Composers From India

"I always believe that introverts are the most creative people as they live their own world and think of new things. So, to support my lyrics, I started learning music."

"My journey stands as a story of unwavering dedication, the ability to find music in everyday life, and the power of melodies that cross boundaries."

"Music is always my refuge and joy! It is a constant source of joy even in my hardest times."

"I left my house without any money to realise my dream of composing music for films. It is really hard to sustain in the industry without having a background. Creating our own identity is harder."

"I’ve never sought to impress anyone, but I feel a deep sense of pride when someone appreciates my music."

"Through my compositions, I aim to infuse energy into the minds, hearts, and souls of my audience, transcending boundaries."

"Staying true to my beliefs, I’ve found that people who share my passion draw closer, becoming my fans."

"I chose to work as a music teacher to cover my living expenses. This chapter as a teacher was a vital stepping stone on my journey to becoming a music director."

"I firmly believe that even small tasks, when carried out with honesty and dedication, yield the best results one truly deserves."

"My courage has always been music, I had to start my music career from the zero level because there were no known people in the industry. But I was never really afraid. The love of music alone did not show any hardships. The only thing in my mind is to add life to the director’s vision through music."

"I’ve always been an introvert and find inspiration in my emotions and the beauty of nature."

"One needs to maintain a team because teamwork is a key feature of the music industry. It can't be possible without a team. Most of the people who are successful now also have a team. I believe i can prove myself that I can do something one day."

"My compositions are a reflection of my sense of responsibility towards society, my understanding of human emotions, and the sheer love I have for my work. This certification is a testament to the love and passion we, as artists, invest in our work, It fuels my drive to create more powerful and inspiring compositions for my audiences."

"Now that I’ve completed a decade in short films, I want to be a part of good films with unique plots that challenge me as a musician. I’ve worked hard to come to this stage and I want to make my opportunities count. I hope my music reaches wider quarters in the coming years."

"Commercial music for films doesn’t explore the little, but crucial things in life as the music is often situational. I found it to be a gold mine of opportunity and wanted to give 70mm Dolby-movie quality for short films, and establish my mark in it. My strategy paid off."

"God is my judge that I have never taken any pains to assist them [the Malabar Rajas whom he sheltered], or gave them evil counsel, nor have I ever raised my disturbances in the country of the Circar [Mysore] until this moment, nor did I until now ever know of any enquiry or examination on the part of the Circar with respect to their remaining here . . . I have given positive orders that those Rajas should leave the country. Prior to the time that the Cochin Raja became a dependent on your Circar, the Calicut Raja had possessed himself of all his country; at that period, I expended large sums of money to lend him assistance and restored him his country. He then granted me a place for the purpose of building the wall of my boundary in his country, by an irrevocable grant, in consequence whereof, the wall was completed there, at a very great expense, since which five and twenty years have now elapsed. This is the real state of the case; nor has there until this present time been any let or molestation whatever in this respect, nor there ever will be any trouble caused to the Raja of Cochin by me. At the time of the negotiations for peace between you and the English, my name was also included in the treaty; it was well-known to the servants of your Circar that this boundary was then in being. When I received the fort of Cranganore from the Dutch, they proved by particular writings and treaties that no persons whatever had at that time, or ever had, the smallest claim or connection with it, but that it was dependent entirely upon them; in consequence of which, I bought it of them. I have never given protection to thieves or rebels to the Circar . . . as I cannot act in anything without acquainting the English, I have written all these occurrences to the Governor of Madras; immediately on receipt of these orders I shall fully answer everything regarding."

"Don't you know I have achieved a great victory recently in Malabar and over four lakh Hindus were converted to Islam? I am determined to march against that cursed Raman Nair (Rajah of Travancore) very soon. Since I am overjoyed at the prospect of converting him and his subjects to Islam, I have happily abandoned the idea of going back to Srirangapatanam now."

"Some time previous to the death of this Rajah, a female member of the Kolathnaud family was adopted as a Princess of Travancore, and Her Highness gave birth to a Prince in the Kollum year 899. This was the renowned Rama Rajah, generally called Dharma Rajah."

"Unfortunately, there are no memorials erected anywhere in Kodungallur, or Trichur, or Alwaye to honour Dharma Raja who gave shelter in his state to thousands of Hindus escaping from the Islamic brutalities of the fanatic Tipu Sultan; or Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai who was the architect of the historic Nedumkotta; or Raja Keshavadas under whose direct command a comparatively small army humbled and defeated the invading army of Tipu Sultan; or scores of valiant Hindu soldiers who laid down their lives to protect their country and faith."

"It was in his time that the Travancore Rajah was known and generally styled " Rama Rajah" and " Dharma Rajah," which names are quite familiar to travellers who journey from Benares and other northern parts of India to Bamaswaram or Ramanad."

"The book is in everyone's hands, from the court to the cottage, and is read, or heard, and appreciated alike by every class of the Hindu community, whether high or low, rich or poor, young or old."

"No poet in England has ever been in the masses what Tulsidas has been to the people of this land."

"FS Growse, in 1883, in Meenakshi Jain, The Battle for Rama: Case of the Temple at Ayodhya (2017)(p.87"

"Tulsidas wrote 12 books, but, by far, the most important is the Ramacharitamanas (the holy Lakes of the Acts of Ram), a Ramayana written in old Hindi (Avadhi) couplets. The book was written under the direction of Hanuman himself. It is read all over North India, and particularly during the time of the Ramlila. It is sung aloud in large groups for devotional purposes."

"Faith is that which dispels desire, Devotion is that which generates knowledge. And Vedas say that knowledge is that which fashions freedom."

"In the epic, [Ramacharritamanas] ‘Unity’ was Tulsidas’ primary goal, ‘humanity’ his foremost concern and his cardinal objective was ‘faith’ in the creator who had saved and sustained him through religious bestialities, who was himself trapped inside deep mud and screaming to be rescued. Tulsidas took him out of the gothic domes and planted him inside a human body equipped with passion, desire, genial emotion, an understanding heart and the will and power of doing good."

"I call him Rama. You can call him by any other name but have faith in him, surrender all worldly desires and passions to his will and without effort, become disciplined and principled."

"In the whole of Indian literature, Tulsidas is supreme....The devotion in his poetry is of the same order as of philosophy. And from the beginning to the end, not a word or an idea, can be spotted which is not perfectly neat and pious."

"The Ramacharitamanas undoubtedly is the great poem worthy to rank among the great classical masterpieces of world literature."

"Ramacharitamanasa, the poet's magnum opus is an epic. Kavitavali (in spite of gaps here and there), Janaki Mangala, and Parvati Mangala, as also the other two smaller poems Barve Ramayana and Ramalala Nahchhoo are narrative."

"Tulsidas alone, though the most famous of them all has no disciples that are called after his name."

"Yatha Raja Thatha Praja"

"Tuslidas’s attitude toward life and literature was distinctly more objective. Quite naturally, therefore, he has used the objective forms–the epic and the narrative- besides of course, the lyric as vehicles of his devotional poetry."

"Tulsidas is the highest tree in the garden of Hindu poetry, though his name does not appear in Aeen-i-Akbari or any book of Muslim historians or even narratives of European writers who worked on information taken from Persian historians. Yet, Tuslidas was the greatest man of India of his time. In fact he can be called greater than Akbar because the victory that the poet registered in the hearts of thousands of millions of people was greater and more lasting than all the imperious victories put together...the Ramacharritamanas is such an enormous epic that its English adaptation by Growse is of 362 pages. The declinations in this epic are so similar to Christianity that on numerous spots, if Rama is replaced by Christ, there can be no question."

"The fact of its universal acceptance by all classes... is surely worthy of note."

"Tulsidas’s long life span, during the cultural apogee of the Mughal Empire, encompassed a period of great religious ferment and creativity."

"Tulsidasa alone, though the most famous of them all, has no disciples that are called after his name. There are Vallabhachars and Radha Vallabhs and Maluk Dasis, Pran Nathis and so on in interminable succession, but there are no Tulsidasis. Virtually, however, the whole of Vaishnava Hinduism has fallen under his sway; for the principles that he expounded have permeated every sect and explicitly or implicitly now form the nucleus of the popular faith as it prevails throughout the whole of the Bengal Presidency from Hardwar to Calcutta."

"Tulsidas was a poor recluse who lived an ascetic life and prompted by an inner light, adapted an old epic in folk-verse which broke all barriers and spread far and wide."

"I honour Ayodhyā, all holy within; And the fair Sarju River, destroyer of sin. All honour again to that town’s sons and daughters, Whom Lord Rāma loved with love deep as deep waters. For their sake he Sita’s defamer forgave, That a realm free from, sorrow they always might have. I honour Kausalya, like eastern sky bright, Whose fair fame has spread, to the world giving light. From whence Rāma fair as the moon has arisen, By whom the world’s blest, evil’s blooms are all frozen.(After Dohā 15)"

"“Listen, Vibhishan, Angad, Sugriv! Pure and clean “Is my city; my land is the fairest e’er seen! “Tho’ for beauty men always of Paradise dream, “And tho’ scripture, as all know, declares it supreme, “Tho’ but few know the secret, yet this I declare- “That dear to me is Avadh beyond all compare! “Here’s my birthplace, this city delightful, secure; “On the north River Sarju flows, sacred and pure, “In which bathing, without any labours or pains, “His abiding-place with me forever man gains; “Very dear to my heart are all those who here dwell; “They attain thus my realm, there and here all is well.”"

"On Tuesday, the ninth day of Chaitra, month pleasing, In th’ city of Avadh my story releasing. 'Tis the birthday of Rāma, as scriptures declare, And the day when the pilgrims are gathering there. All demons, birds, serpents, men, saints and gods too There are meeting to bring to their lord homage true; On this festival day of the lord Rama’s birth They all sing with acclaim his high praises and worth.(After Dohā 33)"

"In the year sixteen hundred and thirtyone bright, With my head lowly placed at my lord’s feet I write; On Tuesday, the ninth day of Chaitra, month pleasing, In the city of Avadh my story releasing. ‘Tis the birthday of Rāma, as scriptures declare, And the day when the pilgrims are gathering there. All demons, birds, serpents, men, saints and gods too There are meeting to bring their lord homage true; On this festival day of lord Rama’s birth They all sing with acclaim his high praises and worth."

"The story of Ramachandra, as narrated in the Valmiki Ramayan and the Adhyatma Ramayan, after reinforcing and revitalizing it with the essence of whatever the Puranas, the Vedas, and other scriptures could give, I, Tulsidas, am writing for the delight of my own soul."

"You are so much after this bundle of flesh and bone? If you had half of that devotion to Rama, your life would be worthy and it will make you immortal."

"Tulsidas’s poetry, like that of most other bhakti-saints, is assumed to reflect an underpinning of personal religious experience and to contain allusions to events in author’s life."

"Tulsi acquired the title ‘Gosaim’ (goswami or ‘lord’), which is normally applied to a sectarian leader, through his militant struggle against the forces of Kali Yug."

"The world knows that to quell the belly-fire, I ate crumbs and morsels given by men of caste, high-caste, low-caste or no cast."

"No virtue is equal to the good of others and no vice greater than hurting others."

"Mother and father abandoned me at birth and the author of my life also did not write any worth or merit on the page of destiny."

"He walks without legs, hears without ears, does all the deeds without hands. He enjoys all the juices without a mouth, spells all the truth without a voice, touches everything without hands. He see very object without eyes and inhales all the scents without a breath."