Harmonium - Disharmony!

Harmonium - Disharmony!

Naah! am not criticizing western music or its instruments with this peti (Harmonium). Am not a crusader. This episode revolves around my training days to learn guitar(i didn't perfect it yet). With childlike curiosity i came to know some International Guitar Coaching center has been opened in my neighbourhood. As the prefix had international, mind got attracted that I will learn some international technique. One fine day I went to the International Center. There was a dark glass door, to give it some mysterious look. I entered and saw a thin mid aged man (Mr. X) sitting on a revolving chair, i guess he was revolving for several hours, as i just saw him. With one x-ray i thought he was the attendant given his outlook and acts (revolving) but was blown away with the american accent 'Hello!'. I got nervous as i didn't expect from this poor looking, malnourished man to say with that elan. 

I murmured - "Hello! Sir. I have come here to enquire about guitar coaching". Mr.X replied - "Yeeah! we teach guitar. Acoustic, Electric, Hawaiian, Piano and so. What's your choice?" I was in split because for me learning instrument was new thing and i loved if Harmonium was also there. And why not being from a humble background where music loving father pursued to learn Harmonium in any point of life, which was a real instrument in his views. The pain came out and I naively asked - "Sir, well actually my dad wanted me to learn harmonium as well..sa.re..ga..ma..paaa...will it be ok to learn ustaad's choice over western instru.."

Before i could finish my line Mr. X vehemently protested - "Harmonium??? Do you call it a instrument?? Do you find it melodious? Don't you think it is played in Mehfils, Bhajans & that monotonous ghazal concerts? Quite outdated.And buddy you can't woo girls. It's not cool actually". 

And there - my sentiments were hurt. My heart was broken. Leaving all nonsense, cool-dude factors aside. My heart asked -  "Harmonium is not a instrument? What this chap is saying? It's not melodious, outdated, bland  boring. How come?? Is this his final limitation of understanding music that makes him to disregard harmonium, its existence in one plain shot?"

(Mr. X - musical instruments, whatever they are, is a blessing to mankind to soothe oneself, to enjoy playing and listening to them. They are incomparable to one another. Each shining out in the music where they have been put as Soul not as filler. And here you are criticizing Harmonium for none of its mistake. Ok it looks like a peti, but that doesn't stop it to create melody. Mr. X if you want to relax your veins check out - Chitthi aayi hai (Pankaj Udas) Badi Nazuk hai manzil (Jagjit Singh), Kun faaya kun (AR Rahman), Arziyan (Javed Ali), Kajra mohbbat wala (Asha Bhosle) and many many more whose soul has been Harmonium. How these songs become defunct? Mr. X with your blunt reply I must clarify that the sound of Harmonium is equally heart touching, divine if not momentary romantic. And in many villages,still today, it is the sound of harmonium that raises the spirit of tired faces. No instrument is superior over others. It's just the creative implementation of them. Be it guitar on Summer of 69, Jeene ke ishaare mil gaye, the Sehnai of Ye jo des hai tera (Swades), Shubhaarambh and so.)

Simply, they can't be replaced with other instruments. Because music is loved if it has a soul and 

...soul, is irreplaceable!


I left the place...


- Harish Benjwal