Ashes Sengupta

    Biography:

Pandit Ashes Sengupta, an exponent of Hindustani Ragas & Raga-based music with uncanny musical vision like all luminaries from his very youth, a torch-bearer of Traditional Hindustani Vocal music , but a strong believer of application of Indian Yoga technique in performing Raga to the global musical arena. He is the Guru at 'Sangeet Yogam' [A Research Center of Hindustani Music].

Panditjee, a very exceptional classical vocalist of India, is no less renowned in the arena of other genres of Indian vocal music including all forms of semi-classical songs.

Pandit Ashes Sen Gupta conceived and evolved the Yoga based scientific method of teaching, performing & listening music – named ‘Sangeet Yoga’ concept. It carries a synthesis of both Yoga and modern systems [Methodology] of teaching music and has proved its validity in practice, which is the first of its kind in India.

He strongly believes that music, specially the Indian Raga music is deeply influenced by the Indian [Yoga] Philosophical discipline and value-the theme has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India(He was honored with Senior Fellowship Award by Govt Of India in 2006), ITC-SRA & Many other institutions. His theme of performances were established & widely accepted by the audience in several musical representations in USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Sweden.

His style of Raga singing is blended with Dhrupada flavor & its multi-dimensional rhythmic aspect makes an impact of an enriched state of ecstatic joy, as the song of soul evoked from the heart. Panditjee has managed to successfully embrace and absorb a variety of influences of Various Gharanas to create a style which is his own, making his performances a wholesome experience of Hindustani Parampara.

RESEARCH:

‘INFLUENCE OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY ON INDIAN MUSIC’

“INTRODUCTION”

• INTROVERSIVE ASPECTS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY:

It is the most essential and relevant event to know about the keen relation between Indian Philosophy [mainly Yoga concept] and Indian Classical Music [Hindustani Vocal] to understand & realize its parallel introversive spiritual aspects & evolution of music. The process of acquiring scientific knowledge about Classical music, the imagination & its natural aestheticism, yogic discipline have a major role to develop our Indian traditional music & culture. In modern age, it becomes quite necessary to cultivate the utility & usefulness of Indian Classical Music, in a broad sense.

• PAST GLORIES IN DIFFERENT AGES:   

The Indian traditional Music & its various aspects, have a glorious past. It has been grown up, gradually, in the Indian society, with the scientific, systematic, humanitarian, ethical, religious discipline through various stages.

INHERENT INFLUENCE OF YOGA PHILOSOPHY:       

Here, we have discussed some basic objects of Indian Philosophy to know, how the yoga technique & discipline have influenced, inherently, this creative traditional Art, from the very beginning of our Indian Civilization.

• ‘RAGA’- THE SPIRIT OF ETERNAL JOY:

The ‘Raga’ is totally an independent & universal concept of Indian Traditional Classical Music because Raga may be commonly used in Dhrupadas, Kheyals, Thumris, Bhajans, Ghazals & other styles of music but the Raga always exists with a separate identity & its independent nature. It means that Drupada, Kheyal etc are just different styles of singing, based on specific Raga composition. Through the process of evolution, the Traditional Classical Music [Hindustani] & its multifarious aspects gave birth, to this heart-enchanting ‘Raga’ concept. It is  based on a specific & scientific process of practice [Sadhana] of various material aspects like Swaras, imaginative factors of mood like Rasa and metaphysics, psychology, time-theory etc.—the most useful factors, to form & fulfill a Raga concept.

Actually the ambition of Indian Philosophy is not merely the cultivation of dry logical conclusion of knowledge, but a discipline which inspires & awakens the spirit of divine love & eternal bliss. 

AMBITION OF SEARCH:The ambition of this fellowship project work is to sustain this traditional noble art, and its practical utility, to justify the practice of Indian Classical Music on the basis of the Philosophical background with clear conception of our Musical Heritage [both grammatical and emotional values], to make the listening, practicing and performing successful and finally to get a unique peaceful environment as well as our mental upliftment and to get a disease-free healthy society.

AWARDS:

Senior Fellowship from Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India (2005-06).

ACTIVITIES:

*Tour Performance Since 1989-2010,*Sangeet Yogam Musical School, Publishing Books and Cassettes CD’s, Head of The Music Department of National Model School [Sodepur & Shyam Nagar], Author of Books & Journals, Examiner & Vocal Professor of Sarbabharatiya Sangeet-O-Sanskriti Parisad, Kolkata.

Recent Activity: Raga Cures Diseases—Performance, Listening & Practicing some specific Ragas with some Yoga habit usually enhances the memary and power of Cocentration enriching the academic & professional Carrier, in case of students and presents the melodi may give some mental relief. Such a modern world the problem of fastness, agonies, anxieties are going upwards in our society, competitions are going on Yoga based Raga may help to keep this in a limit and mental rescue.