ANCIENT IRISH MUSICAL HISTORY FOUND IN INDIA

ANCIENT IRISH MUSICAL HISTORY FOUND IN INDIABy Mihika Basu, Bangalore Mirror Bureau | May 15, 2016, 02.00 AM IST
http://www.bangaloremirror.com/others/sci-tech/Ancient-Irish-musical-history-found-in-India/articleshow/52271921.cms

Musical traditions of south India are a great insight into musical cultures of Europe

An archaeologist studying musical horns from iron-age Ireland has found that musical traditions, thought to be long dead, are alive and well in south India. The realisation that modern Indian horns are almost identical to many iron-age European artefacts reveals a rich cultural link between the two regions 2,000 years ago, said PhD student Billy O Foghlu, from the Australian National University (ANU).

The findings, according to the researcher, help show that Europe and India had a lively cultural exchange with musicians from the different cultures sharing independently developed technology and musical styles. The research has been published in the Journal of Indian Ocean Archaeology.

"Archaeology is usually silent. I was astonished to find what I thought to be dead soundscapes alive and living in Kerala today," said the ANU College of Asia-Pacific student.

He further said, "The musical traditions of south India, with horns such as the kompu, are a great insight into musical cultures in Europe's prehistory. And, because Indian instruments are usually recycled and not laid down as offerings, the artefacts in Europe are also an important insight into the soundscapes of India's past."

One example of the musical mixing is depicted in a carving of a celebration in Sanchi, dating from c300 BC, which shows a group of musicians taking part, playing two European carnyces, a horn with an animal's head, said a media release from the Australian National University.

According to O Foghlu, the musical style of Kerala explains some of the mysteries surrounding the horns that have been unearthed in European iron-age excavations and suggest a very different musical soundscape to current western music. "Some almost identical instruments have been unearthed together, but they are slightly out of tune with each other to western ears," he said.

O Foghlu said that this was previously assumed to be evidence of shoddy workmanship. "But in Indian music, this kind of dissonance is deliberate and beautiful. Horns are used more as a rhythm instrument, not for melody or harmony in a western sense," he added.

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/others/sci-tech/Ancient-Irish-musical-history-found-in-India/articleshow/52271921.cms

23% argued about money, 27% about work-life balance, 30% argued about domestic chores

Only 25% of young, married couples want to buy a house. So, what do they really want?

Our survey reveals the spending habits of young, married couples in India and draws some surprising conclusions.
Modern marriages are more complicated than those of the past, despite what your parents will tell you. In India, an entire generation has seen technology uproot traditional channels of interaction, and the domains of domestic responsibility have also become less defined with more women contributing to the financial goals of the family and more men willing to pitch in with housework.

We conducted a survey to find out the financial implications of married life for young, urban Indians – what they spend on, what they save for, and what they want the future to look like financially. 

Our sample consisted of 150 people who filled in our questionnaire across seven metros and tier one cities. 

All of them were college educated or at least held a diploma. Roughly 69% of the sample was aged between 26 and 30 years, while 25% was aged between 31 and 35 years. The remaining 6% was aged between 22 and 25 years.

Early on, the survey produced an interesting finding: only around 23% of the sample argued about money. About 27% said that work-life balance was the touchiest subject at home, and in a statistic that shouldn’t surprise anyone, roughly 30% said they argued about domestic chores.

Priorities aren’t very straight when it comes to financial planning. 

Around 34% of our sample listed securing their child’s future as their top financial goal, while 33% listed increasing personal savings as their number one financial ambition. 

Surprisingly, only 25% of the sample thought that a house was worth saving for – something that might horrify the previous generation. 

And, despite what social media timelines might suggest, not all couples want to wander the world. Only 6% listed travel as their main financial goal. 

Retirement is not such a priority for this generation with only 2% having the desire to save up for that eventual milestone.

When we asked them the most important financial resource they wanted to give their children, an overwhelming 63% opted for a high-quality education. 

Only 17% wanted to give their children a house and just 10% wanted to leave them money. The power of knowledge, it seems, is the most important legacy that this generation wants to leave the next one.
To secure the financial futures of their children and families, couples today have many options, from traditional instruments like savings accounts and fixed deposits to newer modes like tax saving mutual funds and online insurance plans. Life insurance plans, in particular, have changed with the times and now offer much more flexibility for people who want to secure the futures of their dependents in case of unexpected events. So, no matter what kind of future couples aspire to build for themselves and their children – education, homes, or holidays – there are ample financial options to help them.