December and Music - How are they related?
DECEMBER. . . . . .
It is the Christmas time across the globe, Isn't it?
But Indian heritage speaks many other celebrations along with Christmas!
Oh! It was around the same time in December.
In early 2000's, I woke up to a bright Sunday morning. As I walked to the living room, mom was busy in her Sunday chores, dad was as always watching the news. I and my brother always had a fight on who would get the newspaper first. My day was brighter! I took the newspaper and I noticed that the newspaper's content was so different and I saw such an intense amount of content on this topic only in December.
As I opened the newspaper, there were about three pages filled with information just about music, the schedules of the musical concerts, details of all the musicians and artists and what not. I was so curious to know why was it that December specifically had music as a major part of it.
So, I asked my parents....
How were December and Music related and Why were there so many musical concerts happening in the month of December?
Here is what they told me. December is a season that rains music in the southern part of India. This is the time of the year when most of the people don't leave the city, and those abroad go to India for vacation, because the invisible umbilical cord called 'Carnatic Music' tugs them. December, in South India, is a month for music. There would be about 1,500 concerts spread across a little over three weeks, the season typically starts mid-December. The month is considered auspicious for God and must be devoted only to prayer and worship. People generally don't perform any auspicious functions.
This month, December, is generally so designated, because learning or listening to Carnatic music (Indian Classical Music) is considered a form of worship.
This is not to say that musical concerts are restricted only to the month of December. They are a round-the-year feature in Indian Classical music. Only that, in December, the craze culminates into a carnival, popularly called as "Music Season", "Music Festival", "Margazhi Festival (Pronounced as Maar-ga-zhi)", "December Season"; easily one of the biggest song and dance shows in the country.
The concerts are held under the banners of various bodies that promote the performing arts. It generally comprises of large number of members who are music-lovers.
But why December?
December, from the Indian heritage, has been a period just before Dawn for the almighty for whom a human year constitutes one day. The period just before dawn is therefore very sacred and hence, people in ancient period are known to go around the streets singing - the intention is to rouse the latent spiritual powers in every one of us.
If the whole year is deemed to be just one day, December month is the pre-dawn period, when we transit from the stillness and calm of the wintery night to a day of meaningful activities and hence, is celebrated as a season of music and arts.
I found it very interesting and wanted to share it with y'all. Hope all of you liked it too!
Happy December!
Merry Christmas!
And a Happy Music Season!
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