LEELA

The violin sings a poignant melody. She-Who-Is-One-With-Him seems to be pining for her beloved. The notes are mournful and persuasive. The audience is drawn into the intensity of her yearning, feeling her pain… Then the rhythmic beats of the tabla rise softly and the mood lightens as The Cowherd seems to appear in Her presence.

Now the music is a dance. Back and forth, the Violin and the Tabla sway together in a breeze blowing in across the waters of the nearby river, feeling the cool touch of morning dew on the grass that nourishes the cattle.

The audience mainly comprises teenage boys and girls who think anything cultural is old fashioned and roll their eyes at ‘classical’. There are is also a collection of grown-ups vaguely resentful of having to spend an extra evening away from home.

The music castes a spell upon this difficult group of spectators. The Celestial Duo holds each other in fond embrace to the lilting notes of the strings. Now they dance separately; now they merge. A thousand flowers open to the morning sun; lotuses bloom; soft wisps rise off the silently flowing water.

They fly off into the clouds in a game of chase; they lie back on the soft grass to catch their breath… or lose it.

The cattle make pretence of grazing; birds glide by with barely a swish; flowers sway; insects buzz to the tune. It is a moment stolen from Heaven itself, and the earth is sanctified.

One is uninitiated, illiterate in music; knowing nothing but to lose oneself to it and feel, and frolic upon the dewy meadows now as One, now as the Other. One does not know the theme of the ‘raag’ or the composition being played… but even the teenagers cannot help breaking into applause.

The dance has been heady and She must finally sigh and surrender as She falls into His arms and rests Her head upon His bosom. He must now not take to His head this illusion of an upper hand, because both know that victory lies in surrender, in dissolution, in Oneness.

The world of worries and fears has retreated far back in one’s consciousness. A fleeting resolve is made to hold captive in wakefulness the essence of this dream, to surrender to freedom when the lights come on, to so fill one’s ears with The Music that other sounds are drowned, to see The Dance in all that is visible and all that is not.                                                                                                                   

“ZeinaGlo brings you the radiant glow of inner peace, good health and attendant beauty.

ZeinaGlo helps you strip off layers of inhibitions, hesitation, and cynicism, allowing your thoughts and emotions to flow freely.

ZeinaGlo helps to douse the flames of insecurity and guilt, to open the windows of mind and body to the cool fresh breeze of love.

ZeinaGlo encourages you to spread inner peace, good health, radiance, exuberance, warmth, joy and the glow from your inner being.

ZeinaGlo brings the beauty of your own thoughts back to you!!”

For, questions, criticism or advice, please post comments here, or write to zeinaglo@rediffmail.com or zeinaglow@gmail.com