World Music Day

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” – Bob Marley

Music is an integral part of our lives. It is a reflection of self and what we believe in. Life without music would pretty much be like the universe without the Sun – dark and incomplete. Music is the sound of our feelings. It reminds us of our past, makes us realize our present and gives a direction to our future. For many people, music is the way of escaping from the bitter realities of life into a world of their own – where they are free from the boundaries set by the hypocritical society. On the other hand, there are people for whom music is a poetic medium of expressing the thoughts within oneself. For still others, music is purely a form of art and entertainment, which helps to ease their minds off the daily stress and tensions.

A Special Day to Celebrate Music!

Yes, you read that right. It is probably because of all the qualities mentioned above that music is so important to us, which is why a special day has been set aside to celebrate the spirit of music. 21^st June, World Music Day, is celebrated every year to promote music among the public. Not only does it serve as an entertainment for people, but also creates awareness about the different kinds of music that are existing in the world. Each type of music has a story to tell, and it is through World Music Day that these stories can be presented in front of the people.

Besides the purpose of entertainment and education of people, the reason behind celebration of World Music Day is also to provide a platform for young amateur and budding musicians to showcase their talent to the world and get noticed. As goes the saying, an artist’s gift lies in the appreciation of his talent. Performing on shows and events held during World Music Day celebration provides an opportunity to these musicians to let people know about their talents and gain appreciation from them.

A Throwback to the History of Music in India

Music has always been a vital part of everyday Indian life. It finds a special place in the social and religious circles of people and is abundant with a wide range of phenomena starting from simple basic melodies to highly complex systems, which have been spoken about even in the Vedas. Music in India flourished during the Mughal rule and under the influence of poet saints who brought about the Bhakti movement.

Gradually, the Classical music – Hindustani (North, East and Central India) and Carnatic (Peninsular India) – found predominance in the country as multiple varieties of pop and folk music also paved their way into the Indian music portfolio. Some other forms of semi-classical music include Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal, Qawwali, Kajri, Tappa and Chaiti.

The Indian folk culture is highly popular because of the vast diversity which our country enjoys. Folk songs represent the contemporary human life including psychology, philosophy, love, socio-economic conditions, etc. and are distributed region-wise. Rabindra Sangeet, Bihu, Bhangra, Giddha, Dandiya, Lavani, Bauls, Kolattam, Veeragase, Naatupura Paatu and many such types of music form a part of the folk culture of India.

Present Music Scenario in India:

Indian cinema has made music immensely popular. Songs from Indian films account for more than 70% of the sale of music in the country. Music is composed by blending westernized orchestra and classical Indian flavor, while retaining the typical harmony of our music. Indi-pop music, which is formed by mixing Indian folk and classical music and contemporary beats from different regions of the world, has also been a popular favorite among the audiences.

Not to forget, the influence of western culture has paved the way for typical modern forms like Jazz music, Rock music, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop, etc. and attracted the younger audience to it.

Music has no religion!!! Set Yourself Free!

Long story short, music is the language of the universe. It knows no boundaries as it can be understood by anyone. Unlike lyrics, which need to be understood in the language that they are in, music is something which can be felt by anyone, irrespective of nationality or origin.
So go out and enjoy the magic of music on World Music Day 21^st June!

Why Should India Get Rid of Child Labor?

Why Should India Get Rid of Child Labor?

The other day, my domestic help inquired if I needed an office boy to do odd jobs at my workplace. When I probed into his basic details like age, schooling, etc. she replied, “He is ten years old. Silly boy wants to go to school but how can I send him madam if I don’t have the money to pay his fees? He must work as early as possible so that he supports the family and stops pestering us for school.” I had no comeback to that response, but those words kept ringing in my ears and really got me thinking as to why these sweet little gifts of God become victims to the horrendous trap called ‘child labor’.

I don’t hesitate to say that India is a country of paradoxes. One such great example of the paradox in India is that of children, who are regarded as blessings on one hand, but are made to serve as laborers on the other hand. With the largest chunk of Indian population being children, it goes without saying that child labor is deep rooted in the nation. In fact, India ranks highest in terms of the number of child laborers in the world, which is indeed a highly shameful position to be in. In a constitution which talks about equality, the rich become richer and the poor continue to degrade into poverty.

Children – as young as 5 years of age – are employed in commercial and domestic establishments and made to perform sundry chores for the employer. Cleaning the house, washing dishes and clothes, making tea, serving food to customers and even begging on the streets are some of the odd jobs that little children are made to do by their employers. It’s hard to imagine how, a nine-year old girl who might have been a diligent student in school, is working as a domestic help in a high society complex in a metropolitan city. Or the eleven-year old boy who might have grown up to become a world famous painter, is actually serving tea to the ‘babus’ in their high-rise air-conditioned offices.

Why should all this stop? Why should India get rid of child labor? Why should children not be made to serve as laborers? For the simple reason that they are just children! They are meant to be receiving proper education, playing the sports they like and pursuing the hobby they feel strongly about. They must not be exploited for the benefit of someone else, who wouldn’t even appreciate their efforts enough. Lack of proper education and basic amenities like food, shelter and security forces child labor to strengthen its base in India.

Child labor prevails in the country because of the vicious cycle of poverty and illiteracy. Children are made to work because the families are poor, because of which they cannot afford education. As a result, they end up doing menial jobs which do not pay sufficient, and hence they remain poor. The entire chain affects children the most, in terms of their physical and psychological health. They grow up to become unhealthy individuals and do not possess a developmental outlook. They are the future citizens of the democracy and by putting their childhood in jeopardy; we are risking the growth of the country.

On the occasion of ‘World Against Child Labor’ on the 12^th of June, let us all pledge that we will not allow the little shining stars of the country fade away in the atrocity of child labor.