A Rasika’s Journey through Hindustani Music

A Rasika’s Journey through Hindustani Music is the author’s Journey trying to understand and appreciate the abstract, expansive, fluid and wide-ranging contours of North Indian classical music.  Like any other lover of Indian classical music from South India, Rajeev Nair grew up listening to Karnatic music.  Over the years, his listening preferences veered in the direction of Hindustani Music.  This book is a result of his changed listening preferences.  Meant for intelligent listeners who want to go on a journey exploring and enjoying the joys of North Indian classical music, the book provides details of not only the most basic concepts vital to North Indian classical music like its major forms, the concept of gharanas and their dominant features, the aesthetics of the raga and its centrality to the system but also details about the lives, creative approaches and musical styles adopted by vocal and instrumental maestros of the 20th century.  Working both as an act of homage and thanksgiving to the great masters and attempting to transmit the joy that the author felt while listening to their recorded music, A Rasika’s Journey through Hindustani Music will appeal to those who have some understanding of North Indian classical music as well as to those who want to make initial forays into this vast ocean of creativity and style.