Serendipity

Last October, I went for a trip to Shillong. This was my first travel to the north-east and I couldn't think of a better way to start. From Kolkata, I flew to Guwahati, spent about a day checking out the sights and sounds of the city, with the plan of traveling up to Shillong by road the following day. Evening in Guwahati: Sunset over the storied Brahmaputra river. Misty blue hues, the glistening silver of the waters and the lengthening shadows made for a magical sight indeed. En route to Shillong: A 3.5 hour ride. Greeted by blue autumnal skies, verdant green hills, great roads and copious amounts of unadulterated, fresh air. Day 1 in Shillong: Relishing the beauty of this picturesque town nestled in the hills. The first stop was the Shillong View Point, a particular area within the Air Force base, which is open to the public and offers spectacular views of the rolling hills around and the city of Shillong spread out in the foo...

I keep falling in love with the Pachelbel Canon over and over again. And as I do, I keep on writing about it - in an effort, to try and express, to the best of my meager abilities, how this piece of music continues to envelop and embrace my life through crests and troughs.  There's such an enchanting and ethereal quality to it; a sense of timelessness, of everlasting beauty. No wonder that artistes over generations and decades have continued to deliver such hauntingly beautiful renditions. 'Nostalgia', 'wistfulness', 'longing' are some of the words that come close to describing my emotions while listening to the canon. In a strange way, that only great music can, it even makes sadness less heavy and darkness less oppressive. This mesmerizing performance (a variation on the canon) by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is my current favorite. Have a listen. :)