January 30: Gandhi, Dagars and Music

It has been said by many about the cautious and somewhat unwilling mind of Gandhi towards arts and aesthetics. He himself wrote once that whatsoever distracted him from his ‘chosen mission’ was considered by him as a sin.

But in an interview given to All India Radio by Ustad Aminuddin Dagar of the senior Dagar brothers, there is an interesting incident remembered. Once the great Drupad singers had been to Gandhi and they were given thirty minutes from Bapu’s busy schedule. The musicians who were known for great vlambit alaaps, had naturally taken more time from Gandhi affecting his back-to-back programme schedules for the nation’s struggle for independence. When the music was over by 50 minutes, Dagars were little puzzled as Mahatma went away from the scene without saying anything. But after a few minutes, Gandhi’s secretary came with a piece of paper and told them that as Bapu was on ‘maun vrut’ (fasting by silence) he had given his reflections in writing. The paper had this single line: “while listening to your music, I was experiencing God”.

Let me dedicate this vilambit Asavari by Dagar brothers on January 30^th, the day of Bapu’s martyrdom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_Vi62ir-VQ&feature=related