And what do I listen to while in Motovun? What do I listen to while I dash around my house as I go about my many inane chores? Indian music, of course. Not surprisingly, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is my favorite at the moment. And by a wide margin. Having lost him only a short while ago, I cannot get enough of his voice—the voice of wisdom, as it were. Motovun. Indian music. Yes, the connection is strong. And ever stronger, at least in my own mind. Why would I ever lug so many compact disks of the divine stuff to Zagreb? The hilltown deserves music all its own. In my mind, it is Indian music—the voice of India. Indeed, it fits the place better than any other music I have heard so far.

Addendum I (April 3, 2021)

And what do I listen to after my long-awaited victory in Strasbourg (“Three Cheers for Strasbourg!” March 18, 2021)? To my joy, it is Pandit Bhimsen Joshi one more time. As I go from chore to chore in my house in Motovun, I am close to tears most of the time. Every now and then, I start sobbing, too. The voice of wisdom penetrates deep into my soul, and the animal in me feels no less than blessed. Indeed, I feel fortunate to have a collection of compact disks with Indian music that are always within my reach. But Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is still my favorite an entire decade later. By now, he is like a brother of mine. Nay, my own self. If I would ever start singing, he would be my only guide, I reckon. And my house in Motovun would be my venue of choice for the solemn occasion.

Addendum II (October 30, 2023)

Amazingly enough, the only singer I ever join at the top of my voice is Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. And I do it almost every time I listen to the compact disk at my disposal. As soon as I hear his voice, I let it rip. No matter which consonant is in play, I join him without any compunction. Each and every time this happens, I am no less than amazed by my own behavior. This sort of thing happens only while he is singing. No matter what I am listening to, it does not even cross my mind to start singing as though there is no tomorrow. All the other Indian singers close to my heart are far from enticing my own singing, as well. Far from it. One way or another, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is the singer of my choice. The singer. No-one else comes close to him no matter where they hail from. And I know what I am saying from my last experience of this sort, which was only a few minutes ago. The bliss.