Note 1

Today, Sunday, the 1st of July, 2012, gurbani kirtan abhyasi-s (practitioners) from EU and North Americas will converge at the residence of Jasdeep Kaur and Kulmeet Singh in Albuquerque, New Mexico for 12 days. As always, the retreats are intensive or simply a crazy idea that is transforming folks who hardly squeak into fine singers of gurbani kirtan. There are kids – infancy onwards as well as adults, some (including me) not too far from their final rites – all in one (as a fun) mix..!

Years ago the group called themselves the Bloody Fools group. As with almost everything else, there is a long story behind this (naming) too stemming from the first (month-long) retreat held at Espanola in the summer of 1997. I do not want to bore the readers with that – perhaps some of the ones who had the fortune (pun intended 🙂 of singing then, and are still singing now, could write a note about the whole episode although I think I may have to make a guest appearance to add some spice, which is also usual.

Here I am, in the lounge at Frankfurt airport with my flight scheduled to depart shortly for Houston, Texas. It is a long flight – almost 11 hours – and I hope to catch up on lost sleep. Last year, I had to leave 5 days early in order to attend meetings the board and general council meetings of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. This time around I am reaching but missing most of the action on Day 1 – am hoping though that the to-do list for the day would have been followed.

Note 2

Some images of the course…