MUSICAL MOMENTS AND MOONLIGHT WHISPERS
Times Music and The Prama Jyoti Foundation presented an evening of melody when they launched the much-awaited Moonlight Whispers, bouquet of Ravi Sharma’s lyrics, melodiously woven by composer Vivek Prakash, sung by stalwarts of the likes of Rekha Bharadwaj, Javed Ali, Vivek Prakash, Udit Narayan and Mahalaxmi Iyer. The event was hosted at Bibliopole, Andheri, the grand night was also attended by lyricist Madan Pal, Narayan Agarwal, Mudasir Ali, Dillzan Wadia, et all.
As poet, Ravi Sharma’s works are reflection of his life, filled and metaphysical encounters with the nature. Says he, “Many of my songs are written while travelling in cars and planes, standing in queues at airports, while watching a movie or while simply sitting in a park. We have chosen a few lyrics for Moonlight Whispers that like the moonlight, reflects various moods with the transition. Vivek ji brought soul to my words. It is also because of Gauri Yadwadkar of Times Music that our works were able to reach the masses.”
Adds composer-singer Vivek Prakash, “in my musical career spanning over one and a half decades, I have come across lyrics of many styles and shades. But the most interesting part about Ravi Sharma ji’s lyrics is that they are thought-provoking, refreshing and yet simple and soul-stirring. Composing was an absolute pleasure, and at the same time, challenging. The album myriad shades – love romance, sufi, ghazals and prayers. The flagship song, Mere Maula carries the message of brotherhood, peace and world peace and harmony.” While Maula sung by Rekha Bharadwaj and Vivek Prakash was penned post Muzaffarnagar riots, the song by Udit Narayan was written on a flight from Nigeria to Dubai.
Ravi Sharma’s education began in a makeshift mud house with a wooden slate and a wooden nib, where he sat on own gunny sack. Educated in Hindi medium till Std XII, Ravi Sharma went on to learn in English after he joined the University of Roorkee, now IIT Roorkee for a graduate course in electrical engineering.
“Having studied in Hindi medium school has more advantages than disadvantages. Most of our sacred religious sculpture and literature are in Sanskrit and Hindi which one cannot read, understand and appreciate unless one is proficient in Hindi. Hindi is a very rich language and Foundation of Hindu culture is based on Sanskrit and Hindi. There have been terrific writers in Hindi... Reading them is such a treat,” avers Sharma.
“I must confess that motivation of writing poetry came from none other than Late Harivansh Rai Bachchan. It was his autobiography Need ka nirman phir, which drove me close to Hindi poetry and opens the door of writing for me. This book not only gave me poetry but also the motto of my life, ‘Sentiments without commitment are like words without meaning’.”
Ravi Sharma is also an accomplished CEO with an outstanding track record of leading some of India’s largest corporations. At 50, Ravi Sharma stepped out of the boardroom suit to embrace his new role of an Ideator, Innovation evangelist and Mentor with Prama Jyoti Foundation. PJF provides support, guidance and motivation to existing students of various educational bodies of India to help them achieve their potential is a culmination of his vision. The song Maula Tu Sabki Duaon Ka Sila De De from Moonlight Whispers is dedicated to this endeavour.
