About the Author Monica Shah is a founder and director of Aaradhana Sangeet Academy. She is a renowned classical vocalist of Kirana Gharana. She has obtained her preliminary training from Shri Laljibhai Chauhan of Agra Gharana. She is a prominent disciple of Dr. Smt Pradipta Ganguli With complete dedication and devation Dr. Shah has adopted melodious Gayaki (style) of late Pt. Shri Rasiklalji Andharia, a great maestro of Kirana Gharana. She is taking training under the Guidance of thumari queen Smt. Girijadevi. She has performed more than 1000 Concerts of classical music and Bhajans.

Her father was a Ceramic Industrialist and mother is a Sitarist She has secured gold medals in Ph.D. in music in 2000, in 1987, Sangeet Visharad in 1981.

She was decorated with many Awards like, the most prestigious Award of Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar (Government of Gujarat), Surmani Award, Navdip Pratisthan Award, Pt. Omkarnath Thakur Award, Sangeet Shiromani Award, GCCI Award, etc... She is a regular singer of radio and doordarshan.

She has performed at many famous festivals and places like Saptak Festival (Ahmedabad), Bajju Samaroh, Tanariri festival (Vadnagar), Kumbha Samaroh (Udaipur), Classical Female festival, Kankaria carnival festival (Gujarat), Sankalp festival, Sur singar, Swar Sadhana, Kala Gurjari, (Mumbai), Sangeet Academy. M.S. University (Baroda). S.R.A (Kolkata) gandharva maha vidhyalaya, Flame University (Pune), etc... She performs and also conducts work-shop at U.S.A. and Canada every year.

Her audio CD's of Classical vocal, Jain-stavans, Bhajans, Kirtans are highly appreciated by music-lovers.

Preface I am writing this series of books 'Sangeet Aaradhana' Part 1 to 7 with a hope to share with all music lovers desirous to get knowledge of music and have happy and glorious life. Today on the publication of the fourth part of this series 'Sangeet Aaradhana Part-4' (in English) I feel joy and satisfaction.

It is truly a matter of great joy for me to have received unprecedented response to these books. I am grateful to each and everyone using this book and working for the spread and popularisation of music. All of you have added to my enthusiasm and spirit.

("I have my guru and God himself standing before me. Who should I bow to first? It is greatness of my guru who has shown me the God.")

My guru Dr. Pradiptaben Ganguli has played this role for me. How can I forget her contribution to my life? She has guided me while writing this book and I am heatily grateful to her.

I have used Bhatkhande Lipy (script) of notation in this book. But I have also included -brief explanation of the paluskar script and notations of one bandish. So that learners can understand both the styles and attain overall development.

These books 'Sangeet - Aaradhana' is the outcome of my long time experimentation and experience with my students and I pray to God that not only the students but everyone interested and involved with music benefit from this book and attain spiritual progress and reach higher plane of life and joy through music.

Thanks to you all once again. I pray to have your cooperation, good will and blessings from you all the time.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages