Riyaaz

I had called my parents in India yesterday. I could not speak with them since they had stepped out for a morning walk. Mira Masi happened to receive my call. She is visiting family in Bhubaneswar but will return to Delhi soon. We chatted for some time. She asked me about my music classes. I told her that the music classes are over for the summer and will resume from Fall onwards. She asked me if I am doing my riyaaz regularly. It's then I realized to my disappointment that it has been a while since I have done any riyaaz if at all. Who knows-that's probably why I could not recover from my sore throat before the contest: my voice was just not strong enough to sustain even minor ailments. Mira Masi is a professional Sitar player herself and has performed on several occasions. She reminded me of the importance of riyaaz for our vocal well-being, not to mention how relaxing and meditative the experience is. I hope I get back to my normal routine soon.