Prahar: The Singing Clock

Ragas have the power to heal, soothe, nurture and inspire. Meanwhile, science tells us that the human psyche subtly alters over the day, impacted by solar rhythm. If only we had a clock that understands the human mind and rejuvenates it over the day, as needed…

Well, this novel tells the story of such a clock invented by the fictional duo of vocalist Pandit Sharada Prasad Buwa and a watch technician, Zameer, that sang out ragas according to the prahar or the hour of the day. Belonging to a lineage of music healers who served in the courts of various kings, an inspired Buwa creates such a clock to take classical music and healing to every house.

The novel is set in the 1960s, a time when there were no CDs and programming was unheard of. Buwa and Zameer spend fifteen years of their lives pursuing this dream. They eventually succeed in connecting a LP jukebox to a huge wall clock, with the jukebox configured to play the 24 LPs sequentially, one at the turn of every hour. This singing clock, the only one ever, now resides in Buwa’s gurukul, where he teaches music to devout students.

The experience of Buwa and his singing clock takes you through heartwarming twists and turns—a sweet love story, competition between contemporaries, a neuroscientist desirous of using the clock to treat his patients, and an unexpected climax. The imaginary characters touch your heart by their simplicity and truthfulness.

“This book is a tour de force and must be read especially by those who love music but are ambivalent to its magical qualities. Music is love, it is a language that everyone understands without learning its alphabet, and no other book exemplifies it more than this one. A magnificent effort. A must read.”

 Anand Ranganathan,

Author and scientist

“It is rare to find novels written by professional musicians. In the case of Prahar, we have world renowned virtuoso Sri Pravin Godkhindi write a seminal ode to classical musicians who made it their mission to preserve our rich heritage against all odds. I loved the concept of the singing clock designed by Buwa, which sings ragas every hour, a truly unique and fascinating concept. A must read for all musicians and music lovers.”

 Ricky Kej

Three-time Grammy Award Winner