Hyderabad: "Music is spirituality. They are not two different things. You resonate with the seven notes,” said singer and composer Shankar Mahadavan, before performing at the four-day Global Spirituality Mahotsav that began on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Thursday.
“Why do you start crying or dancing when you listen to music? Because it resonates with your heart. It gives you joy. It gives you the most beautiful emotion because those notes are resonating with your heart and that is spirituality,” the Grammy-winning musician said.
He was addressing a press conference ahead of the event organised by the Union culture ministry (special cell) in collaboration with Heartfulness. The event saw performances by the well-known violinist Kumaresh Rajagopalan and renowned flautist Shashank Subramanyam.
Mahadevan went on to add that divinity and music co-existed. “They are so interlinked that when you talk about divinity, you talk about meditation and music is the highest form of meditation,” he said.
Of the event itself, Mahadevan said that he had never experienced this kind of energy before. "After following this programme of meditation, self-assessment and introspection and getting involved with this movement was amazing. Getting 120 spiritual leaders from across religions is no mean feat. An event of this magnitude is not an easy thing to execute. It is happening beautifully and I feel very fortunate to get a chance to be a part of this.”
Commenting on the youth today, Mahadevan said, "Today's kids are constantly watching something when their mind has to be in the moment. You must take time out for yourself. Spend a few moments with nature and feel grateful for God's creations. And that’s what this place is all about — heartfulness, living in the present and experiencing joy in the little things of life.
Talking about the evolving landscape of Indian music on the global stage, Mahadevan remarked, “Music is like fashion. It is not like wearing clothes you wore 40 years back. It goes on changing with evolution, with taste. the whole world is at your fingertips. So definitely the world's influence is going to be there. Similarly, with music too, there will be influence from all over the world.”
“About 40 years back, one had to travel miles to reach a concert. Now you can watch them from the comforts of your home on your television. So your influences constantly go on changing. But at the end of the day, music should touch your soul. Music is about a good melody, good lyrics and good singing. It won't last if the three are missing,” Mahadevan said.
