Those Forty Days is a journal of a journey that started forty years ago in the life of its author Samir Chatterjee. Samir chose music out of sheer passion with the hope that one day it will unfold and reveal places to him, which would satisfy the purpose of his life. There were definitely ups and downs along the way, but no deviation. This book documents Chatterjee's supreme satisfaction and realizations emerging out of a rigorous regimen of practicing Tabla for forty day in isolation.<br><br>Although Samir's musical instrument is the Indian Tabla drum, yet in his approach to the different aspects involved in practice, he has a convincing way to make his observations and experiences general and universal. Consequently, this journal answers many of the questions seekers of all paths usually have. Answers to those questions can come only from those who have personal experiences of walking through the apparently inaccessible path and seeing those self-revealing places. Samir devoted his entire life in this pursuit and the purpose of his taking up this austere regimen was only to have personal experiences of what he believed in. His spirit of sharing to benefit all has resulted in this book.
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Samir Chatterjee. Those Forty Days
PREFACE
Prologue: Why
In preparation
July 10, 2016
Forty Days. Day 1 : July 11, 2016
Day 2 : July 12, 2016
Day 3 : July 13th, 2016
Day 4 : July 14, 2016
Day 5 : July 15th, 2016
Day 6 : July 16, 2016
Day 7 : July 17th 2016
Day 8 : July 18, 2016
Day 9 : July 19th 2016 – Guru Purnima
Day 10 : July 20, 2016
Day 11 : July 21, 2016
Day 12 : July 22, 2016
Day 13 : July 23, 2016
Day 14 : July 24th, 2016
Day 15: July 25, 2016
Day 16: July 26, 2016
Day 17: July 27th, 2016
Day 18: July 28, 2016
Day 19: July 29, 2016
Day 20: July 30, 2016
Day 21: July 31, 2016
Day 22: August 1, 2016
Day 23: August 2, 2016
Day 24: August 3rd, 2016
Day 25: August 4th, 2016
Day 26: August 5, 2016
Day 27: August 6th, 2016
Day 28: August 7, 2016
Day 29: August 8, 2016
Day 30: August 9th, 2016
Day 31: August 10, 2016
Day 32: August 11, 2016
Day 33: August 12, 2016
Day 34: August 13th, 2016
Day 35: August 14th, 2016
Day 36: August 15th, 2016
Day 37: August 16th, 2016
Day 38: August 17th, 2016
Day 39: August 18, 2016
Day 40: August 19, 2016
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In the Indian system of practicing music, there is a regimen called Chilla. It is a vow one takes to practice as long as he or she is awake, except for short breaks to use the restroom, take a small bite or nap. It lasts for forty days. During this period one needs to be isolated in a chamber preferably with no daylight, to suspend the sense of time. As it can be imagined, it is an extremely challenging discipline, both physically and mentally. Therefore, it is recommended to be done, if at all, within the age of thirty. I took that vow as I stepped into the 62nd year of my life, from July 11th through August 19th of 2016, in an isolated private facility in Charlotte, Vermont. This journal is a documentation of my day-to-day experiences during that period.
The instrument I play is called tabla. It is a two-piece Indian drum producing a variety of tones. The high drum is called Dahina and the low as Bayan. The Dahina is tuned to a particular pitch, while the Bayan can be modulated to different pitch variations. There are syllables associated with each individual and combined drum notes, forming into words and sentences, which eventually shape up into a highly developed drum-language and repertoire. One needs to sit cross-legged on the floor to play them with fingers and palms of both hands. Some of the compositions played on these drums are set, and some are meant to be improvised on. It demands a very high level of skill as well musical sensibility.
