Soaring on a Music High

"Lokamanthan is an initiative of IPTA, that is the Indian People's Theatre Association. It was their idea to start a band. I took up the responsibility. It is completely folk. It is like a dance drama. It has folk singers and folk dancers. The singers sing on the same stage in one part and the dancers perform in another part. Folk instruments are used for the creation of the music. It comprises songs and dances of various genres of Assamese folk, traditional music and the various songs and music of indigenous groups and ethnic groups of Assam, like the Bodos."

TaraliSarma is a versatile and unique singer of Assam. She is a mesmerising performing artist, composer, music director and lyricist. TaraliSarma's songs and music touch the soul of the listeners, and draw them into awhirlpool of emotions. Her songs and her music are marked by meaningful lyrics and her creative and technical structure of music have given birth to her own genre of music popularly known as the TaraliSarma genre. She has many awards and accolades to her credit for her musical creations. Excerpts from an interview:

Tell us something about yourself

I am a singer, composer, writer and I do background scores for films and I compose music for films. I also teach and I perform.

Tell us about your educational background

I did my schooling from Holy Child School in Guwahati. I did my graduation from Handique Girls' College and Masters in English from Gauhati University. I did my Bachelors in Music from the Lucknow Bhatkande School of Music.

At what age were you musically struck?

I do not exactly remember the age. I just remember that I was very small and I think I spontaneously started singing and playing the harmonium. It was at a very tender age that I was attracted by songs and music.

Who was your biggest inspiration behind choosing music as a career? What led you to pursue music?

In my case it was not about inspiration but more about the atmosphere that prevailed at home and drew me to songs and music..My father, Prabhat Sarma, a folk exponent, flautist, music director is a Sangeet Natak Academy awardeeisa legend in his own sphere. For me music is a legacy which was handed down to me or I should saysomething which is inherent in me. My mother was also a very good singer. She was a violinist but she could not pursue this further because she was very busy taking care of me and my sisters. Music just happened and this became my passion. And today looking back I think, music was something really beautiful that happened to me and I am blessed. I love what I do and music became my career.

Did your family approve of your career

My family is very liberal. As I said it just happened, and my family was not against it at all. Everybody in my family were into music. So, it was very natural for them to see me doing the same.

You have tried various genres of music. Is there any other genre that you want to try?

I have always loved Sufi. I want to do it properly. I want to do more of it. I also want to do more of our traditional Assamese music like the Borgeet, and the AnkiyaBhaona, which has fascinated me from a very early age. So, it is something I am working on and I want to work more on the spiritual aspect of Assamese Music.

What has been your favorite genre?

I cannot say that one kind of song is my favourite. I am very comfortable singing different kinds of songs. I have a very special fascination for spiritual music and in Assamese folk and traditional music. I also love Indian Classical music. I love light classical music. I think I have developed my own genre, that is what people say. I have experimented with both classical and folk and what developed was a genre that has both classical and folk.Like I said I also love Sufi and spiritual songs and would like to incorporate more of these into my music and songs.

Tell us about your experience as a music director

Music direction for me is something very satisfying and challenging. I specially love scoring background music for films. I love composing for films and dramas. Every time I do a film, I get to learn a lot about the character, the situation and about life. So, while exploring the characters, exploring the screenplay, story of a film or drama through music, I am called on to create another script along with the main script.This musical script is very challenging and satisfying. As a music director, I have worked in almost 15-16 feature films and many dramas, both Bhramyamanand general dramas. As a music director, the journey has been varied and colorful. Every year when I do a film, when I compose for a film, the background score for a film for a drama or for documentary, it is a learning process for me. You get to see different people, situations, different stories, challenges and the best part is you colour all of them, the story, the character with your touch of music. That experience is very beautiful.

Tell us about your bands Moonbeams and Lokamanthan

My band Moonbeams is actually a very personal band. It called TaraliSarma and her Moonbeams. It comprises outstanding and talented musicians from North East India. I have Joshua, who plays the bass guitar and he also sings in the band. I have musicians from Sikkim- Binod Dharwal and Ankit. There are also musicians from Arunachal Pradesh and I have Santanu Barua, who is very eminent guitarist, two young singers, Barnali and Upasana,and Dibyo who plays the tabla and NabaSarma, who plays the drum. My band is a kind of fusion band where we play Assamese folk songs, traditional songs and Indian classical and rock. It is a combination of all of the genres and we mix these up and do our kind of music and we call this Moonbeams music.

Lokamanthan is an initiative of IPTA, that is the Indian People's Theatre Association. It was their idea to start a band. I took up the responsibility. It is completely folk. It is like a dance drama. It has folk singers and folk dancers. The singers sing on the same stage in one part and the dancers perform in another part. Folk instruments are used for the creation of the music. It comprises songs and dances of various genres of Assamese folk, traditional music and the various songs and music of indigenous groups and ethnic groups of Assam, like the Bodos. Lokamanthanis actually a colourful band of folk songs and dance.

You have performed in many places. Tell us about your most memorable performance

If I look back, there are so many memorable performances. There area few that I remember. In 2008 I was in Canada for a show which was organised by the Assamese Associationthere. The show went very well and a few people from there approached me and they thoughtof actually organisinga TaraliSarma show in Canada. That was the best show and the memorywas so beautiful because it happened suddenly. There were not only Assamese people, butthere were different people from other parts of India who resided there, there were Canadian

people and I was alone on stage on track. I sang, I talked about our music, I defined it. Thatwas very satisfying because the crowd was very responsive and showered me with compliments and love. There are other shows like myperformance at Barrackpore a few years ago. In almost every show that I do, I have so manybeautiful memories attached to them. The last show that I did was in Barihat in Assam. That wasduring Laxmi Puja. That performance was also a memorable one and was very beautiful because it was very spiritual and the crowd was very spiritually energised. The most beautiful thing I remember about the show was that when I was singing on the stage the moonI could see the moon in the sky. It wasvery uplifting. And there are so many more stories, that I could write a book on it.

Tell us about your awards and achievements

It is a big list. There are manyawards, I am grateful to everybody, allthe groups, the universities and the organisationswhich thought that I was good enough to receive an award. Some of the important awards are the National Award for Best Female Playback Ainger in 2003 for the film AkashitorarKothare that was directed by Manju Borah and produced by Sangeeta Tamuli and I had composed the music. That was my first film as a music director. I received the award for singing the Naam Ghoxaof ShriShriMadhavdeva that I sang for the movie. I got the Assam State music award for the movie Basundhara in 2010. I got both best female playback singer and the music director, awards. I have also got the national scholarship for Junior fellowship in 2014 or 15, I don't exactly remember the date. There are many other awards but these are the most prominent.

Tell us about the projects that are working on right now and yourupcoming projects

I just completed the music for the film Anur directed by Manjul Baruahwhich will be released on January 27. I am also working on releasing my new song for the album Deuka. Every year I plan to release one or two songs. The first song was released last year called Matilei Nami OhaJunak. We have just completed the shooting of the music video for the title song Deuka Meli Dilu. This will be released earlynext year, probably February. I also have a project that is very close tomy heart which is a Borgeet project comprising of sixBorgeets and AnkiyaBhaonageets. One Borgeetwas released last year. We are working on the other five Borgeets which will be released next year. There is also a project related to my father's documentary, which is directed by Manjul Baruah andwork is still going on that. There is also a plan to do some kind of documentary on the Assamese Bihu songs. These are some of the things happening right now on the musical front.

We have heard that a book about you is coming up. Can you tell us briefly about it?

Yes, it is not exactlya biography. It is on the way I think, the way I do music. It is the perception of the writer about me and my work. The book is written by Alex Figo. We are doing the last revisions and it will be released in the upcoming book fair.

Covid 19 was a huge blow for everyone. How did you cope up with

Covid19 pandemic. Did you come up with some projects?

When the pandemic started life became very different. Looking back, it was such a still phase in everyone's life. It was quite horrific. But Ibelieved in positivity. I believed that everything happens for a good reason. It is my philosophy of life -- you just love, let love grow, letpeople live and be happy and satisfied with all the small things and beautiful things within you and around you. That is what I practiced more during the pandemic period. Being grateful for everything. I try to feel beautiful in all the small things nature gives us. These are smalljoys.

During that time, I also honed up on riyaaz a lot as I do not get the time for it in my busy schedule. I also composed a few songs. Matile Nami OhaJunak from my album Deukawas composed during those days. I composed the whole song. And when the pandemic was over, we didthe shooting. Life still goes on, that was what I thought and this too shall pass. I love reading, and had read a book a long time ago, which said everything will pass so that was one hope that I clung to and which helped me get through this period.

Our Assamese music industry is seeing tremendous change and theupcoming singers are trying out different genres. What is you view on this?

I feel very positive when I look around the music scenario that is happening in Assam right now. Young singers, composers and music directors are all experimenting with different kinds of music. The best part now is that everything is available so you get thear different genres of music of different countries, different groups. You are at liberty to experiment. The younger lot has been doing good music. Of course, there are a few people who are into music that is not satisfying. But I like it that everybody is trying to do something and I think this is very commendable. We must appreciate good music so when somebody very young is trying to do something beautiful it draws my attention and I try to encourage them. Assamese music in the last two three years has seen so many different singers, genres. Everyone is trying out different things. That I think is very beautiful for our society. Today, that is the the age that we are living in, is a time that Assam is reaching out to make a global impact.

Any words for the upcoming generation of musicians.

Well, I do not think I qualify to advice. However, based on my experienceand the work that I have been working in this field forso many years, all I want to say is when you do music, do it with your heart. Do it because your heart wants to do it. Passion is very important when you are doing something. We must not do music, or any other thing because we need to achieve something great. We need to do something because of the urge that we feel to create. It is all because of love. You love music so you do music. Do it from the heart. That is what I want to say. Do not compose a song because you have a deadline and you are doing so because there is some kind of pressure.Love it as if you love a person.

Lastly any words for our readers.

I am very grateful to everyone who is reading this and who also listens to TaraliSarma songs. I take a bow. Thank you. Because of all of you, I exist.

Also Read: Ruling the World of Sound

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