User:INDRAJITEM

INDRA [INDRAJIT BHATTACHARJEE] {born 29th January,1985} is a Kolkata born drummer and percussionist based in Kolkata [INDIA] and co-founder of ETERNAL MANTRA. Since, 1995, INDRA used to bounce his hands on many things like wooden benches in classrooms, aluminum plates, steel spoons , iron nails & glasses .Although he has done schooling from NAVA NALANDA yet his passion for music and drive to succeed have stayed with him from childhood onwards .After that his hands were becoming specific as a ryhtm player for which he always used to do experiments in rhythm sections. In 2000, he came under strict guidance of tabla maestro Pt. Swapan Chowdhury and became more disciplined in normal life. After that from 2003 onwards, he took part actively doing stage performances starting from school fest, college fest , and many competitions and countless number of established bands and from there started his music life. After completing electrical engineering [B-TECH,EE 2008], his focus became specific and he balanced his professional life [TECHNO-COMMERCIAL in KNOWLEDGE KONSULTANTS]with music life smoothly and worked dedicatedly as a composer cum drummer and percussionist in ETERNAL MANTRA.

Drummer of the ETERNAL MANTRA

OBSTACLES IN LIFE : The primary obstacles to starting a music career are mental. Most aspiring musicians can't imagine putting in the amount of time and effort necessary to "make it". The biggest problem with that way of thinking comes with the definition of "making it". Many people assume "making it" means playing sold-out shows in large amphitheaters or stadiums, money and widespread fame. Another important point is, hailing from a middle class family, he finds himself very tough thing to carry music as a profession due to lack of finance and support. Thus he made up his mind strongly and became an engineer to establish in this society which played a great role to diversify himself from music but his passion for music and drive to succeed have stayed with him.

ACHIEVEMENTS: From schooldays, he took active part in playing various things starting from small toys , bowls , baskets , chairs , tables , utensils to leather instruments starting from tabla ,dhol, naal, khol, kanjira and percussions like shakers,bells, tambourine etc. On 2003, he was awarded as best drummer in North-city college band competition and also became a part of the best band performance. He was also awarded as best drummer in OPUS’2003[ St. Lawrence Fest ] and also became a part of the best band performance.With this up-coming album of ETERNAL MANTRA, completely self-produced and mainly self-instrumented, he became one of the "new medium-tempo pioneers" and his chilled, beat-driven music captivated press as well as many major labels. One more thing ,he said that “I never knew if my composed songs were really good or if people really thought it was good,” he said. “But it was the reaction I got from people [at the stage show] that made me think I should keep doing this.”

OPPURTUNITIES : One thing about him is that he is a very experimental kind of man. He always finds fun throwing himself in any situation. In his life he has always tried to be his own boss. He always wanted to be "a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond".His golden rule was that "If you are a gem then you need not have to run behind oppurtunities ,but opputunities will run behind you" and it is applicable for any kind of life style.

FOCUS From his schooldays, he always dreamed of a band where he will be a part of the music composing talents. After ETERNAL MANTRA [so called focus]formed he was very happy because of the genre and the kind of music the band produces.He and Hirak were school friends and from that time they were developing their skillset,variations and chemistry along with a wide variety of samples in his music combined with heavy, often complex basslines. His music generally develops linearly - with new elements such as bass lines or percussion coming in one after the other. In Days to Come, he along with Hirak mixes this techno- background with the clean yet distinctive vocals of Dhruvjyoti, who often uses harmony to build up a multifaceted sound. The band plays live renditions of studio material, with 2 well-trained classical singers [from very young age] cum lyricist Dhruv and Debaleena, Hirak [keyboardist cum guitarist and composer also], string section,INDRA[ electronics, and drummer]. Rudra Roy Chowdhury mainly plays bass guitar [from 2004 both in Tollywood & Bollywood industry], and became a member of the band from the middle.

What is music ? Music is a passion not a profession to him and it’s a source of peace and pleasant mind. It makes life full of joy, tension-free. They must eat, sleep and breathe music everyday: write, promote, book, market, advertise, rehearse and polish, not to mention playing the gigs themselves. Moreover, a musician's success will be directly proportional to how hard and smart they work at what they do.To him, GOD has gifted 3 major sense organs i.e. eyes , ears and skin [2 hands + 2 legs]. Output of a performer is directly proportional to the utilization of these sense organs.

VIEW [as a listener & audience]: Music as sounds that are man-made or arranged for the purpose of enriching experience via active engagement (e.g., through performing, listening, dancing) where sounds are primarily attended to for their sonic qualities. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres", "it is music to my ears" and “which reduces daily monotony “point to the fact that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to.

VIEW [as a Musician]:When comes to the output ,he thinks that after the prolonged days’ experience, we should look at what sells and what is successful from this standpoint; music fulfills the needs, wants, and desires of any group of fans because they identify with it. And they like a song because they can hum it in the shower. Keeping in mind that the world of commercial music is a world of dollars and cents, whether you like it or not. But that does not mean that Art and Commerce cannot walk hand in hand…they must do that. Entertaining the public as a life commitment involves getting yourself into a deep sense of personal commitment to your art. It seems to him that artists who are able to that have come to grips with the notion that success is more an internal experience, and not necessarily one that will be satisfied by a money-hungry music industry that defines success only in dollars and cents calculations.

GOLDEN RULES : There is no short-cut to practice & success. ALL TIME FAVOURITE MUSICIANS : - Mike Portnoy - Steve Smith - Steve Gadd - Marco Minnemann - Jojo Mayer - Tony Royster - Dennis Chambers - Dave Weckl - Horacio Hernandez - Vinnie Colaiuta - Virgil Donati - Simon Phillips - Tony Williams - Billy Cobham

ALL TIME FAVOURITE MUSIC COMPOSERS: - Hanz Zimmer - S.D.Burman - R.D.Burman - A.R.Rahman with heavy, often complex basslines. His music generally develops linearly - with new elements such as bass lines or percussion coming in one after the other. In Days to Come, he along with Hirak mixes this techno- background with the clean yet distinctive vocals of Dhruvjyoti, who often uses harmony to build up a multifaceted sound.

The band plays live renditions of studio material, with 2 well-trained classical singers [from very young age] cum lyricist Dhruv and Debaleena, Hirak [keyboardist cum guitarist and composer also],  string section,INDRA[ electronics, and drummer]. Rudra Roy Chowdhury mainly plays bass guitar [from 2004 in Tollywood & Bollywood industry], and became a member of the band from the middle.

'''What is music ?

Music is a passion not a profession to him and it’s a source of peace and pleasant mind. It makes life full of joy, tension-free. They must eat, sleep and breathe music everyday: write, promote, book, market, advertise, rehearse and polish, not to mention playing the gigs themselves. Moreover, a musician's success will be directly proportional to how hard and smart they work at what they do. '''