinning around you, helpless to stop it, focus on something steady - a loving partner, your child, a hobby, a God, etc and balance will return to your world.
O shower us with joy! 2020 was so painful - stop it already. Wash away my anxieties, help me forget, and bring back joy again. This torment of body and soul needs a powerful cure. Show me the way, don't forsake me, please guide me, across the ocean!
(Raga Des, Teentaal)
Special thanks to Dilip Ranade for the awesome English interpretation.
भूख ल१गी, बड़े जोर की,
खारा न१हीं तो खीर सही!
'नादरंग' १करे बिनती, सुनलों ना, मा१नलों ना, खा लो ना! || १ ||
Meaning
My child, please eat your food! Why are you being cranky?
You are so hungry - if you don't want savory, you can have this sweet 'Kheer'. 'Naadrang' begs of you, please listen to me and eat your food!
This Tarana is a tribute to my cousin Anita Datar, who was killed in the terrorist attacks in Mali on November 20, 2015. She was a wonderful and loving person who worked selflessly and tirelessly to make the world a better place. Her light shone bright and will continue to illuminate and inspire us even though she's no longer with us. May her soul rest in peace.
परभात मिलन की घड़ी आयी ॥ पर आँख आधी रात में लागी ॥ धृ ॥
बड़े कष्ट नींदन भगाई ॥ बड़े जल्दी में भूख दबाई ॥ पल पल की बड़ी लढाई ॥ बड़ा दुःख की वो बिसराई! 'नादरंग' नींद लौट न आयी ॥ १ ॥
Explanation -
I'm dreading an early morning meeting, having slept very late at night. With great difficulty, I shove Sleep off my eyes. In my haste to get ready, I skip breakfast. After all this struggle, I reach on time. .... But she doesn't! 'Naadrang' pleads for Sleep to return, but she doesn't either!
कैसे मैं जाऊं अब, १दिन ढले,
उन बिन ला१गे ना जिया हमारा,
नैन देखत है १बाट पिया की ॥ धृ ॥
श्याम रंग छाया१ है गगन पे,
पिया से मिलेंगे सवे१रे सवेरे,
नैन देखत है १ज्योत दिया की ॥ १ ॥
Explanation
As twilight descends upon the land, so does it descend upon my heart.
I stay awake thinking of you ....
The sky darkens and light fades...
I await daybreak seeking the interim comfort of a candle's flame.
पिया चलो चलो री अब जागो ना ||
दोपहर में कैसी आँख लागी !? || धृ ||
नादरंगीलेनींद के प्यासे ||
दिन दिन भोर तक आँख न लागी! || १ ||
Explanation
My wife's favorite hobby is to wake me up when I am fast asleep."Wake up, dear! Why are you asleep in the middle of the day!?"
My response (and justification for sleeping in the middle of the day)"I am sleep deprived, having been awake till the wee hours of the morning, for many a night! Let me sleep!"
मन तराना गाये तननन ॥
धिर धिर धिर, धिर धिर धिर तों, उमड घुमड घन ॥
ओदानी ओदानी दानी यललोम यललोम ॥
प’ S ग’ म’ रे’ सा’, नि रे’ सा’ रे’ नि सा’ नि ध नि प म प,
ग म रे सा नि सा, रे प म प (नि ध नि सा’ सा’ नि सा’ सा)’ x ३ ॥१॥
मन तराना गाये तननन ॥
बरसत, गरजत, दमकत, झमकत, टपकत सावन ॥
दिन दिन दिन, नागे नागे नागे,
घन घन घन, तिन तिन तिन,
घे घे धिन, घे घे घिन, भिगी भिगी तन (धुमकिटतक धा ति घिं त धा) x ३ ॥ २॥
मन तराना गाये तननन ॥
'नादरंग' छनन नाचे मगन मन ॥
गगन गगन देखो घिर घिर आये ॥३॥
Explanation
This is a "Chatarang". Chatarang is formed by the Sanskrit words "Chatur" meaning "four" and "Anga" meaning "body". A Chatarang is a composition that has four distinct bodies - Bandish, Tarana, Pakhawaj (Bols) and Sargam. This Chatrang is an onomatopoeic description of a rainy day.
The rain clouds, dark and heavy have taken over the sky. Thunder rumbles in the distance, rain drops pitter patter on the ground as lightning streaks across the sky. Today marks the end of a long, hot, thirsty summer!
The heart sings in joy and celebration, accompanied by the drum beats and melody of thunder and rain.
Water rains down in droplets and in sheets, filling the lakes, making puddles sparkle everywhere, soaking everyone's skins.
‘Naadrang’ dances and sings, immersed in bliss, as the dark, heavy sky seems to sag as if to touch the earth!
