[Bandcamp]
Meditate with Ganeshji
Ganesh Rajagopalan (violin)
Masterful, Soulful, Meditative, Introspective and Peaceful solo violin improvisations in South Indian (Carnatic) style.

Notes from the artist:

Everything around us, in nature, is Prana; a life force that encompasses all things. Prana makes life possible. For a musician, music is Prana and the interplay between sound and silence is the essence of that journey. The unfolding of the raga (melody) through alapana (free flowing improvisation of the melody) has always been a blissful joy in playing music for me. Hence the entire album is my expression of sharing profound happiness with you the listener, straight from my heart.
1) Sahana
sweet as Honey!
A melody, flows through the labyrinth of our brain and tingles our sensations as honey does. Sahana has been called the Raga that kindles subtle emotions portraying unconditional surrender.
It is a popular ragam (musical scale) in Carnatic (South India) music. It is associated with the 28th Melakarta ragam Harikambhoji. The word Sahana is another name for goddess Lakshmi. It also means "Pure and Blissfully Happy". In Kannada language the meaning is "a person who has great knowledge about all things present, past and future".
2) Vittala
Soaked in bliss!
We go to sleep and when we get up we feel the bliss of happiness as fresh as the flowers and the morning sun rise. Vittala is a raga which is music for when you are sound sleep!
3) Hamsadhwani
Sound of the swan
We always yearn for sounds and melodies which are out of this world. Sounds of the cuckoo bird or the resonance of a bamboo forest or sound of Hamsadhwani (the swan).
4) Shanmukhapriya
Emotional pendulum
We go through our lives swinging between emotions when we allow our mind to wander. One moment of joy and the other one of utter helplessness and despair.
This raga has the effect of sharpening the intellect of the player as well that of the listener. It instills courage in one’s mind and replenishes the energy in the body.

Recorded, mixed & produced by Emam
Photos of Ganeshji by Priya Ravi
Cover design by Emam