The Healing Raga

“The Healing Raga”
Olim, there was a man by the name Sandeep Chaudhari. He lived in a secluded ashram in india that was of mysterious origins. He was a sitar player. Since birth he had had a natural affinity for the instrument. Once he was old enough he began formal lessons from his teacher, Ustad Aditya Samant. The boy quickly surpassed the Ustad Samant, he would play for hours on end sometimes going without food. He never grew tired of playing. He once had played until his fingers had started to bleed. He continued to play, it was at this point that his wife Lalita Patil stopped him and said “Sandeep, you need to stop this or you shall die.” He paid her no heed and continued to play. He played for over two weeks before finally stopping, He was not emaciated or tired, ironically, he was full of life and vitality despite his lack of food or sleep. And his fingers had all but healed when he was done. When questioned as to why he was not dead, he simply stated “it is a secret, you shall find out in time.” And so the boy had a little food to eat and went back to his playing. He lived in seclusion rarely leaving his room other than to go to take care of hygiene. He would study sitar obsessively, composing his own ragas. His knowledge of music theory was extensive, and his times spent outside his room he would talk to people about microtones, raga composition, sargam, meter and all those things he found enjoyable, however, most people were bored to tears by his extensive knowledge of theory.
One day his wife walked in on an especially intense session of playing, so intense that he had paid her no notice. She walked over to him and sat next to him. He was playing a raga of immense beauty, it was so beautiful that she had forgot why she had come and sat next to him, he played for a good two days, with her just sitting next to him listening to the awe inspiring music that he had created. After he had finished she felt refreshed and also full, as if the music had nourished her. She left with a feeling of contentment. Sandeep had felt her presence but paid her no mind. He was too in to his session of playing to care why she had come or to make her go. He eventually came out of his seclusion again, this time for slightly longer, but he still would only talk about theory. One day after a heavy discussion of his newest raga, a man by the name of Sanjay Geete came up and said “I am the greatest sitar player to have walked this earth, you and I shall have a playing session, if you prove better than me, I shall play accompaniment with the sarod and shall never play the sitar again. For you see I am in fact an Ustad on all instruments, not just the sitar.” Sandeep simply replied “ If I wished I could be the greatest musician to have ever been, but I choose to remain loyal to my sitar, who I named saraswati.”
The next day, Sanjay entered into the room of Sandeep. A few hours later, while everyone was waiting to hear from them, Sanjay came from the room and said in astonished words “I have been beaten by the best, he is truly the master of his instrument. If I were among you I would just enter his room and listen to him play forever, it would be a shame not to ever have heard such beautiful music.”
The next day a man by the name of Yashaskara was dying of the consumption. On the verge of death he had one wish “Before I die I want to hear the music of Sandeep.” The men immediately went to the room of Sandeep and pleaded “Yashaskara’s dying wish is to hear your beautiful music, please just grant him this last wish.” After a long period of silence, Sandeep spoke “I will grant him this last wish, on the condition that you bring him to my room, otherwise I will not do it.” “But Sandeep, it would be incredibly dangerous to bring him here.” The men said “if he wants to hear this music he must come here. Do what you can” the men looked at each other and said “ok”.
In the next hour, the men carefully carried Yashaskara to the room. Sandeep said “Now you must leave, I will not play for anyone but the dying man, so please take your leave quickly.” The men left the room. After about two hours the men came back. Yashaskara was not only awake, but his breathing was no longer labored, his cough was gone completely, and he regained the color in his face. After this recovery, the men discussed.
“So he only eats by choice, he could be sustained entirely on his sitar if he so wished.” One of the men said. Another said “Not only that but he has the ability to heal those on the verge of death.” another said “I wonder if he can bring the dead back to life” that’s a good question, let us test.” “we must tell him of our intentions” one of them said. “we shall tell him in time, but first let us test.”
The next day, the men brought him a dead man. Sandeep said in a simple tone “I can do it, but I must warn you, this will not turn out well, music can resurrect, heal, and nourish, but resurrection is dangerous however, as we don’t know what that man has seen, he may be completely changed after having crossed the threshold of death.” “there is no need for these precautions, just play, this time however we want to listen” Sandeep said again “I must warn you, this will only nourish the hungry, heal the sick and…and other things. Just beware, as a precaution, have you eaten at all in the last two days?” “yes” the men said. “come back in two days, listening on a stomach filled with food will only cause great damage.” “Ok, we shall come back in two days, but you must play for us and this dead man.” “it shall be done” Sandeep said
Two days later the men came back with the dead man “Now…play for us” Sandeep said “as you wish” he then began playing the music. Its beauty was indescribable, truly not meant for mortal ears. As the men were entranced by the beautiful music, no one but Sandeep noticed the dead man start to rise, suddenly the awareness of the dead man coming to life dawned on the men and they immediately began to rejoice at their new discovery. However, their joy turned to horror as the dead man began attacking one of them “GET HIM OFF ME!!” the man said. The men tried to wrestle him off but it was to no avail. Then the music began to change, the beauty of the music now became terrifying. the fear in the room was palpable. But, the men began to see that the dead man was returning to his former state. He then fell back, again dead. The music stopped. The men were awe struck, they now realized fully the extent of the power of the music. The men thanked Sandeep for his demonstration to which he replied cryptically “you will regret your future decision” they left without a word to him
Later that night the men discussed “the power he wields is too great, if we don’t do something this might end up bad for the community” one said “but he disturbs no one, he is aware of the power he wields, let us not do anything rash. Why don’t we use this to our advantage, he can feed the hungry, heal the sick, and raise the dead we can use this.” “How?” One asked “ Simple we charge admission to see Sandeep, unless the person is utterly poor and in need of food.” “I do not think this is a wise choice” one of the men said “it is ok, we will ask his permission first and then tell him our plan, I am sure he will agree to our plan, besides, we need the rupees.” Another said “if you say so, but I still think this will end badly for all of us.” The man who had spoken previously had said.
The next day they went to Sandeep’s room and told him their plan Sandeep with his usual simplicity stated “I will agree to do this, but I must warn you, this will not end well for you.” “we don’t mind at all, just do this” “as you wish” said Sandeep. Over the next few weeks, the ashram was filled with people, the news of this incredible music had spread to all corners of the earth, and everyone who could went to him, Sandeep fed the poor first, then he healed the sick. For a time this was good, the ashram made plenty of money from this venture, the men were ecstatic. However, one day this all changed when something happened. Sandeep had killed a man with his music. That day the ashram was closed off as the men spoke to Sandeep.
“why did you kill that man, that is a horrible thing to do” One of them said. Sandeep replied “I could not save him, he was suffering greatly, and his dying wish was for me to kill him with my music, so I complied with his wishes I gave him his requiem.” “but euthanasia is not a good thing, you took a life, that is unforgivable.” The men said “But you were the ones who wanted me to help people, I do what I can, but in some cases, it is impossible for me to help other than give them a death to music. So please, if you want me to continue, it would behoove you to not bother me about these matters again.” “but..” “but nothing, you will either not bother me, or I shall refuse to play my music for others.” “fine, we shall allow you to do what you wish” the men said grudgingly.
Later that night, the dead man appeared to all the men as they were going to sleep, he began speaking to them. “ hello, my name is Vilayat Banerjee, earlier today you berated the man who killed me for committing an act which I asked for. You should not have done that. Next time, if he kills a man, do not question his actions, I now retire to my eternal rest, goodbye.” The next day the men converged and discussed the vision.
“You think we should just allow him to kill, it isn’t right.” One man said. “but you heard the man, we should not try and disturb Sandeep anymore and just allow him to do what he does.” Another replied. “I don’t know, we shall discuss this with him” another said.
A few hours later the men approached Sandeep as he was composing a raga. “what are you doing?” the men asked “ I’m composing, this is a special raga that you must not hear” he replied. “why” the men asked again “I cannot tell you at this point, but you shall see.” “that is not the reason we came here” the men said. “ I know why you have come, it is because you were visited by the man I killed” Sandeep said “yes, how did you know?” the men asked “he visited me as well, thanking me for my actions” Sandeep replied “thanking you?” they all asked in unison. “Yes, thanking me. His suffering was beyond words, I know the reason he visited you, as I said before let me do what I have to and do not interfere.” Sandeep said. “yes, we shall respect your wishes. Goodbye for now.” The men discussed no more and let him be.
The next few months were prosperous for the ashram, it expanded, and as time went on the men began to go with the motions and let Sandeep be. One day however, again the men had to close the ashram from the general public. This time for a very different reason. The men approached Sandeep. “Sandeep, we just heard from a woman visitor that you pleased her.” The men said “Yes, I sexually gratified the woman through my music, I could see in her eyes what was ailing her, it was a sickness of love, the desire to be held. So again I healed her in the way she needed healing. Was she not satisfied?” Sandeep replied “she was euphoric, but, we cant have you doing things like this, you must consider fidelity to your wife, sure you did not actually have sex with the woman, but you pleased her nonetheless. If your wife hears about this “infidelity” you might lose everything and we might have to take matters into our own hands.” The men all said. Sandeep simply said “I heal the sick, and feed the hungry, just because my method of healing was sexual in nature does not make me an adulterer. So please, men, if you wish for things to turn out well, please leave me be and do not question my methods.” The men said “fine, we will do as you wish.” The men left.
That night the men discussed yet again. “He is too powerful, this is profitable for us, but… this does not let go of the fact that he just did what he did. We must kill this man” one of them said. “first we berate him for euthanasia and now we want to kill him? I do not understand, this hypocrisy is too great.” Another man said “but think of what will happen if this power goes unchecked, who knows what he could unleash upon the world, this death is for the good of mankind.” “I agree, all in favor say I” one of them said “I” they all said in unison. So it shall be done. We shall kill him while he is sleeping tomorrow night” “alright” everyone said.
The next night, the men sneakily entered his room, what they saw horrified them, he was not only awake but his sitar was in his hand. “we have come to kill you” the men said “ I know, that is why I composed this raga especially for this moment that I knew would come” so he began playing a discordant melody, slowly however, it became more and more beautiful, the men shook in fear. And to their great horror, they began to feel faint, the music became even more beautiful and more beautiful, until the men’s bodies could take it no longer, and they fell on each other and were all dead. Sandeep for the first time in almost a year, got up from his playing position, walked outside the ashram, and sat down in the quiet night. He began to play, and slowly he rose from the ground. The music awoke everybody and they all came out to watch as he slowly ascended to the heavens. His wife came out and started to cry, not only because her husband was transcending but because the music’s beauty induced the tears. For this was Sandeep’s swan song and he played until he could no longer be heard. The people all watched in astonishment. Sandeep was gone, and they all grieved for the loss of the men and the beautiful music that would be no more. suddenly from the sky fell Sandeep’s sitar, it was floating as if it were a feather and landed gently. A young boy came and picked up the instrument that produced such immense and beautiful music, went inside, and the men and women of the ashram looked on and their hearts smiled, for they knew Sandeep’s legacy would live on. Then everyone fell asleep to the music of the young musician.
FIN.