musical journey

                                                            



I had always concluded that music was in my blood by the way I reacted to music or 

melody. Any instrument known or unknown captivated my being. I found rhythm in every 

action of life. The pop-up of the bread from the toaster, the rustling of the crisp pages of 

newspapers or my mom’s sewing machine were all harmonious sounds waiting to decipher 

by my keen ear.

My mom and dad being into academics could not fathom my leanings but nevertheless 

never discouraged my different interest.

My musical sojourn took me to Mumbai, India. Once airborne I had mixed feelings. I had 

earlier avoided this country but my present professional assignment left no room for 

maneuvering or manipulations.

I saw people with brown complexion, black hair and eyes. Faces adorned with smiles and 

their easy behaviour put me to ease. My earlier trepidations were washed away with the 

Arabian Sea waves. Indians have an ear for music and their various instruments and forms 

of music fascinated me.

Back in my little village in Denmark, I always felt different in my surroundings though no-

one made any obvious remarks or insinuations. But the differences distanced me in my 

mind.

I went into the interiors to a little town called Pandharpur.  The ‘bhajans’ , ‘kirtans’ 

welcomed my melodious soul and I discovered my spiritual side, hitherto unknown to me.  

My breath felt an inner connection. I looked at people walking around, seguing into a 

chore from another. None of them treated me, a foreigner, differently. I could barely 

converse with them save for a few words of greeting. My translator’s presence 

obliterated this handicap.

I never knew when they would arrive and hug me.

Were ‘they’ my flesh and blood? I may be sharing DNA with them but my parents back in 

Denmark never forbade me to search for my roots. I was adopted by my Danish parents 

from an orphanage in Pandharpur. I had my roots here and felt rooted. But my wings 

implored me to travel around the world. I will visit this bustling town once again, I 

promise.


                                    

                                                 

Bhajans , kirtans  are Indian devotional songs.