Assam: ‘Mind Mood Music- A Healthy Balance’
Guwahati- Royal Global University’s ‘Pride of Northeast’ 2016 awardee and Assam’s Songster Papon Angarag Mahanta mesmerized all attendees in a webinar on ‘Mind Mood Music- A Healthy Balance’, held by Royal Global University on 18 June.
He was joined in his deliberations by Dr.A.K.Pansari, Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) S.P.Singh, Vice Chancellor, along with 900+ faculty, staff and students of RGU as well as from across India. It was moderated by Papon’s childhood friend, Sattyakee D’Com Bhuyan, Adjunct Faculty, Royal school of Communications & Media, a theatre personality, TEDx speaker and former Communications Associate, The World Bank Group.
Prof. Singh, in his inimitable ‘Luckhnow’ style, shared a ’shayari’ implying on ‘I know everyone but I don’t know anyone’, an apt saying in mayanagari Mumbai. As an ardent singer of yesteryear songs, he spoke on the relationship of having a ‘bad mood turning into a bad mind’ repaired only by music. Mind, mood and music are intrinsically related to live life well.
Papon, the humble artist, sashayed down memory lane and reminiscenced how ‘nothing is permanent in life’ and Nature has an unique way of preserving and eliminating what should be and shouldn’t. Education is of utmost importance and only in later life, one understands the nuances of physics, biology, maths, etc., playing out its dynamics to live life to its fullest.
To pursue a vocation/hobby/passion, one has to be intelligent enough and gauge the depth of pursuing it as a career, lest failure will persist. He strongly advocates in making mistakes to unlearn and relearn life in totality. To live in sync with life, one must travel to Nature’s diversity and meditate. He believes in quality and not quantity and his five albums prove so. The entire process of song writing depends on the mood, sounds, melodies and the small memories that comes with it.
Papon, shared his innate ideas and values on music he was raised in, and lives by, further added that during these trying times, music has become a comfort food for the mind and is widely used as a therapy for relief. Different genres of music, are an emphatic friend, who understands and elevates a person to better physical health, better social status, and greater relationship satisfaction. Music assists in stress release, enhancing memory, and alleviating pain.
People who listen to music before, during, or after surgery experience less pain & anxiety, chronic conditions, mood disorders compared to patients who did not listen to music(as in his song Junaki Rati). Music affects the brain and mood by engaging emotion, memory, learning & neuroplasticity, and attention. Playing an instrument, singing a song, chanting or simply playing a drum, invigorates the nervous system of a person creating positive vibes. He emphatatically stated to value relationships and not be materialistic.
He sang jagjit Singh, Moh moh ke dhage and reassured all his fans/viewers that this pandemic too shall pass and be positive, despite all odds. He stated that ‘its nice to lead a stress free life and the mind-set is of foremost importance here. I personally do not rush into things. It comes to me.’ He added, ‘ that’s how I have always gone ahead with my creations. It was indeed delightfull to be a part of the RGU Webinar Series where I could share my point of view on the topic Mind Mood Music- a healthy balance alongside my close associate D’Com and my sincere regards to Vice Chancellor for inviting me to this webinar’.
