The fourth of Aradhna’s six films by Ben Stamper just hit youtube. The film features children from the Asha Deep slum school in Varanasi. We’d love to see some of Aradhna’s friends build a relationship with the Asha Deep school as it is in considerable financial need at the moment, while maintaining an amazing standard of education of the whole person.
Kiran Pradhan, composer of “Ishwarle” passed away this week in Delhi, India, where he lived for many years as a music teacher and performer.
We are in shock about this news, as we are always talking about Kiran at our Aradhna concerts whenever we sing his songs. I had just spoken of Kiran at the concert for Bhutanese Nepali refugees in Jacknsonville last night.
Kiran’s gift of music and love for Yeshu has been an inspiration to many people who have been touched deeply by the song “Ishwarle.” The translated words are from the words of Yeshu, that God loves this world so much that he gave us his son, that believing in him, we do not need to fear death, but have the hope of knowing God personally, which is eternal life.
We thank God for Kiran’s life and pray for his family and friends during this time of loss.
With love,
Chris and Pete
If you have been touched by Kiran Pradhan’s Nepali song, “ISHWARLE” or “AAYO HAI AAYO” and would like to make a financial donation to his family in India, please select one of the buttons below.
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This song is in 11 beats but you’d never know it. The rhythm is called char tal ki sawari. Try counting to 11 when the tabla begins, (taking about one second for each number), and keep counting over and over again from 1 to 11 throughout the song. You can follow how Jim Feist plays different variations all within that eleven-beat cycle. My sitar guru, Partha Chatterjee, taught me the rhythm (taal) while I was in Fremont, CA, for my annual lessons. You’ll see clearly how the taal works in the sitar solo where I complete each musical thought at the beginning of every new 11 beat cycle.
It wasn’t difficult to choose this as the final (more…)
When I am asked why I chose to make a life out of singing music out of south asia, I often speak of my childhood in Nepal, and the love I had for the music of those hills, where I learned Herana. It was a carefree life. Thousands of terraced rice fields were our playground. Steep mount streams were our swimming holes. For the most part life was wonderful, even though all around me people were living in abject poverty and need, which was the reason my parents were there in the first place, as medical doctors.
Some of my best friends ran around in bare feet and shorts because they didn’t own a shirt or shoes. I often (more…)
