Those Forty Days is a journal of a journey that started forty years ago in the life of its author Samir Chatterjee. Samir chose music out of sheer passion with the hope that one day it will unfold and reveal places to him, which would satisfy the purpose of his life. There were definitely ups and downs along the way, but no deviation. This book documents Chatterjee's supreme satisfaction and realizations emerging out of a rigorous regimen of practicing Tabla for forty day in isolation.
Although Samir's musical instrument is the Indian Tabla drum, yet in his approach to the different aspects involved in practice, he has a convincing way to make his observations and experiences general and universal. Consequently, this journal answers many of the questions seekers of all paths usually have. Answers to those questions can come only from those who have personal experiences of walking through the apparently inaccessible path and seeing those self-revealing places. Samir devoted his entire life in this pursuit and the purpose of his taking up this austere regimen was only to have personal experiences of what he believed in. His spirit of sharing to benefit all has resulted in this book.
Samir Chatterjee, a.k.a. Chhanda-Muni, is an esteemed musician, primarily known as a performer of the two-piece Indian drum Tabla. He has featured in many music festivals and venues all over the world. Chatterjee also has a presence in the field of academia, as an author of two significant books on Indian music, and holding faculty positions in several reputed institutions. As a performer, teacher, social worker and tourist, Samir has been to many different places around the world. With an unusual capacity to observe and absorb, he has successively matured in his perspective to different phenomenon of life. Chatterjee's musical performances and creations have a distinct mark of his profound spiritual experiences drawn from life. These experiences have suffused in his talks and writings as well. This book is a rare example of that. Written in the form of a daily journal during a spell of forty days of intense practice, he reveals certain significant steps in his evolution as a seeker. Hailing from Calcutta, India and groomed by several musicians, ascetics and thinkers, Samir paved his own way towards his self-determined destination. He was never lost on his way and is in no rush.
