Deep Purple - Studio albums

Mk I

o Shades of Deep Purple, September 1968 #24 US
o The Book of Taliesyn, December 1968 #54 US
o Deep Purple, November 1969 #162 US

• Mk II
o Deep Purple in Rock, June 1970 #4 UK, #143 US
o Fireball, September 1971 #1 UK, #32 US
o Machine Head, March 1972 #1 UK, #7 US
o Who Do We Think We Are, February 1973 #4 UK, #15 US

• Mk III
o Burn, February 1974 #3 UK, #9 US
o Stormbringer, December 1974 #6 UK, #20 US

• Mk IV
o Come Taste the Band, October 1975 #19 UK, #43 US
• Mk II, reunited
o Perfect Strangers, November 1984 #5 UK, #17 US
o The House of Blue Light, January 1987 #10 UK, #34 US

• Mk V
o Slaves & Masters, October 1990 # 45 UK, #87 US

• Mk II, again reunited
o The Battle Rages On, July 1993 #21 UK, #192 US

• Mk VII
o Purpendicular, February 1996
o Abandon, May 1998

• Mk VIII
o Bananas, August 2003
o Rapture of the Deep, October 2005


Live albums

• Mk I
o Live in Inglewood, 1968 (released 2004)

• Mk II
o Concerto for Group and Orchestra, 1969
o Kneel & Pray, 1969 (released 2004)
o Gemini Suite Live, 1970 (released 1998)
o Scandinavian Nights, 1970 (released 1988)
o Space Vol 1 & 2 , 1970 (released 2004)
o Made in Japan 1972, #16 UK, #6 US
o Deep Purple In Concert, 1970-1972 (released 1980) #30 UK
o Denmark 1972, 1972 (released 2004)

• Mk III
o Made in Europe, 1975, #12 UK, #148 US
o Live in London, 1974 (released 1982), #23 UK
o Just Might Take Your Life , 1974 (released 1996 2004)
o Perks And Tit, 1974 (released 2004)
o Mk III: The Final Concerts, 1975 (released 1996)

• Mk IV
o Last Concert in Japan, 1976
o King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: Deep Purple in Concert(=On the Wings of a Russian Foxbat) = , 1975 (released 1995)
o This Time Around: Live in Tokyo, 1975 (released 2001)

• Mk II, reunited
o Nobody's Perfect, 1987 (released 1988) #38 UK, #105 US
o In The Absence of Pink: Knebworth 85, 1985 (released 1991)
o Come Hell or High Water, 1993, (released 1994)
o Live In Europe 1993, 1993 (4-CD box set - due for release March 2006)

• Mk VII
o Live at the Olympia '96, 1996 (released 1997)
o Total Abandon: Live in Australia, 1999
o In Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra, 1999
o Live At The Rotterdam Ahoy, 2000
o The Soundboard Series, 2001


Compilation Albums
• Purple Passages, September 1972; # 57 US
• 24 Carat Purple, July 1975; #14 UK
• The Mark II Purple Singles, April 1979; #24 UK
• When We Rock, We Rock, and When We Roll, We Roll, 1978
• Deepest Purple: The Very Best of Deep Purple, July 1980; #1 UK, #148 US
• The Anthology, June 1985; # 50 UK
• 30: Very Best of Deep Purple, October 1998; #39 UK
• Listen, Learn, Read On, October 29, 2002 (6 disc box set)
• Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and Rainbow, 2003
• Deep Purple: The Platinum Collection, 2005

Hit singles
• 1968 "Hush" #4 US
• 1968 "Kentucky Woman" #38 US
• 1969 "River Deep - Mountain High" # 53 US
• 1970 "Black Night" #2 UK, # 66 US
• 1971 "Strange Kind of Woman" #8 UK
• 1971 "Fireball" #15 UK
• 1972 "Never Before" #35 UK
• 1973 "Smoke on the Water" #21 UK (1977 release), # 4 US
• 1973 "Woman From Tokyo" # 60 US
• 1974 "Might Just Take Your Life" # 91 US
• 1977 "New Live and Rare EP" #31 UK (including an unheard live version of Black Night)
• 1978 "New Live and Rare EP II" # 45 UK
• 1980 "Black Night" (reissue) # 43 UK
• 1980 "New Live and Rare EP III" # 48 UK (including Smoke on the Water)
• 1985 "Knocking at Your Back Door" # 61 US
• 1985 "Perfect Strangers" # 48 UK
• 1985 "Knocking at Your Back Door / Perfect Strangers" # 68 UK
• 1988 "Hush" (re-recording) # 62 UK
• 1990 "King Of Dreams" # 70 UK
• 1991 "Love Conquers All" # 57 UK
• 1995 "Black Night" (reissue) # 66 UK (remastered CD single)

Deep Purple - Personnel and discography

Deep Purple personnel
Mk I
(1968-1969)
• Rod Evans - vocals
• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Nick Simper - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk II
(1969-1973)
• Ian Gillan - vocals
• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk III
(1973-1975)
• David Coverdale - vocals
• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Glenn Hughes - bass guitar,vocals
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk IV
(1975-1976)
• David Coverdale - vocals
• Tommy Bolin - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Glenn Hughes - bass guitar,vocals
• Ian Paice - drums
(1976-1984) Band split.
Mk IIa, reunited
(1984-1989)
• Ian Gillan - vocals
• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk V
(1989-1991)
• Joe Lynn Turner - vocals
• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk IIb, again reunited
(1992-1994)
• Ian Gillan - vocals
• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk VI
(1994)
• Ian Gillan - vocals
• Joe Satriani - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk VII
(1994-2002)
• Ian Gillan - vocals
• Steve Morse - guitar
• Jon Lord - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums
Mk VIII
(2002-present)
• Ian Gillan - vocals
• Steve Morse - guitar
• Don Airey - keyboards
• Roger Glover - bass guitar
• Ian Paice - drums

The various line-ups in the history of Deep Purple are referred to by fans and the band themselves by "Mark" numbers (abbreviated as Mk I, Mk II, etc.) The "gap" in the numbering, Mk VI, refers to the series of concerts performed with Joe Satriani on guitar, when Ritchie Blackmore quit the band halfway through the tour in 1994. This is the only lineup for which no official recordings have yet been released.

Deep Purple – Revival

Steve Morse’s arrival thoroughly revitalised the band as he is cited one the best and most accomplished modern guitarists. In 1996 the band released the critically acclaimed Purpendicular, which brimmed with confidence and new ideas. Deep Purple enjoyed success throughout the rest of the 1990s, releasing the harder-sounding Abandon in 1998, and touring with renewed relish, playing a setlist which was probably more adventurous and eclectic than ever before. In 1999, Jon Lord, with the help of a fan who was also a musicologist and composer, painstakingly recreated the Concerto for Group and Orchestra, and it was once again performed at the Royal Albert Hall in September 1999, this time with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann. The concert also featured songs from each member’s solo careers, as well as a short Deep Purple set, and the occasion was commemorated on the 2000 album In Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Much of the next few years was spent on the road via constant touring. The group continued forward until 2002, when venerable founding member Jon Lord (who, along with Ian Paice, was the only member to be in all incarnations of the band) announced his amicable retirement from the band to pursue personal projects (especially orchestral work). Rock keyboard veteran Don Airey (Rainbow/Whitesnake, etc.), who had helped Purple out when Lord was injured in 2001, joined the band. In 2003, Deep Purple released their first studio album in five years, the highly praised (but controversially titled) Bananas, and began touring in support of the album immediately. In October of 2005, the band's 37th year, Purple released Rapture of the Deep, which, although recorded in just a few weeks, proved to be the most progressive and adventurous album for many years, and it is being followed by yet another extensive world tour.

Deep Purple and Heavy Metal

Despite their association with the sub-genre, Deep Purple have never been a heavy metal band, though many later heavy metal bands cite their influence. The group has frequently changed styles and line-ups over the years, but has always included virtuoso players in its ranks and placed a high priority on musicianship. Some incarnations of Deep Purple have brought aspects of jazz and classical influences to a rock context due to their frequent use of their songs as vehicles for extended and sophisticated solos.

Today, Deep Purple steadfastly carries on in the studio and around the globe as one of history's most prolific, longest-lived, and hardest touring rock 'n roll bands.

Deep Purple – The Reunions

In 1980, Rod Evans, along with a group of unknown musicians, toured under the banner of Deep Purple. As the only original member, and one little known to most fans, this band was instantly derided by press and fans as a fraud. The lineup performed concerts in Mexico and the USA before legal action was taken to deny them the use of the name. In retrospect, however tenuous the connection this band had to the name "Deep Purple", at least it kept the name alive and in the media, albeit briefly. More information on this "fake" Deep Purple is available here and here.

However, in April 1984, eight years after the demise of Deep Purple, a full-scale (and legal) reunion happened. It was announced on BBC radio's The Friday Rock Show that the "classic" early 70s line-up of Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord, and Paice was reforming and recording new material. The band signed a deal with Polydor in Europe and Mercury in North America. The album Perfect Strangers was released in October 1984 and the tour followed, starting in Australia and winding its way across the world into Europe by the following summer. It was a tremendous success. The UK homecoming proved mixed as they elected to play just a single festival show at Knebworth (with main support from The Scorpions). The weather was famously bad but 80,000 turned up anyway.

The line-up recorded and toured The House of Blue Light in 1987 though to lower sales, a live album Nobody's Perfect (1988) was culled from several shows on this tour. While in the UK a new version of "Hush" was released to mark 20 years of the band. In 1989, Ian Gillan was fired from the band, as his relations with Blackmore soured. His replacement was former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner. This line up recorded just one album, Slaves & Masters (1990), and toured in support of it. Despite the renewed excellence of the band during this period, many fans were not pleased with Turner, preferring Gillan.

With the tour done, Turner was forced to go as Lord, Paice, Glover, and the record company wanted Gillan back in the fold. Blackmore relented and the classic line-up recorded The Battle Rages On in 1993. During an artistically successful European tour during the fall of 1993, tensions between Gillan and Blackmore came to a head yet again. Blackmore walked out in November 1993, never to return and leaving the band in a fix. Joe Satriani was drafted in, so the live dates (in Japan) in December could be completed. Satriani stayed on for a European Summer tour in 1994, Satriani was asked to stay permanently although his record contract commitments prevented this. The band unanimously chose Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse to become Blackmore's permanent successor.

Deep Purple – Top of the World

Shortly after the orchestral release, the band began a hectic touring and recording schedule that was to see little respite for the next three years. Their first LP release, in mid-1970, went straight for the jugular in with Deep Purple in Rock and a UK Top Ten single followed with Black Night. A second album, Fireball, was issued in 1971, and the band also scored another chart hit with Strange Kind Of Woman. Together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Purple were laying the groundwork for what is now called heavy metal music, although at the time, the phrase was still to be coined.

During 1972, Deep Purple continued to tour and record at a rate that would be rare thirty years on, releasing Machine Head, an album that was due to be recorded at a casino in Montreux, using the Rolling Stones' mobile recording truck, but after an arson attack during a Frank Zappa gig at the very same casino was actually recorded at a nearby hotel -- this incident famously inspiring the song Smoke on the Water. This album was followed a few months later by a live release, Made in Japan mostly recorded at two gigs in Osaka, which is today still one of rock music's most popular live concert recordings (although at the time it was perhaps seen as less important, as only two band members turned up to mix it).

The classic Purple Mk 2 line-up continued to work and record into 1973, releasing the album Who Do We Think We Are (1973), featuring the hit single Woman from Tokyo, but tensions within the band were more noticeable than ever. The bad feeling culminated in Ian Gillan quitting the band after another European tour, and Roger Glover being pushed out with him. Their replacements were an unknown singer from northern England, David Coverdale, and bassist Glenn Hughes, formerly of Trapeze. This new line-up continued into 1974 with the heavy blues/rock album Burn, another highly successful release. Hughes and Coverdale added a funky R&B/soul element to the band's music, a sound that was even more apparent on the 1974 release Stormbringer. Blackmore was not happy with the results, and as a result left the band in 1975 to form his own band Rainbow.

With Blackmore's departure, Deep Purple was left to fill one of the biggest vacancies in rock music. The gap was filled by American Tommy Bolin who had established himself with acts such as Zephyr, James Gang and Billy Cobham, with whom Bolin made his mark on the jazz fusion Spectrum album. On the face of it Bolin was just what the doctor ordered. The subsequent album, however, 1975's Come Taste the Band, proved unpopular with die-hard fans and failed to attract any new ones, perhaps since it was a radical departure from the expected Deep Purple sound. Bolin himself turned out not to be ready for the daunting job of filling Blackmore's shoes, suffering hostility from some crowds while turning in erratic performances varying from scintillating to mundane. Bolin also had a heroin habit, which made matters all the worse. After a particularly traumatic tour to promote Come Taste the Band, the band broke up. Bolin later died of a heroin overdose in Miami while on tour supporting Jeff Beck.

Subsequently, most of the past members of Deep Purple would go on to have considerable success in a number of other bands, including Rainbow, Whitesnake and Gillan, while there were a number of promoter-led attempts to get the band to reform, especially with the revival of the hard rock market in the late 70s/early 80s.

Cycling Around the City ......

These days one of the activities has been going around on my new bycycle around the city .Its of the funfilled activity i have been doing recently ..

Just put on the apperals ,the helmet ,watch and here i go to roam on my BMW as i call her to roam and race with the scooters and moped at cruzing speed realtive to the cycle .

Now about my BMW.She is sleek with metallic blue colour,had 18 gears which can take me almost any where ,light frame a Hero DTB.

Till now i have been to the following long routes from my palce around the city --

Aundh - 20kms (10kms one way)
Deccan - 26 kms ( 13 kms one way )
Pune Camp - 48kms ( 24 kms one way)
Honeywell ,Hadapsar - 56 kms( 28kms one way ) thats my office .....

these are the long rides i have done from my home in the last couple of months and still to explore a lot lot more around .

Apart from this around my place i go aroud on my bike only almost everyday in the mornings or late evening after the traffice goes down.

Smooth As Silk: Mark Waugh

I have been a diehard Aussie fan since i have known cricket .And of them I admired Allan Border the Aussie gr8 first of all cause he is a genuine left hander like me and the other the capataincy he did for Australia in the mid eightes and early ninties . It all beacuse Border took the team to the winning streak in the Reliance World Cup that they have not come down a bit ..... of that till today .

And my all time favourite Mark Waugh .I have been his fan from the time he made his debut against England .Now its almsot 3 years that he has retired but still remains my alltime favourite player ........................





Mark Edward Waugh AM (born June 2, 1965 in Sydney) an Australian cricketer. Mark Waugh was a key figure in the powerful batting line-up of the Australian Test cricket team from 1991 to 2002, along with his twin brother, Steve Waugh. He was also a mainstay in the Australian ODI team, starting out as an all-rounder but he later progressed to opening the batting, where he excelled and became Australia's leading one day runscorer. Mark was one of the most elegant and gifted strokemakers to ever play the game. He was a handy medium pace, who changed to an off-spin bowler after back injuries caught up, he is regarded as one of the best slips fielders ever to play cricket, and holds the world record for most Test catches by a non-wicketkeeper. He is well-known for his general mastery of batting when facing spin bowling.


Career
Mark Waugh made his first class debut for New South Wales in the series of 1985/86. He made his name as an all-rounder at state level, but was overlooked for the Australian team early in his career in favour of his twin brother. In the late 1980s, the call for Mark to be selected for higher honours grew louder and he was named the Sheffield Shield player of the year twice, with an outstanding batting average of well over 50. He finally made his Test match debut for Australia against England in the fourth match of the series of 1990/91 at the Adelaide Oval. Ironically, his selection for this game was at the expense of his twin brother Steve, who had been a fixture in the side for years, but was suffering from a lack of form. Waugh marked his debut in style, scoring 138 in his first innings.Throughout the early years of his career, Mark was haunted by accusations that he was a "lazy" batsman, too apt to throw his wicket away. The "lazy" tag followed him for his whole career, despite many gritty, defiant innings that suggested otherwise. This perceived laziness was emphasized when compared to his twin brother Steve, a player renowned for his grit and determination, and his reputation of being one of the toughest batsmen to dismiss in world cricket. Over the next 11 years, Mark experienced the ups and downs of international cricket, his lowest moments being a run of four consecutive ducks against Sri Lanka in 1992/93 and the controversy of his being fined for accepting money from a bookmaker for pitch and weather information in 1994, that was made public four years later in 1998. Just a few of the many highlights of his international career were his 126 in the West Indies in 1995 to seal the Frank Worrell Trophy, scoring three centuries in the One Day International World Cup of 1996, and his highest Test score of 153 not out, scored in India in 1998, remarkable because he was suffering from nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting spells whilst batting.
He once famously lofted a ball bowled by left-arm finger spinner Daniel Vettori well into the stands, having historians searching for a bigger hit. He has been known for making comments against spinners. He called English spinner Phil Tufnell a "pretty weak fellow" and described his famous dismissal on 99 during the 1993 Lord's Test by Tufnell as "terrible bowling" and "a very negative piece of cricket". He retired from international cricket on October 28, 2002.

Mark Waugh was Australia's highest run-scorer in One Day International cricket, after breaking Allan Border's record in 1999, until it was broken in December 2005 by Ricky Ponting. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest One Day International openers of all time, having averaged over 45 in that position.

Mark Waugh retired from international cricket in 2002 after being dropped for the upcoming Test series against England. He retired as the world record holder for most Test catches, with 181. He had scored 8029 Test runs at an average of 41.81 and taken 59 Test wickets at an average of 41.16. In the one-day arena, he compiled 8500 runs at an average of 39.35 and took 85 wickets at an average of 34.56.

After Retirement
In 2005 Waugh was Acknowledged for his services to cricket when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). He now works as a sports journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald

He married for the first time on April 9, 2005 to harness racing driver and trainer Kim Moore.

Statistics :-

Batting style Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling type Right-arm Off Break (OB)

Tests ODIs
Matches 128 244

Runs scored 8029 8500

Batting average 41.81 39.35

100s/50s 20/47 18/50

Top score 153* 173

Overs bowled 808.5 614.3

Wickets 59 85

Bowling average 41.16 34.56

5 wickets in innings 1 1

10 wickets in match 0 N/A

Best bowling 5-40 5-24

Catches/stumpings 181/0 108/0

Delhi ki Shaddi

Yesterday had been to the mariage of one of my office colleague in Delhi . Had heard a lot about marriages of delhi which are big and lavish so was very much excited to go there and see the whole procession . And so did not wanted to miss it

We all of the team members left at around 8pm and reached NOIDA the palce where the marriage was to be held it was almost a drive of 11/2 hrs from our place . When we reached the proecession had already started and so we joined to dance along with the procession . All of us were dancing like anything and for the next 1 hour i danced like never before . The whole procession party was in full mood and it was gr8 dancing to the local marriage songs and the tunes .

The procession then entered the marriage open ground where there were stalls for all the north India cuzine .

There were chats,fruit chats ,dhalhi bhalle ,pani puri ,and n number of other items which i could not taste them all but my taste buds were tickled by many of them

Tasted all the items i could .Just a few days back i was complaning about not having tasted any of the delhi speciality cuzine and now i was here with each and everything avalilable in hte Northern part of India .

The marraige was excellent and we saw the traditional North Indian families dancing to the tunes in the madap during the marriage taking place .

Very different from how the marriages happen the Maharashtrian culture .

It always nice to go to such functions and i enjoy it a lot where we see very differnet traditions from which we are used to all the time .

In all had a very gr8 time and enjoyed a lot .

Especially my mother was very very happy since i danced for the first time ever and enjoyed .

Thats what she tells me all the time that i should enjoy and see the new things where ever i go but most of the time i am against it .

But this time i enjoyed it to the fullest .................................

The taste of Chat at Delhi

At last yesterday happen to taste the chat of delhi for which it is famous for as they say
Had been advised by many foodies to eat this and that all the time when in delhi
Yesterday got chance to pounce on the action
Had the taste of Pani Puri ( they call it Gol Gappe ), Aloo Tikki with spicy curd ,and Dhahi wada (Bhalla Papadi)
And it was really tasty .
i was having pani puri on the road side nearly after 7-8 years .
so since being out of practice for such a long time
the first one I gulped down brought tears to my ears as it was really hot and spicy
but the taste was really really good and tickled my taste buds .
and even my myth was cleared that Pani Puri has paneer in it .
The Aloo Tikki and Bhalla papadi were really gr8
To say after the Delhi Metro the best thing i liked about delhi ..............
Have now made a point to visit the place for this stuff often hmmmmmmmmmmmm yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy
Still lot of new things to taste and eat but as and when time comes ..................surely will have it .

My Life in Delhi

Its now been alomost 2 weeks i am in Delhi
getting used the place but not quite liking it

As per me still Pune stands the best places to be on the whole earth

Though there are many good points about delhi but then still nothing to beat Pune.

The Delhi Metro in Delhi is one of the best Transportation systems i have ever seens
very clean and the ease to go around the place

Though i have not used the Local bus DST and I am sure they are better than the PMT
in pune whom punekars curse all the time but still travel by it including myself .

The palces are clean but the people are areally bad and shabby .That is the worst part of it
They eat on the road side dhabas and litter every where

Though that is seen in Pune too ,here its too bad out .

At Pune one feels very homely probably since i have been there since birth thats makes a soft corner for Pune .

But then still Pune and the whole of the Maharashtra is far more better that this

For the last couple of years i have been to few of the states in India and even then nothing to beat Maharastra and Pune for sure .

Going around Delhi would be fun but not getting time.Will surely make it a point to go around the famous places.

The cold has gone now lets see how the temperature works out now .

Till then enjoying Delhi ..............................

Paneer Paneer and ............. Paneer

Its often a thing in places like Pune that when you got for dinner where one minimum dish ordered is of paneer .People like it a lot as they say
Hardly any time we make paneer at home .Hardly my mother has made matar paneer at home
but then over here Paneer is like the staple food .everthing has a touch of paneer ppl eat it day and night
and that brings one to nausea of paneer me being one of the victim of that
Gujarat had been one of the best palces for food and i enjoyed it a lot over there though there was lot of ghee and oil in the food and my less oil diet made to eat less out there but i enjoyed it no problem of food in that part of the world
Then Madhaya Pradesh and Chattisgarh we the other places i have been to .MP is a good palce and specially Indore for food there is lots of chat and spicy things available at the Chappan dukan I tasted some of them and liked them a lot
I have heard from lot many of my friends that delhi is good for chats and spicy snacks
I have still to tasted them still.
And then there is rajma ,chole etc which are made all the time
Have heard that the pani puri over here also has paneer stuffed in it .
cant dare to eat that still ............
so till now its ony paneer paneer and yes paneer ...........................

Matheran - Hill Station

Matheran (which means "forest at the top") hill station at an altitude of 803,47 metres(2530 feet).Barely 171 kms from Mumbai, Matheran, discovered by Hugh Mallet, collector of Thane district, in 1850, has long been a refuge for humidity-stricken Mumbaikars (as the residents of the metropolis are known). Its 8 sq kms cover a hilltop in the Sahyadri Hills, and its proximity to Mumbai ensures its' continued popularity for weekend getaways. All motor vehicles are prohibited in Matheran, so the air is squeaky clean. However the only mode of transport, other than walking, is on horseback and hand-pulled rickshaws.

Getting There
By Rail
The rail journey to Matheran is half the fun of your trip. Neral, the nearest railhead (21 km), is connected to Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. From here, a special, narrow gauge "toy train" gets you up, puffing and wheezing all the way. Except during the monsoon season (June-September), there are several trains a day on the mountain railway. These take 2 hours to cover the climb to their destination. Stations on the way have names like Water pipe and there is also the famous One Kiss Tunnel.

By Road
State Transport buses regularly ply from Mumbai and Pune. A taxi from Neral to Matheran takes about half hour to reach. Taxis stop about 2.5 km from the centre of the hill station.
The more energetic trek it from Neral.

Best time to visit
October to May. Most hotels close during the monsoons, and the walking trails turn muddy.

Sight Seeing
Matheran has 38 points at which one can get a glimpse of nature's beauty. However to cover most of these points requires at least one night stay in Matheran. Point seeing in Matheran is quiet easy due to the presence of sign boards and map. Maps are also easily available in Matheran and can be used to plan your point seeing. Given below are few points which shouldn't miss.......

Points

Matheran has many "lookout points" that provide dramatic views of the Western Ghats and lush plains dotted with villages far below. These include Panorama Point (with the most spectacular views, it's a popular place to watch the sun rise), Monkey Point, Porcupine Point (popular for its' sunset view), Louisa Point (on a plateau with views of the ruined forts Prabal and Vishalgarh), Echo Point (which really does have an echo), Rambagh Point (2 kms from Matheran towards Khandala and Karjat), Alexander Point (one km to the north of Matheran), Hart Point, Coronation Point, Chowk Point (at the extreme southern end of Matheran), and the One Tree Hill.
Lake Charlotte
The main source of drinking water for the town, Lake Charlotte sports a dam at one end and temple at the other. A popular picnic spot, it looks splendid in the monsoon, but dries up in the summer. Near the dam is the main Hindu temple, the Pisarnath Mandir.
Mount Barry
One of the highest spots in Matheran, this has splendid views. Governor's Hill, another viewpoint, is between Mount Barry and Panorama Point.
Matheran is an undulating hilltop cloaked in shady trees, that sprawls languidly at an altitude of 800 m. The journey involves an adventurous two-hour ascent in a toy train, with food and drink vendors and monkeys jumping on and off as the valley glides by sedately. Alternatively, a tough 11 km hike through thick and shady forests or a winding car drive can get you there just as well. Matheran's cliffs, with incredibely steep drops to the plains below,create stunning viewing points. These panoramic vistas, by day or by night, leave you feeling light headed. On a clear night you can even see the lights of Mumbai from Hart Point. In fact, all of Matheran is a series of such quixotically named points that are popular if isolated site for picnics and fireside revelry at night. Charlotte Lake, the Panther's Caves and Paymaster Park are Leisure, especially for children.

Weather:
Temperatures vary from 16 C in winter to 32 C in summer, with an annual rainfall of 524 cms.
October to May is the best time to visit.
Getting there
Mumbai-Neral, 90 kms. Neral-Matheran, 21 kms, Pune-Neral, 120 kms. (Neral-Matheran mountain train)
Mumbai-Neral-Matheran, 108 kms.
State Transport buses ply from Mumbai and Pune to Neral.

Precaution
No special precaution is needed at Matheran, however beware of the leach's which are found in abundance in Matheran!.

The Sawai Gandharva Musical Festival

One of the biggest Classical Music Festival in India .This year the programme will be held from the 8-12 Dec 2005 at the New English School,Ramanbaug,Pune

HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL -

Sawai Gandharva passed away on 12 September 1952. A private memorial concert to pay homage to him was held on the sixteenth day after his death. Sawai Gandharva's principal disciples, Smt Gangubai Hangal, Pandit Feroz Dastur and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi performed in this memorial concert as a tribute to the late guru.

In 1953, to commemorate the first anniversary of Sawai Gandharva's death, his disciples organised a music festival in his memory under the auspices of the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal. This was a notable success. It was then thought that such a festival could be organised every year. The idea evoked instant and wide welcome and support The Festival in 1954 was an even greater success. Within a couple of years, the Festival grew exponentially.

Thus began the famed Sawai Gandharva Music Festival which, by now, has become one of the best-known classical music events in the country, as also a hallmark of Pune city's annual cultural calendar.

In the initial years, the festival used to be a one-day event where only vocalists from the Kirana gharana used to perform. Before long, however, it became a much sought-after platform, for vocalists from other gharanas as well as instrumentalists and dancers--established masters as well as upcoming artists-- from all over the country. Similarly, the duration was first increased to two days and then to three days.

KIRANA GHARANA ( VOCAL)

Gharana is a school or style of singing in Hindustani classical music. The ragas of Hindustani music have distinctive characteristics that change with gharanas and these may derive from the place of origin of a style, distinctive voices, the style of singing and the approach to music. These styles are then called gharanas.

Kirana Gharana is the most prolific of the Hindustani khayal gharanas.

The origin of Kirana Gharana is controversial. While some say Khan Sahab Abdul Karim Khan is the real founder of the gharana, others trace it back a few centuries to a line of musicinas from the village of Kirana in Uttar Pradesh. There are four known branches of this lineage of musicians. The first one has great musicians like Ustad Azim Baksh, Maula Baksh and Abdul Ghani Khan. The second branch boasts of names like Ustad Bande Ali Khan, Nanne Khan, Kale Khan and the legendary Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. The third branch has musians like Gafoor Khan, Abdul Wahid Khan, Shakoor Khan, Mashkoor Ali and Mubarak Ali. The distinguished family tradition of Mehboob Baksh, Rehman Khan, Abdul Majid Khan, Abdul Hamid Khan, Abdul Bashir Khan, followed by his sons Niaz Ahmed and Fayyaz Ahmed Khan, also express their allegiance to the Kirana tradition. Some argue that the Abdul Karim Khan's branch is the main one, others being the offshoots. In any case, the most well known and recognized branch of gharana is the one prmoted by Abdul Karim Khan. Abdul Wahid Khan also had a big influence, since a lot of the great masters of the gharana learnt under both Abdul Karim Khan and Abdul Wahid Khan.

The emphasis on elongating the notes and the importance to their resonance is a distinctive feature of this gharana. Khan Sahab Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1937) believed in the serene rendition of the notes as when playing the bin (a plucked instrument with resonators at both ends). Rehmet Khan of the Gwalior gharana is believed to have influenced Ustad Karim Khan's adoption of the direct style of presentation. Some have also indicated the influence of the sarangi (a string instrument) on the voice features of this gharana.

Kirana is the birth place of the Ustad, and situated near Kurukshetra. Ustad Karim Khan served as a musician at the Baroda and the Mysore courts and had a tremendous influence on the music of western India.

His own somewhat nasal voice led him to adopt the Carnatic style for singing the saptak (the seven notes). He preferred to sing in the slower tempo and stress the bol-alap through consonants because his own voice was not wholly suited to the lower register of notes. The aesthetic appeal was thus never marred and the continuity he desired was achieved. Other singers of the gharana, including his disciple Sawai Gandharva, used the upper register far more often than the lower. Some later singers, including Roshanara Begum and Bhimsen Joshi, sing almost equally in both octaves.

This factor has influenced the choice of ragas to those appropriate for the emphasis on the alap rather than the bandish. Karuna rasa (pathetic or sympathetic mood) is the foremost of the sentiments expressed through renditions that extend the notes gradually and use kanas (grace notes ) to fully express the raga. However, the lack of emphasis on voice projection and words led to a blurring of the lines as far as different ragas were concerned.

The emphasis on swara has led to a rather subtle tempo and rhythmic pattern, both factors allowing for the sentiment and mood to be highlighted. Due to this, the words of the bandish are not clearly enunciated and there are only a few in the Kirana gharana repertoire. Kirana includes thumri singing in its repertoire, but with the emphasis on swara rather than on emotion and an absence of the characteristic lilt of thumri singing.
Contemporary singers like Bhimsen Joshi cannot be said to sing in the pure Kirana style because of the diverse influences apparent in his singing. The swara orientation is not as strong and the tempo is no longer latent as is characteristic of the gharana. However, the emotional appeal of the pure Kirana style remains and so do the Kirana compositions.
Ragas traditionally performed by the gharana: Shuddha Kalyan, Darbari, Malkauns, Bhimpalasi, Todi, to name a few. Some ragas of Carnatic music - for example, Jogiya - are included in the repertoire.

Artists
Major artists in alphabetical order
• Ustad Abdul Karim Khan
• Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan
• Pt Basavraj Rajguru
• Pt Bhimsen Joshi
• Pt Firoz Dastur
• Smt Gangubai Hangal
• Smt Hirabai Barodekar
• Smt Krishna Hangal
• Pt Madhav Gudi
• Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan
• Nachiketa Sharma
• Fayyaz Ahmed Khan and Niaz Ahmed Khan
• Smt Prabha Atre
• Pt Pran Nath
• Pt Rasiklal Andharia
• Smt Saraswati Rane
• Pt Sawai Gandharva
• Ustad Shakoor Khan (sarangi)
• Pt Sureshbabu Mane

About Sawai Gadharva

An outstanding exponent of the Kirana gharana, Pandit Sawai Gandharva is by common consent counted among the greatest Hindustani vocalists of the twentieth century. He was a disciple of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, the second in line after Ustad Bande Ali Khan, the founder of the Kirana gharana.

Rambhau Kundgolkar was born in Kundgol, Karnataka, in 1886. His odyssey in classical music began at a tender age, when he began learning dhrupad and dhamar from a local kirtankar. He was not yet in his teens when he started learning music in right earnest from Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. It was, however, not all smooth sailing for him, but rather an emotionally traumatic journey.

In his early teens, as is the case with most boys at that age, Rambhau's voice began to crack and undergo tonal changes that almost threatened to finish his career as a vocalist even before it could begin. It was the patience and perseverance of Abdul Karim Khan that helped his young disciple cope with his problems. The Ustad put the young Rambhau under a long and demanding programme of swarasadhana that helped him re-gain his confidence and control.

In due course, Sawai Gandharva also received training from other renowned gurus like Bhaskarbuva Bakhale and Nasir Hussain Khan of Gwalior. It helped in adding polish to a voice that was already dazzling, thanks to the grooming by his guru Utd.Abdul Karim Khan
Sawai Gandharva also excelled in the field of acting by playing several singer-actor roles in the Marathi theatre. In fact, it was because of his glorious performance on the Marathi stage that he got the appellation 'Sawai Gandharva', in the manner of the renowned singer-actor, Bal Gandharva.

Yet, music remained his first love. His exemplary concert performances continued until he came to be known as the "King of mehfils". Over the years,he developed a distinctive style of his own. In fact, music critics often explain that while both Abdul Karim Khan's teaching as well as Sawai Gandharva's voice might have had their limitations, the latter was able to tide over these drawbacks because he never blindly followed in the footsteps of his master. Besides being a vocalist par excellence, he also grew to be a wonderful teacher. His three most illustrious disciples, Gangubai Hangal, Firoz Dastur and Bhimsen Joshi, living legends in their own right, are the doyens of Kirana gayaki today.
Sawai Gandharva passed away, following a stroke, on 12th September 1952

Trek to Harishchandragad

On 13th Nov we started for the Harishchadragad Trek along with 3 of my friends Sharada,Raval and Vaneeta .

Reached the Shivaji nagar Bus station at 6.30 in the morning .First we go a bus till a place called Ale Phata which in 80 kms from Pune towards Nasik which took 2 hrs .

From Ale phata one more bus till the village of Khubi we had to get down half way before the village and took a lift till the village of Khireshwar .The ride in the back of the carrier trailer was amazing with bumpy road all along the 5 km patch .

We reached the place at around 11.30 am and then started our rigourous climb for the mighty fort .

About Harishchandragad

Harishchandragad is a hill fort in the Ahmednagar region of India. Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat, and it has played a major role in guarding the surrounding region.

HISTORY
The fort is quite ancient. Remnants of Microlithic man have been discovered here. The various Puranas (ancient scriptures) like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad. Its origin is said to have been in 6th century, during the rule of Kalchuri dynasty. The citadel was built during this era. The various caves probably have been carved out in the 11th century. In these caves are idols of Lord Vishnu. Though the cliffs are named Taramati and Rohidas, they are not related to Ayodhya. Great sage Changdev (one who created the epic “Tatvasaar”), used to meditate here in 14th century. The caves are from the same period. The various constructions on the fort and those existing the surrounding region point to the existence of diverse cultures here. The carvings on the temples of Nageshwar (in Khireshwar village), in the Harishchandreshwar temple and in the cave of Kedareshwar indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period, since it is related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath. Later the fort was under the control of Moguls. The Marathas captured it in 1747. The last warrior named Joshi became a martyr in the fight against the English in 1818.

FASCINATING SPOTS:

SAPTATIRTHA: To the east of the temple is a well-built lake called “Saptatirtha”. On its bank are temple-like constructions in which there are idols of Lord Vishnu. Recently these idols have been shifted in the caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar. These days many trekkers have been responsible for the sad plight of this beautiful place, as they throw plastic wastes and other things in the pond. 7 years back the water was potable, and now it isn’t suitable even to swim.

KEDARESHWAR : Going rightwards of Harishchandreshwar temple, we come across a huge cave. This is the cave of Kedareshwar, in which there is a big Shivlinga, which is totally surrounded by water. The total height from its base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep. It is quite difficult to reach the Shivlinga, as the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out here. In monsoon it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way.

KONKAN KADA (KONKAN CLIFF): The most interesting point on this fort is this cliff, which has always fascinated many people from many years. The cliff faces west and looks down upon the Konkan. From here, one can have a breathtaking view of the surrounding region and the setting sun. This cliff is not just vertical, it is an overhang, almost like a cobra's hood. It has been climbed twice so far. The first climb was in 1985 by a group from IIT Bombay. The second climb was in 1997 by a team from the Pinnacle group. A youth from Pune jumped to his death from here; a monument is built here in his memory. It is said that a rainbow as a circle can sometimes be seen from here.

TARAMATI PEAK : This is the topmost point on the fort. Leopards are seen in the forests beyond this peak. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat and the forts near Murbad

CAVES ON HARISHCHANDRAGAD: These caves are situated all over the fort. Many of these are situated at the foot of Taramati peak & are the place of accommodation. A few are near the temple, whereas some are near the citadel and some far away in the forests. A natural cave is on the northwestern side of the fort, to the right of Kokan Kada. It is about 30 feet deep. The folks must know many such caves. Many of these may be remaining undiscovered.

NAGESHWAR TEMPLE NEAR KHIRESHWAR: This is a great antique construction, and diverse artistic works are seen on this. On the ceiling of the temple are beautiful carvings. There are caves near the temple.

TEMPLE OF HARISHCHANDRESHWAR: This temple is marvelous example of the fine art of carving sculptures out of stones that prevailed in ancient India. It is about 16m high from its base. Around this temple there a few caves & ancient water tanks. The river Mangal Ganga is said to originate from one of the tanks located close to the temple. The top of the temple resembles construction with the north-Indian temples. A similar temple is situated in Buddha-Gaya. Here we can see many tombs, in which a typical construction is seen. These are built by well-finished arranging stones one on top of the other. There are three main caves near the temple. The cisterns near the temple provide drinking water. A short distance away, another temple called Kashitirtha is located. The fascinating thing about this temple is that it has been carved out from a single huge rock. There are entrances from all four sides. On the main entrance there are sculptures of faces. These are faces of guards of the temple. On the left side of the entrance is a Devnagri inscription, which is about saint Changdev.


WAYS TO REACH: Harishchandragad lies where the boundaries of Thane, Pune & Ahmednagar districts converge. There are 4 - 5 known ways to this fort, the most usual being the following ones:

1) From Thane District: One has to board the bus for Nagar from Kalyan & alight at ‘Khubi Phata’. From there we reach the village of Khireshwar by bus or private vehicle. This village is at 4km from the foothills of the fort. Way from Khireshwar: The way beside the caves, where water tanks are seen, proceeds further to Junnar Darwaaja (Entrance From Junnar). From here, the route goes straight to Tolar Khind. Walking a few minutes from Tolar Khind, we come across a rock-patch on which railings are fixed. After ascending the railings, we come to the plateau region on which less dense forests are seen. From here, we have to cross 7 hills & after a walk of 2-3 hours, we reach the temple of Harishchandreshwar, the temple of Lord Shiva. Note: On this way, many arrows help in indicating the way. Way from Belpada: The third way is specially meant for hikers, which is via Sadhleghat. One should board the bus for Malshej Ghat & go to the village of Belpada. From here, the route goes through Sadhleghat. Here one has to climb a straight rock patch on which grips are provided. The temple is situated at a height of about 1km from Belpada. The total distance is about 19km.
2) From Ahmednagar District: One has to board the bus for Nasik or Mumbai & alight at Ghoti village. From Ghoti, we have to board another bus to Sangamner via Malegaon & alight at Rajur village. From here, 2 ways diverge to the fort. 1) From Rajur, one has to board the bus or a private vehicle to the village of Pachanai. From here, the way is straight to the topmost point. 2) Recently, the way from Rajur to Tolar Khind has been made available. From Tolar Khind (Tolar valley), the temple is about 2-3 hours by walking.
3) From Pune :Board any bus going towards Nasik from Shivajinagar Bus Station .There are many State Transport Buses going towards Nasik .Good frequency .
Get down at Ale Phata (Almost 2 ½ hrs from Pune 80Kms )
From Ale Phata board any bus going towards Kalyan .The frequency of buses again is quite good.( Almost 1 ½ hrs from Ale Phata ) get down at Khubi Phata .
There is a Dam road going towards the Khubi Village almost 5 kms .One can board any local vehicle going towards the village or even walk down but that would be very tiring.

The Rafting Day

Early in the morning at 7 am we left for the rafting site .
It was around 12 kms form the place we stayed.When we reached the place the heavy rush of water had already started .
Pawan and Surenedra our guides for the day gave the final instructions .
And then started one of the most amazing thing I had ever done .For the next 2 hrs through the gushing water and screams all around we paddled our raft in the KUNDALIKA River .
Then swimming in the river till the very end was quite different and i enjoyed it a lot .

After a gr8 lunch we then wandered to the nearby waterfall .The scence around the place was wonderfull with lots of trees aound .
The palce was a real gem .I did not wanted to eave the place but then.....................

Kundalika White Water Rafting

On 14th aug morning for the camp near Tamhini Ghat .Place called WildRiver camp .for WHITE WATER RAFTING.
The place where we stayed was beautiful surrounded by the mountains and trees .
We were a group of around 20 .In the afternoon session we had River Crossing and River Wire walk across the river Kundalika.
After the crossing we played with the rugby ball for a long time and had gr8 fun .It was a lot tiring and then a good dinner followed by the game of DUMB CHARADS .

Holiday and still working

Yesterday came late at night from Bombay .Got up late but had to go to office to complete my reamining work .
Was in office till 5 then went around MG road and Planet M got a few classical CDs which i wanted for a long time .

The to the bus stop .had to be in queue for almost and hour till i got the bus back home .

Still on the laptop and working for Monday its almost midnight ...............

Have to work more tomorrow so no holiday just work work and ........work