The 7th annual Himalayan Dhrupad retreat 2024 will be held from Sunday, March 10, 2024 to Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Himalayan Forest Camp, in Gular, Uttarakhand, India.
Dhrupad is the ancient MARGIYA (classical) form of Indian music that has been practised by the ascetic musicians and learned sages in India. The Saint musician and poet Swami Haridas (1480—1573) was the founder of the Dhrupad tradition who ritually practised Dhrupad and passed on the knowledge of this art to a handful of followers. The legendary poet-musician Tansen, one of the prominent followers of Swami Haridas enriched the Dhrupad tradition and made it popular during 16th century. The Dhrupad tradition had a remarkable thriving influence on devotional music too like, Haveli Sangeet and the Kirtan tradition of the Hindus and the Gurbani tradition of the Sikhs. The focus of the Dhrupad has always been to optimize the functioning of the human being through music and to commune with the divine, soul, nature and aesthetic values of life and therefore it is considered Nada Yoga or meditation through sonic energy.
Dhrupad is a multifaceted musical art, primarily practiced to optimize the intellectual, aesthetical and experiential observations in order to commune with own soul and live the humble lifestyle without pomp. Set in a deep Himalayan jungle within walking distance of an ancient waterfall and the Himalayan Ganga River, in a bowl valley populated with old exotic trees and birds, the Dhrupad practitioner is ensconced in the dual nature of the Himalayan Forest and their inner nature, accessed via the Dhrupad, the best of both worlds, the inner and the outer.
Dhrupad instruction is provided by Pandit Nirmalya Dey in 3 intensive 2-hour sessions starting with pre-dawn practice (Kharaj), continuing to the morning practise after tea and breakfast. After an intensive morning session of Dhrupad, the participants can relax and refresh with a dip in the holy Ganga or the magical waterfall nearby, both of which are accessible via a walk through the deep forest. This is followed by evening tea and the evening session of Dhrupad practise. Dinner is followed by a bon-fire under the stars.
While music has become quite commercial the Himalayan Dhrupad retreat takes the musicians back to the very basics. The lush Himalayan forest, pure oxygen, combined with the natural glacial spring water, well absorbed in the body by walking up and down the mountainside to the river, combined with tasty and super healthy vegetarian food prepared by the camp chef prepares the body and mind and makes the participants receptive to the intensive dhrupad training.
Almost all the participants who have been coming to this retreat for years share a super friendly camaraderie irrespective of their musical level, because the learning of Dhrupad is not about competition but about self-optimization. The participants practise together and help each other to learn the Ragas, compositions and Alap (improvised elaboration of the Raga) taught by the master.
The participants leave the retreat completely rejuvenated in terms of energy and health, and with enough material to keep them busy practising in their secular life at home for a year, till the next annual Dhrupad retreat.
REPORT ABOUT DHRUPAD RETREAT IN HIMALAYA 2023
This event took place in the jungle camp situated in the Himalayan valley, near Gular village from 19th to 26th March 2023, under the guidance of Pandit Nirmalya Dey. The participants from nine countries have participated in the process of learning dhrupad in traditional way.
Please enjoy a small documentary video about this retreat.