From now on, Odemira has ‘Raga’ lessons. They are melodic modes in Indian classical music, difficult to translate in a few words. They’re comprised of different specific scales, and each creates a very particular atmosphere. There are ‘Ragas’ for various moments of the day, of the year, for celebrations, to ask for rain, to spark a fire. Within the structure of each ‘Raga’, one improvises and composes. The teacher is Inderjeet Singh, who comes from a lineage of musicians and learned singing and various instruments from his grandfather in India. Now, Inderjeet has found a way to continue his practice in Odemira. There are weekly meetings at the Hands-On Space and Inderjeet arrives with tablas and a small electric keyboard. In a semicircle, a group of people from various countries sing together. The space is small and cosy. We start with the basics: the easiest ‘Raga’ scales for those who have never sung. There’s a small donation box for Inderjeet, who is trying to live in Portugal on his music. At the end of the session, he runs to his online Portuguese class.
The ‘Raga’ classes are a gateway to Portugal for Inderjeet as a musician. During the two years of the BOWING project, we looked for musicians to collaborate with us and participate in the performances. However, now we’re trying to take a step further in integrating him by helping him to build a source of income and sustainability in his professional life in Portugal.