Curry Smugglers

There's a typical type of Indo music that I've become accustomed to in Nor-Cal. It's bhangra mixed with hip hop. The classic heart-thumping dhol keeps rhythm as bits of modern songs are carried along in its deliberate wake. It was all I knew--all I expected--from desi musicians.

DJs showcased the same songs at parties; the same remixes were burned onto countless CDs and playlists. All bhangra began to sound the same to me. It was bland.

But then I tasted curry. Hot, spicy, freshly smuggled curry. It was so hot, it made my eyes water and my ears ring.

What was this curry?

It was music.

Not just any music, it was The Curry I had been looking for. It was different, and it was upbeat.

A couple of music-obsessed Indians with a taste for the fresh stuff had smuggled it onto a podcast. 

That podcast is called the 'Curry Smugglers.' They've been running a free hour long show since 2009. There's absolutely no advertising on the show, which is a kick ass change from the AM bhangra station (which is all about aunties trying to sell you flour). It gets better, because the hosts actually know what they're talking about when it comes to music and they love to share. I can say I truly admire their passion and freakishly immense store of musical knowledge. They play a track list of new remixes and songs give loads of background info and end with a 20 minute set by a specific artist or DJ.

So what kind of music do they play? All kinds. They share music that is centered around the subcontinent, but their artists come from all over the world: America, Canada, India, Europe and the Middle East. They've covered old school bhangra, American remixes, Hindi songs and something that could be defined as desi-electro.

If you get a chance check them out at http://www.currysmugglers.com. They post new episodes every Sunday, although season 5 just ended. Hey, that just means you have some time to catch up before season 6 begins. :D

Raag: Indian Classical Music

Indian classical music developed as a way to preserve the Vedas. The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts which form the basis of Hinduism. Although Hinduism developed what we now know as Indian classical music it is widely used across the Indian subcontinent regardless of religion. There are two schools of Indian classical music: Karnatic (also spelled Carnatic) and Hindustani. Karnatic is practiced in south India, and Hindustani is practiced all along the north of the subcontinent. A big difference between the two traditions is that Hindustani is very strict on compositions of raag and Karnatic is more flexible.

A raag is a composition of swara ('notes') said to have risen from Shiva's voice as he orated to a congregation of Gods in the name of mankind. Swara each correspond to animal sounds in nature and include the infamous Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa and the oft forgotten Dha, Ni. A raag also contains rules on how and which notes can be changed or bent in the recital of the raag. The notes can be both played and sung. Raags are identified as male Raga and female Ragini which can be combined to form son and daughter raags. This familial imagery shows which raags are related and perhaps how they were derived.

The personification of the ragas also confers a demi-god association. It gives each raag a personality and a power, while also emphasizing the high regard Indian classical music earns amongst its people. For example, the raag Deepak if sung properly has the power to start a fire, or Megh has the power to start monsoons. Despite the many stories of the mythological prowess of raags, they do have the ability to illicit specific emotions and moods in the audience, such as anger, joy, disgust, etc. For this reason raags have in the past been restricted to being sung at specific times of the day.

So how does this all relate to Sikhism?

The individual hymns, or shabads, of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) were composed to and organized by raag. At the end of the SGGS is an index, the Raagmala ('String of Melodies') of all the raags that can be used in the recital of the Gurbani (literally 'Word of the Guru'). Each raag is associated with a specific time of day and sets a tone appropriate for that hour.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji used music to reach out to the people he preached to. Now kirtan, shabads in raag, is an important part of Sikh temple services. If you go for prayers make sure to enjoy the kirtan that is recited before the hukamnama. And enjoy it. :)

Further reading:

Raag @ Sikhwiki
SGGS @ Gurbani Files
Raga in SGGS @ Sikhwiki
Gurbani Raag
Dolls of India