Music of the mountains
JAYARAJ MANEPALLI
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Music and dance featured prominently in the recently held Kalachakra 2006.
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DIVINE MUSIC Buddhist monks play wind instruments at Kalachakra. PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR
The mesmerising sound of music emanating from `Dranyen' the six-stringed Tibetan lute filled the air as thousands of music lovers flocked the venue of Tibetan music festival at Amaravathi in Guntur district. There were dancers in colourful costumes and opera singers at their vocal best at festival organised as part of Kalachakra 2006.
The festival, consisting of various dances and mellifluous folk songs sung to the exotic symphony of the indigenous string, wind and percussion instruments was like a soothing balm for a community in exile.
"Music is a part of every Tibetan's daily life," says Tashi Dhondup Sharzur, one of the well-known Tibetan artistes based in the United States, better known by his childhood nickname, Techung. He has gone around the world sharing the songs of Tibet, and his music finds place in several movies, including the well-known IMAX documentary Everest.
Tibet is known as `The Sea of song and dance' due to the strong influence of music in everyday life of Tibetans. The audience was taken on a cultural tour to the different parts of Tibet.
Bashe, the eastern part of Tibet known for its patronage to dance and music came alive as artistes presented dances of the region. The `Nangma Toeshay' dance, popular in the western and central parts of Tibet and the `Tashi Shopa' or the dance of good luck for all living beings electrified the audience.
Tibetan folk music also includes cappella lu songs, which are distinctively high in pitch with glottal vibrations, as well as now rare epic bards who sing the tales of Gesar, Tibet's most popular folk hero. The music that came out of the `Piwang' a traditional bowed instrument like a violin and `lingbu', a transverse bamboo flute cast their magic spell on the audience.
Youngsters cheered as some artistes presented songs set to the latest music. There were rib-tickling comedy bits presented by Palden and Topsen duo.
Other well-known Tibetan artistes, Phurbu T. Namgyal from United States, Lobsang Palden from Germany, Tsering Thopten from Switzerland, `The Dharma Bums' band founded by songwriter Phil Void in the early 1970's, apart from a host of artistes from Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts gave their performances, which made the festival an unforgettable.
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