Star-crossed

The scheming sun and his devious light
Have rolled up their blueprint for starless skies.
But now the moon struts across this cloudy night,
Hogging the lustre of a million flashing smiles

One of which, on a clearer, truer eve
Out of the blue, in my garden fell.
And in a wink that took my breath away,
Eloped with a bucket down my well

The fathoms that finite sight forbids,
Blinded night, inflamed, plumbed to light.
And the phantoms that nibble on dawn’s wits,
Entranced by the darkness, slept tight.

Deep inside the tunnel’s tortuous course,
Tired teardrops, poured away their shine,
And rivers of silver, bled on Heaven's shores,
Scattering the smoldering scars of stellar design:

Bedazzled eyes, transfixed in the transposed bowl,
Flickering dreams, dying in the Milky Way,
Defiant embers in the maws of a blackhole -
Together, yet light years away!

Ashwini Bhide Deshpande at St. Xavier's, Mumbai

Malhar was the theme of the evening and while the rain gods seemed to be busy humming some distant vivadi melodies, Ashwini's garland of malhars was a journey through their whimsical moods....


The armada of sound, steered by an array of tilted tanpuras, launched into a plaintive, vilambit chants of the cracked earth hungry for a union with the clouds, gathering pace until the drut brought out the unchecked passion of the Kosi running wild.


She raged on through Megh Malhar, which benefited symbolically, from the claps and flashes provided by the audience. Reconciliation with her devastated subjects was then offered through a string of lighter Ghazals, Kajris and finally, a Jhankaar.


It was clear as day when the concert began - an unambigous blue was still pouring through the Saracenic Arches of the Jesuit auditorium, when it ended. But while I was distracted by the Malhars in the middle, a furious storm must surely have raged...



Gaud malhar - Vilambit, Madhya Laya Drut (cannot remember the bandishes)
Megh Malhar - Chota Khayal - Alaap and Drut ("Shyam Rang")
Lighter pieces including a Ghazal, a Kajri and a Jhankaar.