Writing
The Raga
Notebook
Reflections on Indian classical music, raga theory, the sitar, jazz, and the art of deep listening.
Indian Classical Music
What Is a Raga? A Beginner's Guide to the Soul of Indian Music
The raga is not a scale. It is not a melody. It is not even a mood, exactly — though it evokes one with uncanny precision. Understanding the raga is the first step into one of the world's most sophisticated musical traditions.
Music Theory
12 min readRaga and Modal Jazz: More in Common Than You Think
When Miles Davis recorded Kind of Blue in 1959, he was reaching toward something that Indian classical musicians had explored for centuries. The parallels between modal jazz and raga are profound — and illuminating for both traditions.
Learning the Sitar
6 min readHow Long Does It Take to Learn the Sitar? An Honest Answer
This is the question every prospective student asks. The honest answer is more nuanced than 'it depends' — and understanding the real timeline will help you approach the instrument with the right mindset.
Reflections
10 min readThe Guru-Shishya Tradition: Why Ancient Teaching Methods Still Work
In an age of YouTube tutorials and online courses, the ancient Indian tradition of guru-shishya (teacher-student) transmission offers something irreplaceable. Here's what it means, and why it matters.
Music Theory
9 min readUnderstanding Tala: The Architecture of Rhythm in Indian Music
Western music has time signatures. Indian music has tala — a cyclical rhythmic framework that is simultaneously more complex and more intuitive. Here's how to begin understanding it.
Crossover Music
7 min readWhen Raga Meets Flamenco: Notes from a Collaboration
During a residency in Spain, I found myself in conversation with flamenco musicians. The similarities were startling — the drone, the microtonal inflections, the improvisational grammar. This is what I learned.
Music Collaborations
8 min readBeyond the Roots: Sitar Meets Contemporary Western Composition
In this groundbreaking project, I collaborated with contemporary classical composers to create works that honor both Indian classical traditions and modern compositional techniques. The result is a unique sonic landscape that challenges listeners' expectations.
Music Collaborations
11 min readSamhita: A New Crossover Ensemble Bridging Indian Classical and World Music
Introducing Samhita — a large-scale composition bringing together sitar, jazz musicians, and contemporary Western instruments. This groundbreaking ensemble explores the infinite possibilities at the intersection of Indian classical, jazz, and world music traditions.
Music Collaborations
10 min readEssence of Duality: Exploring the Jazz-Raga Connection
What happens when a sitarist meets a jazz quartet? In this collaboration, we discover the surprising common ground between modal jazz and Indian classical music. Both traditions share a deep commitment to improvisation, modal thinking, and spiritual expression.
Music Collaborations
9 min readNorthlight: An Indo-Nordic Musical Journey
Collaborating with Nordic folk musicians revealed unexpected resonances between Indian classical music and Scandinavian traditions. Both cultures share a deep connection to nature, cyclical time, and the power of the drone. Here's what we learned.
Learning the Sitar
10 min readSitar Technique 101: The Meend, Gamak, and Other Essential Ornaments
The beauty of the sitar lies in its ability to bend and slide between notes in ways that Western instruments cannot. Learn about the fundamental techniques that give the sitar its distinctive voice and emotional depth.
Music Theory
11 min readHarmony in Raga: How Indian Classical Music Approaches Consonance and Dissonance
Western harmony is built on chords. Indian classical music uses the drone and the raga's internal relationships to create harmony. Discover how two traditions approach the same fundamental question differently.
Reflections
9 min readWhy Improvisation Is Not Chaos: The Structure Within Raga
Raga improvisation can seem completely free to the untrained ear. But beneath the surface lies a sophisticated framework of rules, relationships, and artistic choices. Here's how it works.
Crossover Music
8 min readBuilding Bridges: How World Musicians Can Learn from Indian Classical Music
Whether you play jazz, folk, classical, or electronic music, the principles of raga and modal thinking can expand your creative vocabulary. Explore how to integrate these ideas into your own practice.
Music Theory
10 min readIndian Notation vs Western Notation: Two Languages of Music
Western staff notation and Indian sargam notation represent two fundamentally different ways of encoding musical information. Understanding both systems reveals how different cultures prioritize different aspects of music.
Music Theory
11 min readRaga Time Theory: Why Time Matters in Indian Classical Music
In Indian classical music, time is not merely a container for notes — it is a living dimension of the raga itself. Discover how ragas are organized around specific times of day and seasons.
Indian Classical Music
9 min readThe Philosophy of Rasa: How Ragas Evoke Emotion and Spiritual States
Rasa is central to Indian classical music. Learn how ragas are designed to evoke specific emotional and spiritual states, and how this ancient framework guides both performers and listeners.
More Articles Coming Soon
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