This book is a portrait of a music master who attained spiritual realisation through music and who could guide his students and listeners along the music path or mårg sangit, revealing its beauty and its depth to them. Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's music was a teaching in itself and it needed no words to convey a message; it reflected equanimity and it was enriched by peace and wisdom.
This book is about the nature of Dhrupad, the oldest and most refined genre of Indian classical music.
This book is about Dhrupad music as yoga in all the meanings of the word. It is also about the living tradition of "guru-shishya-parampara" that is to say the relation between a master and his students and the direct transmission of knowledge.
This book resonates with the voices of students, musicians, music lovers and admirers of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, who sing his praise in unison.
Ustad gave me so much beauty and happiness through his music that my heartfelt gratitude toward him took shape in the form of a book; a book that wants to be a homage paid to Uståd.
In our time of fast speed, of materialism and of egocentredness, it was a blessing to meet a true musician who discarded all ideas of attaining fame and money through music. Ustâd was a sage playing on his rudra vina for the sake of playing, not to reach material goals but to be united with music and sound.
Spiritual quest brought me to India in the hope of finding the true sense of the word yoga there, in the hope of finding peace and happiness through practising meditation. Little did I know that what I was searching for was in music, was music and I realised that Dhrupad music is a spiritual path, a yoga.
Intuitively I might have known the power of music though, because the first time I heard Ustad playing it was clear to me that I was listening to the Music.
Meeting Ustad I found my way.
Surely the West also enjoyed and enjoys sacred music and great musicians who still comfort and elevate us through their music. But I experienced another dimension of music and of myself in Dhrupad music; a deeper internalization, a blissful peace and a tranquil joy that I had not felt in Western music.
Ustâd and his music took me to a luminous space. My life took a melodic turn upwards.
This book is a song of gratefulness to Ustâd.
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