- original music and arrangements -
Many Hands...

Dharma (Darma)

Cross-cultural connections

"Those raised in dharma naturally tend to look for a common element among apparently different things, to discover the reality below the appearances and to appreciate relationships among seemingly unrelated phenomena."
- Rajiv Malhotra

What is Dharma?

According to Hindu and Buddist beliefs, dharma is a fundamental principle that orders the universe. Although there is no direct single-word translation for dharma in European languages, it is commonly translated as "righteousness", "merit" or "religious and moral duties" governing individual conduct. It's made its way into other cultures with uncanny similar meanings - often in the alternative spelling as "darma"

What's Cross-Cultural about this tune?

Although it's a bit hypnotic and drone-like and the instrumentation is primarily Indian; the harmony and chord progressions are more typical of Western Jazz (Bbmaj7, Am7, Fsus2, etc.).

Yo, this ain't no Raga!
Exactly... A Raga is an array of melodic motifs used as a frameworks for improvisation generally played over a drone played on the Tambura/ Tanpura. "Dharma" is not a Raga and doesn't pretend to be <wink>.

For the Gearheads (patches used):

  • Sitar Pad, Tanpura and Tabla - Casio PX-S3000
  • Finger Cymbals - Roland D-50
  • Ocarina and Pad - Roland JV-880