Navroz/ Nowruz Mubarak – Triumph of Light over Darkness: Celebrating Healing and Peace – Dr Navina Jafa

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Navroz, a Persian tradition, celebrates renewal and unity. The Fire Festival signifies purification and spring’s arrival. The Haft Sin table symbolizes prosperity and rebirth. Let’s embrace Navroz’s message of peace and hope. Navroz Mubarak to all!

NAV ROZ Shah-Abbas-I-receiving-Vali-Muhammad-Khan-of-Bukhara-Chehel-Sotun-Isfahan

In a world often marred by anger, complaints, and regrets, the celebration of Navroz emerges as a beacon of hope, reminding us of the universal need for healing and peace. As Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon aptly stated, “Nowruz transcends national borders, religious divides, and other differences to unite communities with bonds of goodwill. Such a common purpose can help humanity rise to this moment in history.”

Photograph by Oriane Zerah who quotes: “‘’ Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.’’ Rainer Maria Rilke

Navroz, originating from the Persian tradition, begins with Chaharshanbeh, or Scarlet Wednesday, a precursor to the main festivities. This Iranian Fire Festival celebrated on the last Wednesday of the Persian calendar, marks the onset of Navroz. Bonfires illuminate the evening skies as people joyously leap over flames, symbolizing a purification rite and the triumph of light over darkness.

Chaharshanbeh – Fire Jumping –

The essence of Navroz lies in its alignment with the Vernal Equinox, heralding the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Falling in the first month of Farvardin in the Persian calendar, Navroz signifies renewal and rejuvenation on both a natural and personal level. Reflecting on my experiences, I recall wandering through the quaint town of Udvada in Gujarat, near Daman.

Faravahar in Udvada

Udvada is a central pilgrimage site for Parsis. The sacred fire of Iranshah has burned since the 18th century, a testament to the community’s enduring spirit amidst migrations from Iran. This town is adorned with symbols of Faravahar, a winged sun disk representing spiritual protection.

Kahane Tekani – Cleaning of the Persian Rugs

Navroz is a festival of family bonding and reaffirming goodness within humanity. Traditionally, rituals such as spring cleaning, fire-jumping, and laying the Haft Sin dining table abound. The ritual of “Kaneh Tekani,” or cleaning Persian rugs, epitomizes the season’s cleansing spirit, as households engage in thorough cleaning rituals, including the rugs’ beating, rinsing, and airing.

Table Laid out as Haft Sin

Central to Navroz celebrations is the Haft Sin table, adorned with seven symbolic food items, each beginning with the Persian letter “S.” These include:

Sabz (lentil sprouts)

Samanu (wheat pudding)

Senjed (a fruit akin to olive)

Serkeh (vinegar)

Seeb (apple)

Seer (garlic

Somagh ( crimson Flowering fruit-berry used as a spice)

Additionally, the table features coins, goldfish, mirrors, candles, and painted eggs, symbolising prosperity, life, reflection, illumination, and rebirth.

The Mughal Emperors on Navroz

Immersed in the festivities of Navroz, let us embrace its profound message of healing, renewal, and peace. In a world fraught with challenges, Navroz serves as a timely reminder of our collective ability to overcome darkness and usher in the light of hope and unity. Navroz Mubarak to all as we celebrate the triumph of light over darkness.

#festival #navinajafa #navroz #parsi

A Note on the Author

Dr. Navina Jafa, a historian and an accomplished Kathak Classical dancer, embarked on a profound journey to explore the essence of India through extensive travel, detailed research, and meticulous curation. With a deep passion, she shares India’s rich cultural mosaic with a diverse audience through her heritage walks and insightful academic tours. Dedicated to fostering sustainable and responsible cultural tourism, her work emphasizes heritage cultural skill mapping. She develops innovative strategies to offer immersive cultural experiences encapsulated in the unique concept of ‘Performing Heritage.’ Additionally, Dr Jafa leads capacity-building workshops focusing on integrating grassroots heritage- skilled communities into the wider domain of heritage tourism.

Vignettes that define the Ramzan month

Navina Jafa

(Published in The Hindu May 28, 2018 )

WITH A PRAYER ON PARCHED LIPS

As Delhi warms up to yet another scorching Ramzan, here are some interesting vignettes that define the month for the faithful and the flawed

Pirzada Sayed Hasan Nizami: Head Priest of
Sufi Hospice: Hazrat Nizamuddin

For 29 days Muslims all over the world fast to discipline their mind and body in the auspicious month of Ramzan whose root word “ramids” means scorching heat against which is the challenge for the believers to fast from sunrise to sunset. When one hour remains to break the fast, palpable ardour fills the air as crowds of people organise foods in plates prominent among which are dates, water and cut fruits, spaces such as courtyards of some Sufi shrines and mosques like the Jama Masjid are lighted, and even cannon balls are shot to symbolise the break of fast every single day of the sacred month.

Against this backdrop are punctuated enthralling tales of historical-sociological events and anecdotes in Delhi. Mirza Arif, a descendant of the Mughals, a well known poet narrates, “Roza Kushai is the first fast that a child undertakes when he is old enough signalling that he is grown up to participate in an act of religious devotion. It was tedious to remain hungry throughout the day, but as the fast drew to a close, I remember becoming extremely excited. I wore new clothes and was adorned with a kanthi (garland made of jasmine and roses), a large silver plate decorated with a number of small bowls with different foods meant for a member of the family and other neighbours were placed before me. When I broke the fast, the bowls were sent to different houses and each person then put his gift money for the child in the silver plate. This custom not only saved money from feeding a whole meal to a large number of people, but the ritual generated money for the child and his family, served to create a brotherhood in the community and inspired other younger children to fast.”

A Ramzan Heritage Walk: 1995

Interesting connection

Interestingly, both the First War of Independence of 1857 and the August of 1947 fell in the month of Ramzan. My journey researching the intangible history of Delhi revealed stories and events linked to the month. References to Ramzan in 1857 are rare but there are some people’s poems in basti Nizamuddin which were recited by late Khwaja Hasan Nizami Sani, head caretaker of the shrine referring to the mutineers entering Delhi in the month of Ramzan. This poem forms a part of oral history in the event of 1857 that was presented by the community of the neighbourhood as part of a local fair called Tesu Ka Mela.

The traditional neighbourhood mohalla Suiwalan in Old Delhi is where even now live several musician families among whom is the home of Ustad Iqbal Khan — Khalifa of Delhi Gharana of music. Quoting from his uncle’s diary, Iqbal Sahab narrated that in August 1947 some musicians gathered for meditating through music where the famous sarangi artist of Delhi Bundu Khan decided to play raga Deepak. Other artists tried to prevent him from playing the melodic mode which is known to ignite heat and anger, they pleaded that playing the raga will only serve to augment the violent energy already present in the environment. Ignoring, Bundu Khan started playing as if in deep prayers, others around him also became bewitched. The mehfil (gathering) ended only when it was time for sehri or pre-dawn meal, however, the musicians saw actual fires burning the neighbourhood. As a form of self-punishment, Bundu Khan went to Pakistan while Chand Khan remained with his family in India.

Breaking Fast in the Jama Masjid, Delhi

Ramzan in the Dargah ( Sufi Hospice) in Maqdoom Sahab, Mandvi, Kutch, Gujarat

Hazrat Nizamuddin, the most popular of the Sufi mystics of Delhi, believed that Ramzan for him was not limited to one month, but its essence of practising discipline and restraint was meant for all days in the year. Vegetarian, he ate leftover rotis from the langar (community kitchen) dipped in water in the pre-dawn meal and fasted every day, says Syed Nizami heir of Khwaja Hasan Nizami.

The 17th day of Ramzan is celebrated as the Urs (or death anniversary) of Nasiruddin Muhammad Chirag-e-Dehli. “My Pir Khawaja Hasan Nizami Sani took it on himself that he will organise opening of fast at the Dargah in Chirag Delhi. Once when he went to prepare for Ramzan, he found that the ceiling of the tomb of Maulana Zainuddin, nephew of the saint, needed repairs. There were two costs to be met – organising the meals for the fasting people and for the ceiling. Money was not enough. Khawaja Sahab was restless and worried, when just a few days before Ramzan, his student from Botswana came and presented him with a diamond ring. Khwaja Sahab told his disciple to never look for the ring on his fingers since it was meant for another good deed.”

Historical anecdotes along with real time facts provide unique windows to the month of Ramzan in Delhi. For instance, while one is confronted by the vivid descriptions of streets, and small eateries around Jama Masjid in Old Delhi there are other cultural aspects which are normally not considered. In the area of the mosque are about 50-60 traditional professional calligraphers who do not see much future through calligraphic skills for lack of job work. Their average income per month is ten to fifteen thousand which includes supplement work of giving tuitions in calligraphy. However, as Ramzan approaches their job work and income increases with commissioned work to produce creative and attractive ritual calendars.

There is a saying that in Ramzan, shaitan (devil) is locked in a room, and all other doors are opened to bring in energies of paradise. Ghalib, known for his wit as much for his writings, was once playing chess in a closed room when a friend entered and reminded him that it was Ramzan and such vices were to be done away with during this period. Ghalib replied that it was in this very room that the devil was locked!

#navinajafa #ramadan #delhi #sufi #dargah #olddelhi

Flowering Dignity Amidst Conflict

Navina Jafa

 Tulips in Lodi Garden – New Delhi

Recently, Tulips have captivated the imagination of several Indian cities, particularly Delhi, the powerhouse of India..  There is investment in projects in India to grow the bulb, and indigenise the flower. Delhi, now has a Tulip festival! The flower has a fascinating history.

Tulips in Mughal Gardens of Nation’s President’s House

In recent times, the alluring beauty of tulips has entranced Indians, and Delhi, the powerhouse of India has taken the lead to celebrate Spring with Tulips.

However, what very few know that the initiative on Tulips in the power of the city began with first lady Usha Narayanan, wife of K.R  Narayanan, India’s tenth president. ” I remember that the first Tulips to be introduced in ( Mughal) gardens of Delhi followed the initiative taken by First Lady Usha Narayanan in Rashtrapati Bhavan. She requested the visiting Dutch PM for the bulbs. It was doubtful that they would grow Delhi’s weather. The Dutch PM sent about 300 bulbs which were planted on the periphery of the Mughal gardens…..they bloomed and the rest is history !” Said, Shumsher Sheriff , who served as Joint Secretary to the president then.

Not only has India invested in projects to grow the bulb and indigenize the flower, but it has also gone ahead and organized a magnificent Tulip festival in the capital city! The onset of Spring in India is marked by the “Vasant Panchami” festival, and this year, Delhi took on a kaleidoscopic background in the form of the second Delhi Tulip Festival. With over 2,00,000 tulip flowers blooming at over sixty locations, the central diplomatic road of Shantipath saw rows of vibrant tulips lined up, creating a mesmerizing sight. This initiative, which has spanned for some years now, is a part of the flora diplomacy between India and the Netherlands. While the initial flower bulbs came from the Netherlands, this year, the city’s Lieutenant Governor declared that the bulbs were nurtured and procured from Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh, who have now invested in the Tulip economy. The Tulip Festival, with its holistic approach, aimed at showcasing the heritage of a flower that has a history of power, religion, economics, and beauty amidst conflict zones. Tulip walks amidst banners on the Shantipath road illustrated the history of the Tulips and their significance. There were other interactive activities such as photography competitions and musical renditions, adding an extra layer of charm to the festival.

Queen of Sheba Tulip – National Flower of Afghanistan

Surrounded by a fascinating history, the Tulip stands amidst the Himalayan conflict zones of Afghanistan and Kashmir. It is a symbol of human resilience and human dignity. The Tulip carries an intriguing economic heritage from the Ottoman Empire to the Dutch Renaissance, illustrating the first major financial bubble. Presently, it is a visual phenomenon for flora tourism, which is placed as a lucrative commodity. Most of all, for the man in the seams of turbulent existence, the Tulip symbolizes hope and fuel to the human spirit. 

Tulip in the Conflict Soil 

Floral – Tulip – Calligraphy

Farhad and Shireen

The Persian tragic romance of Farhad and Shireen has Tulips emerging from the drops of Farhad’s blood that appear after he commits suicide on learning of his beloved’s death. The flower stands for martyrdom and selfless love. The tragic story is retold by Georgians, Parsis, Afghans, Kurds and many other communities. 

HISTORY

TULIP, TURBAN  AND SULEMAN THE MAGNIFICENT

The etymology of the three-petaled flower is ‘’Turban’. It is the national flower of Afghanistan, where the Black Tulip has gained contemporary relevance.

The Tulip is representative of the historical consumerist commodity culture. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Tulips were part of the interregional trade and growth of commerce both in the non-western Ottoman Empire and the phase of the European Renaissance heralding modernity. Tulips in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) included floral – market channels comprising shops, footpath sellers, pushcarts, bazaars, and gardens. The players in this network had merchant guilds, governments, and research institutes. The Tulip phenomenon impacted popular culture; it integrated into fashion and decorative arts and depicted an elite status.

 Indigenously grown in Central and West Asia, Tulip fever gained momentum in the 16th century.  At the Ottoman Empire, an Austrian ambassador, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, observed the energetic markets related to the interregional floral trade and vibrant living consumption culture. Tulips were traded to Europe as exotic plants. Alongside the Ottoman’s introduction, several legislative decrees were introduced to augment new flower markets.

Tulipmania- The First Financial Bubble:

The Turkish Sultan, Suleman the Magnificent, presented De Busbecq with Tulip bulbs to take to Vienna. The latter, in turn, gave them to Charles de l’Écluse or Clussious. In the 1590s, Clussious was invited to teach at Leiden University in the Netherlands. There, he planted the bulbs and conducted several experiments as director of the botanical gardens. 

1563 CE. “Turkish onion blossom”, bloomed in the garden of a merchant who mistook it to be an onion in Antwerp, the Low Countries.

The 17th-century Dutch History called the Tulip Mania represents an expeditious rise in demand and prices against the low supply of Tulips. Anne Goldgar argues in her book ‘Tulipmania’ that the economics around the flower is illustrative of the first major financial bubble. The Tulip became famous for several reasons. For example, it has a rare spontaneity to change colours. After the bulb remains in the ground and emerges only in the spring, people cannot comprehend why no one flower remains the same. The Tulip became more and more exotic and a symbol of upward mobility and higher social rank. People even poured red wine to get Red Tulips. Investors began to madly purchase Tulips, pushing their prices to unprecedented highs. The average price of a single flower exceeded the annual income of a skilled worker and cost more than some houses at the time. And soon, there was a crash. 

The Tulip period, the first quarter of the 18th century in Turkish History, was one where the oriental empire reached out to connect with the West. There was an inter-regional Tulip trade and culture representative of the initial modern consumer culture.

Intriguing Historical Vignettes 

Tulips are edible and are used in salads. During the Second World War, the nutritious but bland Tulip bulb saved many lives in the Dutch famine called “Hongerwinter”.

Hongerwinter – THE DUTCH FAMINE

The flower has both cosmetic and medicinal uses. In 1980, the Red Tulip became the symbol of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Van der Wereld was a Dutch horticulturalist with Parkinson’s disease. He developed a red and white Tulip called the ‘Dr. James Parkinson’s Tulip was in honour of the English surgeon who originally described Parkinson’s in 1812.

Says Afghan Sonia Nassery Cole, maker of the film ‘Black Tulip’ Afghanistan’s entry at the Best Foreign Language Film (2011) Academy Award, “North Afghanistan in the Hindukush Mountains is the only place in the world where fields of the true black Tulips found. Many people have taken the bulbs to other countries, but no other soil has given truly Black Tulips. They represent the persona of an Afghan who is, despite everything, filled with pride, hope, and resilience.” There are two stories linked to the Afghan Black Tulip. Cole narrates, “ A young Afghan boy bravely fought the Soviets. He was killed. His family found a Black Tulip tattooed on his chest. The flower is delicate and resilient, and the petal colour forms a permanent stain. It has become a ritual among Afghans to mark the body of martyrs with the Black Tulip flower. In the 1970s, during the Soviet occupation, the helicopters called Black Tulips were in charge of picking the corpses of the Soviet soldiers lying in the fields.”

Kashmir

As summer dawns, The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Kashmir, the largest Tulip Garden in Asia, welcomes visitors to fields of colourful flowers.

Despite the politically contentious situation in Kashmir, the Spring has arrived, and the Tulips are set to bloom. In 2012, while Samina walked the brilliant flower fields of the Srinagar Garden, her father back home was bent embroidering shawls. “He will get 1500 rupees for the entire shawl. I get more by taking some women tourists around the Tulip garden,” said young Samina. The garden provides an avenue of growth in the conflict-ridden region where jobs and shrinking agricultural land are critical socio-economic issues. Cultivation of flowers offers more significant profits than traditional farming. They require far less land and add to an early season of tourism in the state. Yes, even between the socio-political uncertainty in Afghanistan and Kashmir, the Tulip could provide the potential for unique soft diplomacy of floral trade and cultural skills. 

Flora – Popular Culture, Arts and Religious Symbolism

 

TULIP IN AN OTTOMAN GARDEN

Turkish History: History illustrates the flora culture of Tulips and other flowers. Flowers came to be part of the vocabulary of Turkish decorative arts. Floral and vegetal motifs, styles and designs were used by courtly artists. Ranging from Tulips, there were carnations, lilies, roses, and hyacinths, among others, seen in ceramics, carpets, fabrics, wall tiles and other decorative and textile arts for everyday consumption. Literary and religious energies captured flowers in poetry and symbolism.

Spiritual Symbol

The Turks called Tulips Laleh, derived from the Persian word Lale. The sound has an aural and orthographic essence of the word Allah. The Tulip gained importance as a spiritual symbol. Linked with the doctrine of Monotheism, the seed of the Tulip blossom emerges from only one branch. The Ottoman Sultan used the flower as a talisman against evil.  

The Tulip Gardens of Kashmir, the Netherlands and other countries present an idiom of coloured hope. Even in an environment of conflict, one recalls the famed romantic Bollywood song- “Dekha Toh yeh khwab toh yeh sislsile hue  (The view of the blooming fields becomes the dream of elusive affairs). Tulips bloom in Spring as windows to paradise; standing upright, the single flower will not bend until the last leaf blows away. It is perfection, pride, and metaphorically inspired human dignity.  

“As then the Tulip for her morning sup

Of Heavenly Vintage from the soil looks up

Do you devoutly do the like till Heaven

To Earth, invert you – like an empty Cup!” Rubaiyat – Omar Khayyam 

PUBLISHED IN THE HINDU AS : FRAGRANCE OF METAPHORS:  A flower could many things in the creative realm. March 19,2020

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Annapurnadevi – Yogini Musician

Navina Jafa

Published in The Hindu on October 26, 2018, as  ‘Legacy of a Yogini’

For the past five decades, Annapurna Devi, renowned as an extraordinary musician, chose the path of a Yogini over the allure of the stage. Amidst her multifaceted worldly identities—the forsaken first wife of Pandit Ravi Shankar, the daughter of Baba Allauddin Khan- the Founder of the Maihar Senia Gharana, the sister of the maestro Ali Akbar Khan, one of the pioneering women from a traditional musical lineage to master the revered Surbahar, and a mentor to several acclaimed musicians like Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Nikhil Banerjee—it was perhaps her withdrawal from the limelight and the haunting image of being the tormented spouse of the larger-than-life success of Ravi Shankar that piqued curiosity and prompted an investigation into her enigmatic life.

Learning from her Father and Guru – Baba Alauddin Khan

This tribute is based on a series of conversations with Nityanand Halidpur, her pupil. This flautist assumed the role of her caregiver in 2013 after the passing of her second husband, Roosikumar Pandya. “Guruma’s unique prowess was first noticed by her father and Guru. She had a penchant for singing Raga Malkauns. One day, Baba observed that as she sang as a young child, the leaves of a Pipal tree started rustling on a windless day. He was concerned that malevolent forces in the form of Djinns might overwhelm her and hinder her performance of the Raga. However, he also devised a remedy by creating a new raga called Kaushi Bhairav.” Raga Kaushi Bhairav amalgamates Raga Malkauns (typically sung late at night) and Raga Bhairav (performed at daybreak). The interplay of these contrasting energies generates a sense of inner equilibrium.

Left – Pt Ravi Shanker, Middle – Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Right – Annapurnadevi

The Birth of a Yogini:

Born into a Muslim family, she was bestowed with the name Annapurna by the Raja of Maihar (Madhya Pradesh), where her father served as a court musician. The cornerstone of her musical upbringing was riyaz (meditative practice), characterized by abstinence, devotion, discipline, and arduous labour. It is a process that deals with memories and beliefs absorbed by the individual through repeated practice, assimilation, and keen observation, ultimately manifesting as an ‘ideal’ embodiment. “Guruma used to say that Riyaz, or practice, was akin to a purifying bath, cleansing layers of impurities. The seeker, or Sadhak, listens to the inner sound to attain perfection, self-realization, and encounter truth, beauty, and fragrance.” Annapurna Devi conducted her riyaz late at night, “unseen and unheard by anyone. It was believed that the power of her meditative music lulled everyone into deep slumber. The only evidence was the fragrance of roses that filled the entire house in the morning.” She was a Yogini, an enlightened soul who had achieved Siddhi, a phenomenon of Yogic magical powers awakened through consciousness. The Siddh, one who possesses a controlled mind, has mastery over oneself, others, and the natural world; they are empty yet brimming with inner bliss. They engage with the world and people with positive energies.

Devi – Embracing the World:

Annapurna’s residence in Akash Ganga, Mumbai, served as a sanctuary for her personal journey as a Yogi, harmoniously coexisting with her role as a Guru and her engagement with the world. As Devi Annapurna, the Goddess of Nourishment, she lovingly provided sustenance to both birds and people. “Guruma insisted that no one left her home without partaking in her divine cooking, particularly occasional chicken dishes that her brother relished. Each time she cooked, the flavour was distinct, nourishing the stomach and soul, akin to her music. Beyond her personal tragedies, a pure, childlike essence endured in her. One could hear that purity in her laughter. She kept herself updated by listening to music on the radio and watching television.”

The making of a devoted Guru is a demanding journey. “Her teaching demanded rigour and unwavering commitment. I was grappling with writer’s block, and it was the daughter of Pannalal Ghosh, the renowned flautist and a disciple of Baba Allauddin Khan, who directed me to Guruma, affirming that only her guidance could propel my musical journey. She heard and acknowledged my work, but she cautioned that her teaching wouldn’t earn me applause from large audiences; instead, it would garner the respect of the discerning few. For the former, she suggested turning to Ravi Shankar or her brother, Ali Akbar Sahab.” Likewise, when Hari Prasad Chaurasia approached her for lessons, he was informed that he would have to unlearn what he knew. Chaurasia’s solution was to learn by changing the position of the flute on the left side. For her, her father remained the quintessential Guru. “She would commence her day by folding her hands before the portraits of her father and Guru, Baba Alauddin Sahab, offering prayers for purity of intent in her endeavours. She sensed his presence in the pigeons she fed, as he had loved to do.”

Annapurna Devi recognized that not every performing artist could opt for the path of a meditative recluse. Her approach as a Guru was characterized by wisdom and compassion. Her instruction encompassed a delicate balance of profound learning with practical nuances to enable the evolution of a skilled performer. “Guruma imparted special techniques for riyaz, where the focus was on playing for the ONE—the solitary listener. She believed that for a performance, one should anticipate challenges. Today, a performer is often given limited time or finds themselves following a captivating act or multiple performances. In such circumstances, an artist is expected to deliver a captivating performance, immersing the audience in the specific Raga. To achieve this, she taught special mantra-like phrases that encapsulated the essence and structure of a Raga. Playing these phrases at the outset of a performance allowed the artist to control their mind and swiftly immerse themselves in the world of that specific Raga, irrespective of the allotted time. It ensured that the audience embarked on the journey with the artist. This combined practice of riyaz and performance became a living ritual.”

Combining her passion for exploration and her unwavering commitment to her meditative journey, Guruma Annapurna Devi transcended the profound personal tragedies of a failed marriage and the devastating loss of her only child. Her remarkable journey is a testament to her resilience.

Annapurna Devi deeply admired Pandit Ravi Shankar, recognizing his unwavering dedication to his Guru and his music. Through her dedication and talent, she ascended to a level few achieve in their lifetime. Notably, Mrs. Indira Gandhi once personally requested her to perform for renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin and musician George Harrison. While Menuhin couldn’t attend, Harrison came and experienced her enchanting music. Her eminence was such that the prestigious Padma Bhushan award was delivered to her home, adorned with a simple message on the door: “Ring the bell thrice if no one answers, leave your card or message.”

Guruma Annapurna Devi’s music resonated with sublime vibrations, touching the soul’s essence. She was born into a Muslim family and was given a Hindu name upon marriage. She ultimately embraced the path of a Yogini, a Devi, before passing during the auspicious Navratra period. Her life journey is a testament to the power of music, spirituality, and transformation.

Shri Nityanand continues his Guru Sewa by managing The Annapurna Devi Foundation in the Akash Ganga Apartment.

#navinajafa, #indianmusic, #ravishanker, #heritage

Enriched India with Sounds of Harmony

Navina Jafa

No longer just the intangible, living heritage of the Raj in India, choral music embraces different genres, providing a healing touch to parched souls. The past exists to enrich India’s diverse cultural fabric. 

This article was Published in The Hindu on May 16, 2019. Titled:“Expanding Sounds of Harmony

The Torchbearers: Music conductor Late Neil Nongkynrih with the members of the Shillong Chamber Choir

Sitting in a rocking chair in her home in Civil Lines, author, singer, and connoisseur Sheila Dhar once reminisced about the culture of Delhi in the first half of the 20th century. 

       Shiela Dhar

“We were taught to use cutlery, and my mother was given tuition in English. On special occasions, songstresses such as Siddheshwari Bai were invited to sing for a meal when we had a British officer. Even she would sing thumri in English,” said Dhar candidly. The cultural geography of many known and unknown towns in India is peppered with various nuances of the Raj. Christmas singing traditions are central to celebrating the Indian-Colonial culture, in which choral singing has made a place for itself in contemporary India. 

           Capital City Minstrels

It is no longer about winter or Bada Din (Christmas). The ‘summer concert’ of The Capital City Minstrels (CCM), a well-known Delhi choir group, celebrated its 25th year in 2019, singing to a jam-packed audience at the India Habitat Centre. Their performance ended with a standing ovation. The audience rose, whistles shrilled the air, and claps roared. There was the demand for not one but ten encores. The performers chose to sing “The Book of Love’ – Magnetic Fields. The Chorus sang: “But I, I love it when you sing to me; and you, you can sing me anything”. A nostalgic image of Raj’s culture rose.

Choral music in India forms an integral part of the intangible cultural heritage of the colonial period. The organisation of city development programmes such as building Railways presented two broad categories: sacred and secular leisure cultural activities in the Raj. A range of cultural manifestations and activities were evident in cities and towns like Agra, Lucknow, Madras, Calcutta, Bangalore, along with hill stations and several railway towns like Bandi Kui (Rajasthan) and Kharagpur where areas like Civil Lines, Cantonments, Railway colonies, and markets became cultural spaces.

The author at the Bandikui Church

The secular tangible heritage comprised official buildings, designs of homes, clubs, boarding schools, band stands, gardens and marketplaces. The intangible heritage manifested as lifestyles in clubs, coffee houses, theatre, tea parties, and sports like tennis, cricket, and billiards.

Sacred Spaces 

The tangible heritage of the sacred spaces were the churches and cemeteries. Churches represent a range of architectural designs like Gothic and Romanesque Baroque. Their interior décor has stained glass and indigenous Eurocentric artwork, such as the Wedgewood designs in the chapel of La Martinere in Lucknow.

Wedgewood Artwork at the La Martinere School in Lucknow.

Music, integral to the culture of the churches in the Raj, often included unique pipe organs dating back to the late 18th-19th Century and choral music. The tradition of sacred music and religious festivals, in turn, brought a variety of celebrations, cuisines, and rituals laced with local flavours.

Sharmila Livingston, Music Conductor, Capital City Minstrels, New Delhi

The number of those who understood, appreciated, and participated in the world of Western Classical Music as part of the Raj was and continues to remain small. Choral music’s roots are in the Church, says Sharmila Livingston, present conductor of CCM. “The Choral musical tradition has Euro-Western roots in the Gregorian chants (9-10th century) sung by young monks. Gradually, with time, the music came to be performed in secular spaces. The amplification led to the incorporation of different genres of opera, ones that appealed to the masses. The nature of choral music is multi-layered in voice qualities, which becomes a metaphor for the distinct character of choral singing: ‘ harmony’. The music is like a bunch of flowers, where simultaneous qualities and ranges of voices sing together to produce a harmonious effect. Each singer dissolves his personal identity and works together for the same idiom.”

The Cosmopolitan Nature:

Most choral groups in India are linked to churches and present platforms for real-time community bonding. However, recently, several secular groups like CCM have evolved. Reem Khokhar, a writer and part of the governing body of CCM, expresses that it is not about once a week meeting but about the coming together of so many people from different backgrounds and countries who become family when it won the reality show – “India’s Got Talent” in 2010 and other awards. The group’s national and international success has brought the marginalised North East India into the mainstream as a matter of national pride. “Our music is truly like the idea of the choir, a metaphor of harmony and peace,” said the late Neil Nongkynrih, founder of the Shillong Chamber Choir.

Changing Contours

Most choirs used to be a lot about Western Classical, but gradually, CCM, with various conductors, expanded the repertoire. “In 2008, CCM had its first concert abroad. It was an exciting time. Conductor Gabriella Boda, a French married to a Hungarian, brought different languages and genres like African Tribal and Arabic compositions, among others. For the concerts abroad, we carried a series of Indian music, such as a fisherman song. At the same time, Sharmila Livingston, our present conductor, wrote a Ruh-aa – (A prayer in Urdu for church). But the most interesting part was that we sang “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” which became a signature tune for the BBC website and the title tune for a German Choir – Remscheider Ensemble,” informs  Michael Pereira, a former police officer he is associated with the Capital City Minstrels for a long time. For Neil Nongkynrih, it was about accepting that Bollywood music ‘IS’ India and the manner of negotiating the music in their repertoire. Says Neil, “Although I grew up with the music of Mozart and other greats of the Western Classical World, I had to leave my snobbery. Bollywood is like a marriage of Freddie Mercury and Lata Mangeshkar with a swing of malt glass. That is my music. I prefer old Bollywood music. It has soul, lyrics, and melodies, which we sang in the St. Paul’s Cathedral in Calcutta. The audience went bananas; they found the music sacred.”

Healing touch 

At times, the choir also plays an important social role in bringing together communities. “Some years ago, when there were communal clashes in Shillong, my son, singers, and I went with our music to stand up for peace,” said Neil Nongkynrih.

Sharmila Livingston says, “We incorporated in our summer concert ‘Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie’, a beautiful melody that factors interactive body percussion rhythm; but we instead have introduced dance for which our members find another occasion to practice separately and bond.”

In the present world defined by virtual reality that has engineered greater human isolation and alienation, the repositioned choral singing of the musical echoes of Raj provides hope to nurture real-time bonding and coexistence. “When I teach young Eva, it is eight hours of humility and two hours of singing; the choir is about synergy, melting of the cancer of the self,” sums up Neil.

         

 

Music gives soul to the Universe,

Wings to the Mind,

Flight to the Imagination

And

Life to Everything …. Plato

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Dev- Diwali – Lighted Lamps of Nirvana

Dr Navina Jafa

Dr Navina Jafa, Kathak Dancer, Cultural Technocrat, Expert, Scholar on Cultural Heritage, Cultural Management

The Dev Diwali festival, a part of the Hindu Religious Event tourism in Uttar Pradesh, does not have links with the story of the Ramayana. Interestingly, it bonds with the epic Mahabharata, the Padma Purana and the central figures of Lord Krishna, Goddess Lakshmi, and the Moon. 

Banaras – Assi Ghat – Photo Credit – Cristina Albertin

Aakaashdeep  – Deep-Daan

The original ethos of Dev Diwali is portrayed in a Hindi story titled ‘Aakashdeep’ by the famed Hindi writer Jai Shanker Prasad. Aakaashdeep is a ritual called deep-daan (offering of the lighted lamp as a symbol of atonement). It marks the beginning of a sacred period as a symbol of atonement. Dr. Sanjay Mehta, whose father, the Late Dr. Bhanu Shanker Mehta, was a prolific cultural commentator on Varanasi, says, “In the olden days, the bamboo scaffolding with the lamps hanging was prevalent only at the Panchganga Ghat, the last of the 84 ghats. However, there is a logical geographical context to the ritual of the Aakash Deep. From Sharadh Purnima onwards, the waters of the Ganges that rise during the monsoon start to fall. The lamps act like rural lighthouses for the several fishermen and boatmen who travel the waters at night. This is reflected in the story Aakshdeep by Jaishanker Prasad.” 

Aakaashdeep – Story by Hindi Writer Jaishanker Prasad

Here is a brief quote from the story – “Champa pulled the string that made the lighted lamps rise on the bamboo scaffolding. She aspired that her lamps join to play with the stars,” The metaphor of lighted Ganga waters resounds carrying thousands of lighted lamps along the ghats (landing steps) of the sacred ancient city of Varanasi on the festival of Dev Diwali. 

Dev Diwali ( Deepawali) before the Rise of its Identity as part of the Hindu Festival Tourism Calendar

In the 1980s, one barely heard of the Dev Diwali festival outside Varanasi (Banaras). It was something that the locals and the pilgrims observed organically. Keeping Uttar Pradesh as the anchoring energy of political power and mapping the ‘Hindu’ tourism in the Indian state with a maximum number of parliamentary seats was important in creating the Hindu Rashtra. Hence, promoting religious tourism as an important ‘event’ included the congregation of Kumbh in Prayag (Allahabad), the festival of Diwali in Ayodhya, and the Dev Diwali in Varanasi (Banaras). Each of the three events, an organic occurrence in which hundreds and thousands participated for centuries, has now been transformed as highlights of Hindu spiritual euphoria.

Power of the Lighted Lamp – PC – Mysoulwindow

Process – The Spectacle of Dev- Diwali of Varanasi (Banaras)

Transforming the realm of myth, epics, and beliefs existing as organic rituals, the spectacle of Dev Diwali is expanded as pilgrimage tourism within the frame of geo-piety. The fascinating journey of the festival illustrates joining the faith in the discourse of religious economy and Nationalism. There is a wide array of conversations with knowledge resources in Varanasi who present a variety of perspectives to the festival.

Context: 

Cultural commentator and former journalist Amitabh Bhattacharya, who calls himself ‘a student of Banaras’ narrated the phenomenon of a ritual called Aakash Deep, which starts from the day of Sharad Purnima (Full moon of the month September- October). It ends on Kartik Purnima (The full moon of October-November) when it is celebrated as Dev Diwali.

Sharad in the Hindu month of Ashvin (September-October) marks the end of the monsoons. People look forward to a good harvest. The element of prosperity links the festival of the moon to the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi. Bhattacharya recounts, “Starting from the night of the Sharad Purnima, the faithful works to evolve himself in the month of Kartik, called Purushottam (The supreme man). Sharad Purnima is locally called Kojagari in Varanasi (Banaras). The goddess Lakshmi looks out (Khoja) and showers wealth on those worshippers who stay awake all night to worship her; the moon, in turn, showers elixir (Amrit). The faithful concentrate on their dead ancestors. Remembering them, they gather energy to develop themselves. Hence, the devotees pay homage to them by offering a lighted lamp on the riverfront through the month of Kartik. The Ganges flows to the sky transmitting their prayers to the ancestors and enabling their energies to empower the devotees.”

One crucial point is that the Ganga with the lighted lamps on her riverfront becomes a metaphor for an aspiring path for enlightenment. Says Bhattacharya, “The path with the oil lamps is called Sheesh Marg (path of rational mind). In the 10th chapter of the Gita, Lord Krishna even says that He is the Sheesh Marg. The lighting of the lamps in the month of Kartik symbolises the striving by each devotee to create inert equilibrium and a rational mind to reach the shelter of Narayana.” 

The Padma Purana speaks extensively of the sacredness of the month of Kartik and the importance of the deep daan (offering of the lighted lamp) as the highest atonement by a devotee. Surendra Mishra, who is involved with the organisation of many cultural events in Varanasi, says, “After the bloody battle of Panipat, the Pandavas and Draupadi offered ‘Aakash deep‘ (lamp lights hanging in the sky) in honour of the dead fighters and soldiers.”

Sociological Celebrations: 

All celebrations in Varanasi acquire a holistic form, and the month-long festival of Aakaash Deep is no different. “The lamps are formally placed along the ghats not only by a community of ritual priests taking care of various ghats but also by neighbourhood communities and individuals who perform their rituals,” says Sushant Mishra of the Ganga Seva Nidhi. This non-government organisation oversees the Prayag, Dashashvamedh and the Rajendra Prasad Ghats. The NGO organises the daily Ganga aarti (ritual) 365 days. 

Food and music play a role in the celebration of Kartik month. “The association of the moon as a central backdrop from Sharad to Kartik Purnima inevitably brings the cooking of white-coloured food. Milk pudding (kheers) with Sag ( saboodana) and white Lotus Puff ( makhana) are commonly consumed. This month is important in the gaathaa of Krishna worship. In this period, the first of the ten incarnations of Krishna as the Fish (Matsya) was born to save the world and establish the Dharmic (moral order). Hence, one heard that Banaras’s ganikas (Kala-jeevee Tawaifs – traditional singing and dancing girls) visited the temple of Balaji and decorated the image of Krishna with white butter. Through the night, they sang beautiful songs in early morning scale called Raag Bhairavi that bring out the emotion of compassion and devotion,” describes Amitabh Bhattacharya.

Nationalism

Until the mid-1990s, there was a small function to mark the celebrations of the Dev Diwali. Then, in 1999, Late Pt. Satyendra Mishra founded the Ganga Seva Nidhi, an NGO committed to conserving the sacred river Ganga’s rituals and health. He conceived of the daily Ganga aarti on the Dashashmamedha and Rajendra Prasad Ghats as part of the program. Mishra, post-Kargil war, was inspired by the Mahabharata. He blended the Dev Diwali with honouring war martyrs. Mishra, involved in the three-arm forces, recounts his son Sushant Mishra. On the first day of Kartik, Jawans from the air, navy and army forces, and other paramilitary organisations light lamps.’

Aakash deep’ at the Dasashwamedh Ghat. The ritual is accompanied by the military band playing the national anthem. 

On the Dev Diwali, the installation of the India Gate and the ‘Amar jawan Jyoti’ (Eternal Flame – honouring the Soldiers) is set up on the ghat along with a pontoon stage. The rituals in the earlier days even had a helicopter showering flowers when the military band played the National anthem. Following this, the main aarti is performed on Dev Diwali. While on regular days, only seven boys dressed in elaborate ritual clothes perform the aarti, on Dev Diwali, there are 21 boys, accompanied by two girls called Riddhi and Siddhi (wives of Ganesha the elephant God. Riddhi depicts wealth, Siddhi symbolises intellect) Each year, a list of martyrs is collected from the armed, paramilitary and police forces. In 2019, Five jawans who died in action were honoured, and their families were given 100000 rupees.

Describes Sushant Mishra of the Ganga Seva Nidhi, “In 2019, we celebrated before Covid-19 the 20th year of our festivities. The impetus given by the government has made the festival almost international. There was a VIP stage made of 6 pontoons facing the riverfront. The stage accommodated almost 4 to 500 people. The local administration had elaborate security arrangements, including the Jal (water) police. Boats are numbered, and each boat owner requires parking permission along the pontoon bridge on the Ganges water to host audiences. The program begins at sunset with the National Anthem, followed by honouring war martyrs at the installations of Amar Jawan Jyoti (the Eternal flame honouring war heroes)and the India Gate. The rituals of the Dev Diwali have elaborate Aarti followed by a rich cultural program.”

Light

Economy: 

Unorganised, self-organised religious businesses are the most significant business sector of Varanasi’s holy, mercantile city. Hindus and Muslims have existed in a collaborative partnership for centuries. Even today, the elaborate lighting and the floral decorations for Dev Diwali have the two communities working together. “There is an increase in flowers, especially with the impetus provided to the tourism of Dev Diwali. Most flower vendors from both communities get their supplies from Kolkata.” 

Nevertheless, business for the traditional potters has remained the same. In the olden days, says Moti Ram, a potter from Varanasi, “our business peaked in the entire month of Kartik. People bought clay lamps for Diwali and enhanced their consumption by hanging them as Aaakaash Deeps. However, today, the lamps are usually the plastic-coated aluminium bowls in which a wax candle is placed.” Nevertheless, the consumption of bamboo for scaffolding has gone up with the elaborate marketing of Dev Diwali.

The impetus provided by the government for Dev Diwali has hotels sold out for several years after COVID-19. Each of these vignettes reflects a dimension of buyer and seller world views previously undescribed in consumer research of the geo-piety economy.

Pilgrims, tourists and the local Banarasi become a sea of humans in motion during the Dev Diwali. They pass through territories not their own but seeking something we might call completion, a goal to which only the spirit’s compass points the way. 

Their eyes look up to the hanging sky lamps, recalling the lines of Jaishanker Prasad – For whose oath are you lighting the waterways… For that whom you consider the lord… In the dark days on the waters, how desperate were we for every ounce of light.” 

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Dhraupadi’s Cursed Dhatura – Navina Jafa

The poem is inspired by the incident of disrobing Dharupadi in the Indian Epic Mahabharat amidst a court filled with elders, which stands as a metaphor for societal shame.

Disrobing Dhraupadi – Guler- 1740, Located V& A Museum

Disrobed, she circled, hair flying, Balancing the Dhatura flower in her hand,

Datura (Devil’s snare, Devil’s trumpet) plant. Each part is poisonous and is an aggressive, invasive weed, but the bloom is also called – Moonflower.

Winds of laughter from those who disrobed dried her tears,

Sprays of the chilled winds of laughter carried the flower outside the one window

Now, only one drop of dew remained

The dew caught the light of the sun

Freezing a timeless vision

An eye saw the bleeding breasts and more

The flower sailed

Nothing Changed

The poison of the trumpet flower blew with winds of chilled laughter

Breaking spaces and time

Just landing on ‘her’ bleeding palms

held up in a delirious dance

Of disrobed Dhraupadis.

Nothing Changed –

The Dewdrop on the Dhatura flower

Travels centuries amidst winds of laughter

Dhraupdi lives to drink the poison

KESARBAI KERKAR KALAJEEVEE TAWAIF AND A SPACE PROGRAM

Dr Navina Jafa

13th July is Padma Bhushan Kesarbai Kerkar’s 131st birth anniversary. Little did the Kalajeevee Tawaif know that her voice, featured in salons and gramophone records, would reign supreme in galaxies. In 1977 aboard Voyager 1 was a 12‐inch, gold-plated copper disc titled ‘ ‘Story of Sounds of the Earth’ had diverse sounds and music renditions presenting global diversity of the intangible heritage of sounds and music, and one was the voice of Kesarbai Kekar among other famous musical voices of Beethoven, Bach, Mozart. 

The Lyrics of the song:

जा’त कहाँ हो अकेली गोरी, जाने न पैय्यों
केसर रंग के माठ भये होय, होरी खेलत कान्हा रे

Jaat Kaan Ho – Raga Bhairvi

O! Damsel, you wander alone to a place where even your feet do not know where they are going.

The Damsel answers that Krishna beckons her to dissolve into the unknown—the words in the song point to the state of detachment. The maiden follows the call of Krishna to play Holi, where she will dissolve in the symbolic saffron colour.

Link to the YOUTUBE recording https://youtu.be/nTWNEj11AFY

American astronomer and cosmologist Carl Sagan headed a NASA committee that selected 115 images, sounds such as rain, thunder, birds, animals, ET and various greetings in different human languages. 

The first artificial object entered interstellar space and carried recordings from the Earth. An aluminium jacket, needle and cartridge protected the record. The modality incorporated symbolic language, sounds and greetings.

Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar, who passed away in 1977, was one of the leading Indian classical vocalists of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. She studied with the great Abdul Karim Khan and Ustad Alladiya Khan, the founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana.

She was originally from Goa, and as she rose to great glory, Kesarbai was among the chosen success stories of kalajeevee tawaifs who sang on the 78 rpm recordings of labels such as HMV. Other successful ladies included Gohar Jaan from Calcutta, Janaki Bai Allahabadi, Badi Moti, and Husna Bai from Banaras Kesar Bai.

Timothy Ferris, a producer of the Voyager record, wrote, “One of my favourite musical transitions on the Voyager record comes when ‘Flowing Stream’ ends, and we are transported, quick as a curtsy, across the Himalayas to the north of India and from the sound of one musical genius, Kuan Ping-hu to another, Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar. This raga is formally designated for morning performance, but its popularity has led to its use as a closing number, a kind of encore, for concerts day and night.”

( An excerpt from a book in the publication based on 2-decade field research on Tawaifs in the various cities and towns of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi from 1991 as part of the doctoral work by the author )

NADIA SEA CAVES OF DIU: दीव की समुद्री गुफाएं : एक विरासत की सैर डॉ. नवीना जफा के साथ । भारत की अनहोनी भूगर्भीय विरासत

HERITAGE WALK IN A NATURAL ANCIENT SITE: Dr Navina Jafa

The road travel from the Sasan Gir Forest in Gujarat to the Island of Diu was an exciting three hours drive. A bridge connects the Island f Diu on the Western Coast of India.

Diu, the coastal town of the Union territory of the Island, lies at the eastern end of the Island. The story of the sea caves, a natural heritage site, was one of the adventurous highlights of the visit.

A turning staircase built by the Portuguese colonizers leads down into the interconnected cluster of the Nadia Sea Caves. Red-brown boulders with humungous trees, aerial roots, and light permeating from the crevices offer the visitor an entry into a hall of silence where waves are heard crashing along the coast.

The Sea Caves the hollow spaces with life embedded in divergent ways. Roots of trees centuries hang out of the old, insects that travel sea and land, somewhere the spotted owlet howled signalling the echoes of the phantom sails of the Portuguese war-boat of yesteryears.

Like other sea caves, the formations often called littoral caves are formed by the constant action of the sea and illustrate natural erosion. There are sea caves around the world. The proximity of the sea and the evidence of sea water in shaded areas on land make them habitats for unique biodiversity.

Folklore reigns supreme. People in Diu believe that only sea pirates used the caves but that they were built by the Portuguese and used material from the area to build the Diu Fort. Many old folks say that during Operation Vijay in 1961 when the Indian Army drove away the Portuguese, the last colonizers in India hid in the caves.

दीव की समुद्री गुफाएं : एक विरासत की सैर डॉ. नवीना जफा के साथ । भारत की अनहोनी भूगर्भीय विरासत

The caves with natural openings beneath the ground allow for the play of zones of light to filter inside. The caves vary in size, and although the red-brown coloured rocks dominate the site, other colours, like shades of yellow, provide an extraordinary experience. The Sea Caves are of particular interest to geologists.

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The Kutchh Courtyard: Quintessential Boutique Homestay – Dr Navina Jafa

Travel Review Blog

‘The Kutchh Courtyard’ offers guests a holistic, owner-led, bespoke sustainable luxury boutique homestay experience. The seven-room luxurious homestay is ideal for reviving energies and regaining calm after touring the dusty, intense environment of the Rann of Kutch

The guests alighted on the premises of ‘The Kutchh Courtyard’ in the middle of summer, the whiff of Jasmine and Frangipani flowers blended with the chorus of chirping birds. The delightful sight of the boutique homestay carried a distinct character.

Bird baths, furniture in the gazebo and the plethora of handicraft skills unravelled, inviting the guests to immerse in the spirit of warm hospitality and the profuse creativity of Kutch.

The door with a stunning door décor manifesting the power of the Sun’s energy in wood, a collage panel of the blocks of the royal Ajrakh prints, and tasteful antiques engulfed the guests.

It was on the outer side an amalgamation of the architecture of Kerala, Portuguese, but the décor breathed the essence of Kutch.

Away from the chaos of the city of Bhuj and yet nearby, ‘The Kutchh Courtyard’ illustrates sensitivity towards the environment and extends extraordinary efforts to support several creative communities. These communities are the repositories of the rich intangible heritage of the Rann of Kutch. The homestay is located in the crafts village of Bhujodi. It is close to The Living and Learning Design Centre (LLDC), which is committed to revitalising and conserving the intangible heritage of Kutch.

The comfortable rooms and impeccable cleanliness of the property are part of the experience.  The guests rejoiced in the warm hospitality and care of the owners, Smita and Abhinav. The details overviewed by the owners regarding each guest and the fantastic, delicious and varied home food and cuisine were all about getting a home away from home! 

As Cultural Heritage Expert, it was truly an experience that helped the visitor to balance the intensity of the energies of Kutch with the calmness, warmth and peaceful environment of an authentic experience.