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Notes of compassion
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With his latest album of Sai bhajans, Jagjit Singh hopes to reach out to the tsunami-affected
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EVER SINCE the tsunami destroyed the coastlines of India and other South Asian countries, everyone — rich or poor, unskilled or professional — wanted to do their mite to help. If you are an artiste, your art might be the one thing you can offer. Or you might be able to do many things simultaneously. Like the young, able and willing film stars Vivek Oberoi and Rahul Bose, who packed their bags, rolled up their sleeves and got down to the brass tacks of rescue and rehabilitation work. Then again, offering one's art could be a great contribution in itself. As in the case of Jagjit Singh, who has just released an album, Sai Dhun, produced by Sa Re Ga Ma .
It is in simple kirtan form, explains the eminent singer, whose voice has soothed millions of hearts, about the album. "When in trouble, people turn to God.
The purpose (of the songs in the album) is simply to repeat the name of God. Slowly, you forget your grief." Though the album cover shows a drawing of Sai Baba of Shirdi, the eminent singer points out that there is no hard and fast connotation for `Sai Ram'. "Sai is a Sindhi word meaning `Bade Saathi' (Great Friend)."
Of late there has been a spate of performances and other artistic fund-raising ventures, including the television shows. So many that one begins to wonder how much of it is driven by practical considerations and how much by ego or material concerns. Talking of the televised `Nites', he says "the TV people too should donate something. When we give normal shows, we charge something like Rs.25 lakhs. So they raise the money to cover the costs, don't they," asks the ghazal king, who is already set with his new, still unnamed, album of ghazals due to release next month. The proceeds of the album will go towards tsunami relief.
ANJANA RAJAN
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