My Veena

When I wanted to learn how to play this wonderful string instrument, my father was very much against it. He opined that this is not for a girl who is of marriageable age. I was at my liberty to learn it when I married, that is what he insisted. I did exactly what he wanted me to do. But, not soon after my marriage, but many years after when my husband brought me to Alaska on a cold winter day with day light only for few hours.
I needed something very challenging to divert me from the loneliness and the darkness of Alaskan winters. I started learning Veena. Since there is no teacher to teach me here, I realized that I should have a thorough knowledge of the theory. I learnt little by little and whenever I went to India, the lessons taught by the teachers, first, Saraswathy mami, Manonmani, Ninju,Radhika, Gomathy mami and Muthu Kumar helped me immensely. Now, I can identify the Ragas, and I can play by ear.
I realize that constant hearing of the classical songs do the trick and hence, I hear the soothing melodious classical songs often. My young teacher
The only problem I am facing is with Tal, the beats. My young teacher Radhika is of the opinion that she should sit in front of me and make me practice for three months to get the perfection in it. Hope I would do it sometime soon.