Latest Art & Culture
Killing one softly with the Mohan Veena, meet Poly Varghese
With films ubiquitous in India, Varghese has scored background music for several Bengali films, and Malayalam works such as Jeevan Massai (2001) and Kalavarkey (2003).
By Shruti Kaushal
“Music is the literature of the heart, it commences where speech ends.”- Alphonse de Lamartine
When asked to interview Poly Varghese, the world’s finest Mohan Veena player, I knew nothing about him. Mohan Veena? Yes, a veena fashioned out of the slide guitar? Research is an integral part of every writer’s work and now it was time to look up Mr Varghese. The very first thing I did was look him up on all social media platforms. Facebook? Check! Instagram? Check! Spotify? Check! Twitter? Check! Little did I know that in researching the musician, I’ll fall in love with an instrument I had never heard of before.
While I was preparing the questions for this disciple of Grammy Award winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, I got Zsa Zsa Zsu. If music is food for the soul, I was ravenous. Poly Varghese, the long-haired musician, with glasses on (saw his pictures and videos on Instagram) shared his wealth of knowledge with APN.
“Music is an emotional interpretation of our soul. All things belong to silence and sounds are the translation of silence. So, music is a combination of sound and silence. The continuous sound will be noise, but between two sounds and two noises, if there is a gap, that beauty is music. For me, music is the interpretations of my inner God and my inner silence,” Varghese said.
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What is a musician without a guru? When it comes to an Indian musician, it is said that a disciple should abide every moment by the guru’s guidance/ do whatever the guru wishes. The guru-shishya parampara is a centuries-old tradition of teaching that demands complete surrender to the guru, and a lonely meditation and practice of the music form.
On his guru Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and how he inspired him to pursue Mohan Veena full time, Varghese said, “Guruji treats me like his son and I am the luckiest person to be his senior disciple. He is a highly dedicated and lovable person. When he plays Mohan Veena, it feels someone is talking and he is continuously talking to me through his music.”
“I remember, he heard me while I was practising. He said I can be better and preach my destiny without him. He converses with me through his music and I met my destiny,” he said.
Reminiscing the time when he first discovered the Mohan Veena, Varghese said, “I heard the instrument in a TV show for the very first time and I was stunned. I saw Vishwa Mohan Bhatt performing and I wondered who is this man. At that moment, I felt Mohan Veena is my instrument and I want to learn this instrument.”
“Mohan Veena made me more lovable and understanding. It has taught me the language of love and how to become a good lover of humanity and mankind,” he said.
With films ubiquitous in India, Varghese has scored background music for several Bengali films, and Malayalam works such as Jeevan Massai (2001) and Kalavarkey (2003). And we cannot deny that Indian Pop culture is overpowering regional music industries and Indian classical music for that matter. Varghese explained Indian pop music and said, “Pop music does not have any identity without any kind of raga system. Whether it is pop or jazz, these music forms are inspired by folk tradition.”
“When it comes to classical music, it has extraordinary energy and no other form of music can beat that. Indian or Hindustani classical is enriched as it has all kinds of traditional music like folk, nomadic, and Sufi,” he said.
With the rising trend of music meeting technology, promoting songs and putting them out for a larger audience has become hassle-free. Apps such as Spotify, Amazon Music, and others have provided a platform for musicians across the world to earn revenue, however a pittance it is, and have also influenced the Gen Z and Millennials to discover music, irrespective of geographical barriers.
Varghese believes the internet is the innovation of science that has given us such platforms to understand, listen to, and sell ourselves. “Spotify and Amazon are such platforms that give artistes an opportunity to sell their products. People who may not know but can listen and appreciate your work. We don’t know if we will get any chance to travel and collaborate. However, these applications have opened the gates for such things,” he said.
“I jammed and collaborated with several music maestros and everyone has reverence for not only the traditional Indian music but for the Indian music industry as a whole which includes Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Hindi, and others. This is the power of applications like Spotify and Amazon,” he further added.
The 52-year-old Varghese has also performed in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in theatres. According to him, in theatre, there is only one possibility unlike performing on the screen. There is only one frame in a film but in theatre, one’s expressions are loud and need improvisation, he said.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Poly Varghese suffered a heart attack. He remembers he was about to fly to the United States for a concert when the coronavirus was rampant across the world. Unfortunately, Varghese had to cancel the trip and went a few notches down mentally. The trauma was real. “I was in Chennai that time and jammed on Zoom calls with Grammy musicians. Confined inside the four walls of the house, my health deteriorated. I moved to Wayanad in Kerala for a couple of months and suffered a heart attack one night,” he said.
“I was taken to the hospital but refused to go through any surgery because I wanted a natural death. After I recovered, I felt I got a new life. I played 72 Carnatic ragas on the Mohan Veena and also finished a novel after recovery,” Varghese added.
Poly Varghese has led a nomadic life and celebrated music. He collaborated with Salsa musicians from Cuba, a group of Iranian and Moroccan musicians for a Moroccan radio station project, and musicians from the Amazon. A poet, a musician, and an actor.
Look him up on Spotify or Amazon or elsewhere, thank me later!
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Art
Tamil Nadu: Artist designs a 1.5 inch tall model of Chandrayaan 3 using 4 gm of gold
According to a video shared on X, the talented miniature artist from Tamil Nadu, Mariappan, has ingeniously fashioned a 1.5-inch tall representation of Chandrayaan-3, utilizing 4 grams of gold.
An astonishing video showcasing a miniature gold model of Chandrayaan-3 has left viewers in awe. The footage, shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), highlights the craftsmanship of Mariappan, an artist based in Coimbatore. In the video, Mariappan meticulously crafts a 1.5-inch tall replica of Chandrayaan-3, complete with a miniature Indian flag.
According to a video shared on X, the talented miniature artist from Tamil Nadu, Mariappan, has ingeniously fashioned a 1.5-inch tall representation of Chandrayaan-3, utilizing 4 grams of gold. Chandrayaan-3’s Lunar Lander Vikram is slated for a soft landing on the moon on August 23rd.
Mariappan revealed that he employs gold to create miniature models during significant events. In this instance, he designed this remarkable model using 4 grams of gold as a tribute to the dedicated scientists involved in the Chandrayaan-3 endeavor. Crafting the miniature took him 48 hours of meticulous work, as he expressed his pride in this achievement for every Indian.
The post, which was shared just a few hours ago, has already garnered nearly 19,000 views and continues to attract attention. A flurry of comments flooded in, with some offering inspiring words, others marveling at the creation’s magnificence, and many expressing their admiration with heart emoticons.
According to ISRO reports, the Indian spacecraft has come closer to the moon and is preparing for a landing attempt at the lunar south pole. Launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, Chandrayaan-3’s journey has reached a crucial stage. A senior ISRO official noted that the final landing maneuver is complex, with the decision to proceed made two hours prior to the scheduled action. This decision can be delayed if unfavourable conditions prevail.
The official further shared that if the landing is postponed, Chandrayaan-3’s operational time on the Moon might be reduced from the intended 14 Earth days to around 10 days. This implies that the lunar south pole landing of Chandrayaan-3 could potentially occur on August 26 or 27.
Art
Watch: Group of Kathak dancers perform to the tunes of Calm Down
Renowned dancer Kumar Sharma took to YouTube to share this remarkable creation, showcasing a group of Kathak dancers moving gracefully in harmony with the melodies of Calm Down.
The captivating and soothing melody of Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomez has resonated deeply with fans all around the world, prompting numerous enthusiasts to share videos of themselves joyfully dancing to its rhythm. Recently, an awe-inspiring video surfaced on social media, featuring a group performing a mesmerizing Kathak dance routine to this chart-topping track. The enchanting allure of the performance is such that you might find yourself watching it repeatedly, perhaps even swaying along.
Renowned dancer Kumar Sharma took to YouTube to share this remarkable creation, showcasing a group of Kathak dancers moving gracefully in harmony with the melodies of Calm Down. The ensemble cast includes dancers such as Kumar Sharma, Anmol Sood, Rahul Sharma, Eshika Choomer, Meghna Thakur, Khushboo Gupta, Smriti Bhandari, Jidnyasa Kurtadkar, Nandini Sonavane, Enakshi, Yogesh Thombre, and Hriday Parash Kalita.
Unveiled on YouTube on August 4, the dance video has rapidly garnered over 22,000 views and continues to draw in a growing audience. A comment from a YouTube user resonated with enthusiasm, describing the choreography and execution as mind-blowing. The creative prowess demonstrated by Kumar and the Kathakrockers group in their interpretation of Kathak is truly remarkable. Their consistent excellence never fails to impress, consistently offering performances that are invigorating and bring smiles to faces. The admiration for their work is resounding, and the encouragement to continue the exceptional efforts is heartfelt. Three cheers for Kumar and the Kathak rockers!
Another commenter echoed a sentiment of precision, perfection, coordination, and seamless flow. They noted the absence of any misalignment in movements, and how each member’s speed harmoniously synchronized, a testament to the collective excellence of this accomplished group of artisans. The acclaim continued with a third person joining in, expressing awe at the meticulously composed brilliance of the performance. They were left virtually speechless by the impeccable choreography and the tabla’s flawless beats, appreciating the visual delight it offered.
Art
Social media hails artist who creates shadow portrait of Virat Kohli
In the video, Mourya dedicates three days to meticulously assembling a stack of matchboxes and thin wooden sticks, skillfully wielding a glue gun to bind them together. Once the masterpiece is completed, he places the intricate sculpture in front of a light source, resulting in a breathtaking shadow that remarkably resembles a portrait of Virat Kohli.
In today’s world dominated by digital art, it’s a delightful surprise to discover artists who embrace unconventional methods. Shintu Mourya is one such artist who recently gained attention for his extraordinary shadow portrait of former Indian cricket captain, Virat Kohli. What sets this artwork apart is that it was crafted solely using matchboxes and wooden sticks. A viral video showcasing the entire process of creating this remarkable shadow art has captivated audiences worldwide, and it’s easy to see why.
In the video, Mourya dedicates three days to meticulously assembling a stack of matchboxes and thin wooden sticks, skillfully wielding a glue gun to bind them together. Once the masterpiece is completed, he places the intricate sculpture in front of a light source, resulting in a breathtaking shadow that remarkably resembles a portrait of Virat Kohli.
The video, shared on Instagram on June 9, has since garnered immense popularity, amassing over 12.5 million views and more than 1.6 million likes. The post has sparked an influx of comments, with many users expressing awe at the artist’s remarkable talent.
Some users expressed their wish for Virat to witness this masterpiece. Others praised the artist’s unique talent and prayed for his continued success. The artwork was even referred to as a treasure, with one user hoping that Virat would have the opportunity to see the magic behind it.
However, not all users shared the same sentiments. Some suggested that the artist should refrain from gifting his creation to Virat, as they believed that the value of art may not be appreciated. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority marveled at the artist’s exceptional skill and expressed a desire to share the story widely, hoping it would eventually reach Virat Kohli himself. One social media user even suggested that the artist should make portrait of Shri Ram and Lord Krishna
