musicians-from-india

"All through our lives we have to stand on our toes when we are doing some work. You know, we cannot be complacent and we cannot say we have done it all. Because there will be something that we cannot do."

"He takes the melody and improvises. He sings wonderful alaaps. I usually record an hour of his singing and then edit. He's just fantastic at improvisation."

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

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

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

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

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

"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."

"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."

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

"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."

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

"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."

"I was working in All India Radio at that time. I was 17 years old and my salary was Rs 500 per month. It may be peanuts today but Rs 500 was considered a big fat salary during that time…but I was summarily fired from the All India Radio because I chose to create a musical composition for Veer Savarkar’s famous poem ‘Ne majsi ne parat matrubhoomila, sagara pran talmalala‘."

"O heart, with the very stones or bricks that some people hurled at you all along, build a wonderful mosque of love with foundation, solid and strong."

"O heart, Ramadan has come to an end, and the happy Eid knocks at the door for all, Come, today give yourself away wholeheartedly, heed the divine call."

"Weary of struggles, I, the great rebel, Shall rest in quiet only when I find The sky and the air free of the piteous groans of the oppressed. Only when the battle fields are cleared of jingling bloody sabres Shall I, weary of struggles, rest in quiet, I am the rebel eternal, I raise my head beyond this world and, High, ever erect and alone!"

"Let's forget today who is friend or foe, and hold each other in caring embrace. Let your love be the magnet to bring the humanity to Allah's grace. Remember those in perennial fast, constantly in hunger and deprivation, Share with the poor, orphans and the destitutes, to make inclusive your celebration."

"Amir Khusrau mentions some of the powers “of sorcery and enchantment possessed by the inhabitants of India. First of all they can bring a dead man to life. If a man has been bitten by a snake and is rendered speechless, they can resuscitate him even after six months.”"

"“They pursued the enemy to the gates and set everything on fire. They burnt down all those gardens and groves. That paradise of idol-worshippers became like hell. The fire-worshippers of Bud were in alarm and flocked round their idols…”"

"“They have four books in that language (Sanskrit), which they are constantly in the habit of repeating. Their name is Bed (Vedas). They contain stories of their gods, but little advantage can be derived from their perusal.”"

"The fire-worshipping Rai, when he learnt that his idol temple was likely to be converted into a mosque, despatched Kisu Mal to ascertain the strength and circumstances of the Musulmans, and he returned with such alarming accounts that the Rai next morning despached Balak Deo Naik to the royal canopy to represent that “your slave Billal Deo is ready to swear allegiance to the mighty emperor, like Laddar Deo and Ram Deo, and whatever the Sulaiman of the time may order, I am ready to obey. If you desire horses like demons, and elephants like afrits, and valuables like those of Deogir, they are all present. If you wish to destroy the four walls of this fort, they are, as they stand, no obstacle to your advance. The fort is the fort of the king; take it.” The commander replied that he was sent with the object of converting him to Muhammadanism, or of making him a Zimmi.. and subject to pay tax, or of slaying him, if neither of these terms were assented to. When the Rai received this reply, he said he was ready to give up all he possessed, except his sacred thread."

"Capture of Southern Mathra (Madura) After five days, the royal canopy moved from Birdhul on Thursday. the 17th of Zi-l ka’da, and arrived at Kham, and five days afterwards they arrived at the city Mathra (Madura), the dwelling-place of the brother of the Rai Sundar Pandya. They found the city empty, for the Rai had fled with the Ranis, but had left two or three elephants in the temple of Jagnar (jagganath). The elephants were captured and the temple burnt... When the Malik came to take a muster of his captured elephants they extended over a length of three parasangs, and amounted to five hundred and twelve, besides live thousand horses, Arabian and Syrian, and five hundred mans of jewels of every description-diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and rubies..."

"“There was another rai in those parts, whose rule extended over sea and land, a Brahmin named Pandya Guru. He had many cities in his possession, and his capital was Fatan, where there was a temple with an idol in it laden with jewels… The rai, when the army of the Sultan arrived at Fatan, fled away, and what can an army do without its leader? The Musalmans in his service sought protection from the king’s army, and they were made happy with the kind of reception they met. 500 elephants were taken. They then struck the idol with an iron hatchet, and opened its head. Although it was the very Kibla of the accursed gabrs, it kissed the earth and filled the holy treasury.”"

"The relation between Turk and Hindu is that of a lion and antelope, and the Turks whenever they please, can seize, buy, or sell any Hindu."

"Thanks to the perennial, well established convention of the world, the Hindu has all along been a game of the Turks. The relationship between the Turk and the Hindu cannot be described better than that the Turk is like a tiger and the Hindu, a deer. It has been a long established rule of the whirling sky that the Hindus exist for the sake of the Turk. Being triumphant over them, whenever the Turk chooses to make an inroad upon them, he catches them, buys them, and sells them at will. Since the Hindu happens to be a (wretched) slave in all respects, none need exercise force on his slave. It does not become one to scowl at a goat which is being reared for one’s meals. Why should one wield a sharp sword for one who will die by (just) a fierce look?"

"After crossing those rivers, hills, and many depths, the Rai of Tilang sent twenty-three powerful elephants, for the royal service. For the space of twenty days the victorious army remained at that place, for the purpose of sending on the elephants, and they took a muster of the men present and absent, until the whole number was counted. And, according to the command of the king, they suspended swords from the standard poles, in order that the inhabitants of Ma’bar might be aware that the day of resurrection had arrived amongst them; and that [p. 92] all the burnt Hindus would be despatched by .the sword to their brothers in hell, so that fire, the improper object of their worship, might mete out proper punishment to them....The sea-resembling army moved swiftly, like a hurricane, to Ghurganw. Everywhere the accursed tree, that produced no religion, was found and torn up by the roots, and the people who were destroyed were like trunks, carried along in the torrent of the Jihun, or like straw tossed up and down in a whirlwind, and carried forward. When they reached the Tawi (Tapti), they saw a river like the sea. The army crossed it by a ford quicker than the hurricane they resembled, and afterwards employed itself in cutting down jungles and destroying gardens...."

"On Wednesday, the 18th of Shawwal, the Malik beat his drums, and loaded his camels for his expedition to Ma’bar, and after five days arrived at the mountains whicll divide Ma’bar from Dhur Samundar. In this range there are two passes – one Sarmali, and the other Tabar. After traversing the passes, they arrived at night on the banks of the river Kanobari, and bivouacked on the sands. Thence they departed for Birdhul, and committed massacre and devastation all round it. The Rai Bir showed an intent of flying for security to his islands in the ocean, but as he was not able to attempt this, his attendants counselled him to fly by land. With a small amount of treasure and property, he deserted the city, and fled to Kandur, and even there he dare not remain, but again fled to the jungles....Thither the Malik pursued the yellow-faced Bir,11 and at Kandur was joined by some Musulmans who had been subjects of the Hindus, now no longer able to offer them protection. They were half Hindus, and not strict [p. 96] in their religious observances, but as they could repeat the kalima, the Malik of Islam spared their lives. Though they were worthy of death, yet, as they were Musulmans, they were pardoned...."

"The Conquest of Ma’bar. The tongue of the sword of the Khalifa of the time, which is the tongue of the flame of Islam, has imparted light to the entire darkness of Hindustan by the illumination of its guidance; and on one side an iron wall of royal swords has been raised before the infidel Magog-like Tatars, so that all the God-deserted tribe drew their feet within their skirts amongst the hills of Ghazni, and even their advance-arrows had not strength enough to reach into Sind. On the other side so, much dust arose from the battered temple of Somnat that even the sea was not able to lay it, and on the right hand and on the left hand the army has conquered from sea to sea, and several capitals of the gods of the Hindus, in which Satanism has prevailed since the time of the Jinns, have been demolished. All these impurities of infidelity have been cleansed by the Sultan’s destruction of idol-temples, beginning with his first holy expedition against Deogir, so that the flames of the light of the law illumine all these unholy countries, and places for the criers to prayer are exalted on high, and prayers are read in mosques. God be praised!"

"But the country of Ma’bar, which is so distant from the city of Dehli that a man travelling with all expedition could only reach it after a journey of twelve months, there the arrow of any holy warrior had not yet reached; but this world-conquering king determined to carry his [p. 91] army to that distant country, and spread the light of the Muhammadan religion there. Malik Naib Barbak was appointed to command the army for this expedition, and a royal canopy was sent with him. The Malik represented that on the coast of Ma’bar were five hundred elephants, larger than those which had been presented to the Sultan from Arangal, and that when he was engaged in the conquest of that place he had thought of possessing himself of them, and that now, as the wise determination of the king had combined the extirpation of idolaters with this object, he was more than ever rejoiced to enter on this grand enterprise...."

"After returning to Birdhul, he again pursued the Raja to Kandur, and took one hundred and eight elephants, one of which was laden with jewels. The Rai again escaped him, and he ordered a general massacre at Kandur. It was then ascertained that he had fled to Jalkota, an old city of the ancestors of Bir. There the Malik closely pursued him, but he had again escaped to the jungles, which the Malik found himself unable to penetrate, and he therefore returned to Kanaur, where he searched for more elephants. Here he heard that in Brahmastpuri there was a golden idol, round which many elephants were stabled. The Malik started on a night expedition against this place, and in the morning seized no less man two hundred and fifty elephants. He then determined on razing the beautiful temple to the ground, –You might say that it was the Paradise of Shaddad, which, after being lost, those hellites had found, and that it was the golden Lanka of Ram. The roof was covered with rubies and emeralds,-in short, it was the holy place of the Hindus, which the Malik dug up from its foundations with the greatest care, and the heads of the Brahmans and idolaters danced from their necks and fell to me ground at their feet, and blood flowed in torrents. The stone idols called Ling Mahadeo, which had been a long time established at that place, quibus, mulieres infidelium pudenda sua affricant,12 these, up to this time, the kick of the horse of Islam had not attempted to break. The Musulmans destroyed all the lings, and [p. 97] Deo Narain fell down, and the other gods who had fixed their seats there raised their feet, and jumped so high that at, one leap they reached the fort of Lanka, and in that affright the lings themselves would have fled had they had any legs to stand on. Much gold and valuable jewels fell into the hands of the Musulmans, who returned to the royal canopy, after executing their holy project on the 13th of Zi-l ka’da, 710 H. (April, 1311 A.D.). They destroyed all the temples at Birdhul, and placed the plunder in the public treasury."

"His genius, if not character, helped him spend “the whole of his life in spinning yarn” (or writing many untruths)."

"The intellectual decline of the Muslims was hastened by the peculiar position of the faithful in India: They had made India their permanent home; many of them were Indians by race; and all had become so in their personal appearance, thoughts, manners and customs. And yet their religious teachers urged them to look back to ancient Arabia and draw their mental sustenance from the far-off age of the Prophet. The language of their religion must be Arabic, which not one in a hundred fully understood ; their cultural language was Persian, which a few more learnt with difficulty and used with an impurity that excited the laughter and acorn of the Persian born. The greatest Indo-Persian poet was Amir Khusrau, but even he was ranked with third-class poets among the natives of Persia. Faizi, our second best, was held to be still inferior. Witness the scorn poured by Babur and Shaikh Ali Hazin alike on the Persian style of the Indian Muslims."

"[After that, ‘Ala’ al-din’s army turned its attention to the citadel of Mandi and to the conquest of Malwa.] When the spearmen of the victorious army had with their spears put antimony into the eyes of the rais many great zamindars who were more sharp sighted threw aside their boldness and impudence from fear of the stone-splitting arrows of the Turks and came with open eyes to the sublime threshold and turned that threshold into antimony by rubbing their black pupils upon it. They thus saved their bones from becoming antimony boxes for the dust.”"

"Praise be to God!, that he (the sultan) so ordered the massacre of all the chiefs of Hindustan out of the pale of Islam, by his infidel-smiting sword, that if in this time it should by chance happen that a schismatic should claim his right, the pure Sunnis would swear in the name of this Khalifa of God, that heterodoxy has no right."

"Allusions to various colours.” On the day that the yellow faced rais, from fear of the green swords, sought refuge in the red court which is marked by victory, the Sanjar of the kingdom—may he always be on the cushion of success and his fame as a warrior remain evergreen—was still crimson with rage. When he saw the green, herbage-eating rais trembling with fear like the trampled and withered grass under the royal tent, although the rai was a rebel, yet the silver of his royal manners did not allow any hot wind to blow upon him. All the sultry wind of his wrath was vented against the other rebels and he ordered that wherever a black Hindu was found he should be cut down like dry grass.’"

"“When the blessed canopy had been fixed about a mile from the gate of Arangal, the tents around the fort were pitched together so closely that the head of a needle could not go between them… Orders were issued that every man should erect behind his own tent a kathgar, that is wooden defence. The trees were cut with axes and felled, notwithstanding their groans; and the Hindus, who worship trees, could not at that time come to the rescue of their idols, so that every cursed tree which was in that capital of idolatry was cut down to the roots…"

"“On Tuesday, the 3rd of Ziqad in AH 700 (10 July, 1301), the strong fort [of Ranthambhor] was conquered. Jhain which was the abode of the infidels, became a new city for Musalmans. The temple of Bahirdev was the first to be destroyed. Subsequently, all other abodes of idolatry were destroyed. Many strong temples which would have remained unshaken even by the trumpet blown on the Day of Judgment, were levelled with the ground when swept by the wind of Islam.”"

"“After returning to Birdhul, he again pursued the Raja to Kandur… The Rai again escaped him, and he ordered a general massacre at Kandur. It was then ascertained that he had fled to Jalkota… There the Malik closely pursued him, but he had again escaped to the jungles, which the Malik found himself unable to penetrate, and he therefore returned to Kandur… Here he heard that in Brahmastpuri there was a golden idol, round which many elephants wore stabled. The Malik started on a night expedition against this place, and in the morning seized no less then two hundred and fifty elephants. He then determined on razing the beautiful temple to the ground – ‘you might say that it was the Paradise of Shaddad which, after being lost, those hellites had found, and that it was the golden Lanka of Ram,’ – ‘the roof was covered with rubies and emeralds’, - ‘in short, it was the holy place of the Hindus, which the Malik dug up from its foundations with the greatest care… and heads of the Brahmans and idolaters danced from their necks and fell to the ground at their feet,’ and blood flowed in torrents. ‘The stone idol called Ling Mahadeo which had been a long time established at that place and on which the women of the infidels rubbed their vaginas for [sexual] satisfaction, these, up to this time, the kick of the horse of Islam had not attempted to break.’ The Musalmans destroyed all the lings, ‘and Deo Narain fell down, and the other gods who had fixed their seats there raised their feet, and jumped so high, that at one leap they reached the fort of Lanka, and in that affright the lings themselves would have fled had they had any legs to stand on.’ Much gold and valuable jewels fell into the hands of the Musalmans, who returned to the royal canopy, after executing their holy project, on the 13th of Zi-l Ka’da, AH 710 (April 1311 AD). They destroyed all the temples at Birdhul, and placed the plunder in the public treasury.”"

"“After five days, the royal canopy moved from Birdhul on Thursday, the 17th of Zi-l Ka’da, and arrived at Kham, and five days afterwards they arrived at the city of Mathra (Madura), the dwelling place of the brother of the Rai Sundar Pandya. They found the city empty, for the Rai had fled with the Ranis, but had left two or three elephants in the temple of Jagnar (Jagganath). The elephants were captured and the temple burnt.”"

"Because of the shortage of stone, people scurried hither and thither throughout the kingdom in search of it. Some struck the base of mountains, so much were they enamoured of their search for stone that they tore at the mountain like lovers. Some were keener than steel in up- rooting the foundations of unbelief. Having sharpened their steels they applied them in holy war to the idol temples of the rais and with blows of iron they devoted their strength with as much vigour as possible to the breaking of the stones. Wherever an idol temple had engaged in an act of devotion the strong tongue of the spade in well founded argument removed the foundations of infidelity from the heart so that, at once, that idol temple in gratitude performed the Muslim rite of bowing in prayer."

"[Then in a single campaign Ranthambhor was conquered and] ‘ by the decree of God the land of infidelity became the land of Islam’. [In Amir Khusrau’s words,] ‘ When the sky-rubbing canopy of the Shadow of God cast its shade over the hill of Ranthambhor, the conqueror of the world, like the sun, stood over the unfortunate in his heat, and cast the days of their lives into decline.’"

"Conquest of Chitor On Monday, the 8th Jumada-s sani, A.H. 702, the loud drums proclaimed the royal march from Delhi, undertaken with a view to the capture of Chitor. The author accompanied the expedition. The fort was taken on Monday, the 11lth of Muharram, A.H. 703 (August, 1303 A.D.). The Rai fled, but afterwards surrendered himself, and was secured against lightning of the scimitar. The Hindus say that lightning falls wherever there is a brazen vessel, and the face of the Rai had become as yellow as one, through the effect of fear... After ordering a massacre of thirty thousand Hindus, he bestowed the Government of Chitor upon his son, Khizr Khan, and named the place Khizrabad. He bestowed on him a red canopy, a robe embroidered with gold, and two standards – one green, and the other black – and threw upon him rubies and emeralds. He then returned towards Delhi. “Praise be to God that he so ordered the massacre of all the chiefs of Hind out of the pale of Islam, by his infidel-smiling sword, that if in this time it should by chance happen that a schismatic should claim his right, the pure Sunnis would swear in the name of this Khalifa of God, that heterodoxy has no rights.”"

"Conquest of Malwa On the southern border of Hindustan, Rai Mahlak Deo, of Malwa, and Koka, his Pardhan, who had under their command a select body of thirty thousand cavalry, and infantry without number, boasting of their large force, had rubbed their eyes with the antimony of pride, and, according to the verse, ‘When fate decrees the sight is blinded,’ had forsaken the path of obedience. A select army of royal troops was appointed, and suddenly fell on those blind and bewildered men. Victory itself preceded them, and had her eyes fixed upon the road to see when the triumphant army would arrive. Until the dust of the army of Islam arose, the vision of their eyes was closed. The blows of the sword they descended upon them, their heads were cut off and the earth was moistened with Hindu blood.... The accursed Koka, also, was slain, and his head was sent to the Sultan. His confidential chamberlain, ‘Ainu-l Mulk, was appointed to the Government of Malwa, and directed to expel Mahlak Deo from Mandu, “and to cleanse that old Gabristan from the odour of [p. 81] infidelity.” A spy showed him a way secretly into the fort, and he advanced upon Mahlak Deo “before even his household gods were aware of it.” The Rai was slain while attempting to fly. This event occurred on Thursday, the 5th of Jumada-l awwal, A.H. 7052 (Nov. 1305 A.D.). ‘Ainu-l Mulk sent a chamberlain to the sultan with a despatch announcing this event. The sultan returned thanks to God for the victory, and added Mandu to the Government of ‘Ainu-l Mulk...."

"Conquest of Tilang (excerpt) On Sunday, the 13th, a day dedicated to the sun, the attack was renewed, and cries of “huzza huzz” and “khuzza khuzz,” the acclamation of the triumph of holy Warriors arose. They took fire with them, and threw it into the places of retreat of the Gabrs, who worshipped fire. By Wednesday, the whole of the outer wall was in possession of the Musulmans. They then saw the inner fortress, which was built of stone. You might have said it was the fort of Nai, in which the air is as much lost as in a reed. When the army reached the inner ditch, they swam across it, and commenced a vigorous attack on one of the stone bastions, which so alarmed Rai Laddar Deo that he offered terms of capitulation. He despatched confidential messengers to offer an annual payment of tribute: and sent a golden image of himself, with a golden chain round Its neck, In acknowledgment of his submission. “When the messengers of the Rai came before the red canopy, which is the honored harbinger of victory and triumph, they rubbed their yellow faces on the earth till the ground itself acquired their colour, and they drew out their tongues in eloquent Hindui more cutting than a Hindi sword, and they delivered the message of the Rai.... The idol-breaking Malik comprehended the gilding of the Hindus, and paid no regard to their glozing speech and would not look towards that golden image, but he (“a part of the second Alexander”) ordered his officers to take the gold that was brought and suspend operations against the fort. He demanded, in reply everything that [p. 89] the Rai’s country produced from vegetables, mines, and animals. On this condition the fort-taking Malik stretched forth his right hand, and placed his sword in his scabbard, and struck his open hand, by way of admonition, so forcibly on the backs of the basiths that he made them bend under the blow. They hastened to the fort, trembling like quick-silver. The Rai was engaged all night in accumulating his treasures and wealth, and next morning his officers returned with elephants, treasures, and horses, before the red canopy, which is the dawn of the eastern sun; and the Malik, having summoned all the chiefs of the army, sat down in a place which was found in front of the exalted throne, and every other officer found a place in the assembly according to his rank. The common people and servants assembled in a crowd. He then sent for the basiths of the Rai, and directed them to place their faces on the ground before the canopy, the shadow of God; and the elephants were placed in front of that assembly, to be exhibited for presentation...The Malik took the entire wealth of the Rai which was brought, and threatened a general massacre, if it should be found that the Rai had reserved anything for himself. An engagement was then entered into that the Rai should send jizya annually to Dehli. The Malik left Arangal on the l6th of Shawwal (March, 1310 A.D.) with all his booty, and a thousand camels groaned under the weight of the treasure. He arrived at Dehli on the 11th of Muharram, A.H. 710, and on Tuesday, the 24th, in an assembly of all the chiefs and nobles on the terrace of Nasiru-d din, the plunder was presented, and the Malik duly honoured..."

"“During the attack, the catapults were busily plied on both sides… ‘Praise be to God for his exaltation of the religion of Muhammad. It is not to be doubted that stones are worshipped by Gabrs,74 but as the stones did no service to them, they only bore to heaven the futility of that worship, and at the same time prostrated their devotees upon earth’…”"