http://swaratala.blogspot.com/2007/10/nancy-lesh-kulkarni-dhrupad-is-music.html
I want all my friends here to see if they can pick and paste the paragraph as a quote. “the paragraph” is the one you think I want to discuss here or, generally, with which to epigraph this topic.
For a clue to my intentions please note the title of this topic:
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/cross-cultural-psychology-music/27068/1
the clue is not content oriented, just some words in the title are clue.
“The next day I started wearing a sari with bindi, and soon had my nose pierced, Indian-style.”
The only thing that stands out to my eyes between hint and article is “cross-cultural”. So here’s my stab at it:
During these last 25 years of playing Dhrupad on my cello, I have tried all kinds of modifications to my cello, with the guidance of my guru. This has been an interesting adventure in itself. I currently have two extra strings, which are plucked in the chikari style of the rudra veena. My four melodic strings pass over a sloping elkhorn nut, modeled after the veena to produce a ringing tone. One can see from my photo that I have adopted the Indian posture, holding the cello while seated on a carpet. I have eliminated the vibrato, which I had so carefully groomed in my Western classical training, so that the subtle ornaments of Dhrupad are clearly articulated.
Ummm…the relatively low quotient of improvisation in “our” ITM vs “their” ITM?
“After my recital, Dr. Sharma came to see me, saying, “It always amazes us how you Westerners are able to play note-by-note memorized pieces for hours.” I replied, “Its even more amazing how you Indian musicians are able to go on improvising in a single raga for hours, always fresh, and never repeating a phrase!” I asked Dr. Sharma her advice about pursuing a study of Indian music. “This instrument is perfect for Dhrupad,” was her reply. Only many years later, I came to know the wisdom in her statement. “We have one fine teacher of Dhrupad here at BHU, Dr. Ritwik Sanyal. I will introduce you to him.””
Yikes.
Nevertheless, I sewed a backpack for my cello with the intention of backpacking throughout India
The rest is just the life of a striving musican. I can only thank my Gurus for the inspiration and guidance they have given me, which was so strong as to last all these years. I am looking forward to shifting my residence permanently to Pune in 2008. India is the place for me!
Are you off? Bye bye then
yikes indeed 
It’s a wonder that someone that weird didn’t end up with a bassoon…
Every summer was a three-month holiday from the orchestra, and that year I saw a special for a $500 round-trip ticket to Bombay.
A three-month holiday is a SEASON, not a holiday.
or some horses ?
Credit to her to follow her muse, leave a top orchestral job behind, and learn and play where her heart is. Playing classical Indian music on cello sounds good to me.
I’d even credit her with bein’ tall enough ta pull it off! 
Hindustani deja-vu.
parasympathetic vibration (extra strings on cello)
you’re right, to play it sitting on the floor!
uh huh
Hey, you got it!
and thanx to everyone else for trying to read my mind.
Anyway can we talk on this quote in the next pages ?
A chap I know, name of France Ellul (his family if from Malta originally) plays Harp. His group is called “Anwen”, and his fellow musicians are Phillipa, who plays cello, and Tarseem, who plays Tabla. Occasionally Alan joins them with Whistle & recorder.
It doesn’t always work, but some O’Carolan tunes come out very well with cello and tabla accompaniment.
I had this picked out originally;
"After my recital, Dr. Sharma came to see me, saying, “It always amazes us how you Westerners are able to play note-by-note memorized pieces for hours.” I replied, “Its even more amazing how you Indian musicians are able to go on improvising in a single raga for hours, always fresh, and never repeating a phrase!”
Then I decided to read again what was asked in the OP… and gave up as I thought I still had no idea what talasiga was asking for 
I settled on ’ ’ and I’m not sure if I am about to change that just yet
So what’s the subject? Music based in dance-accompaniment versus exploratory improvisation? No reason not to talk about it, I guess.
Musical genres for $500, Alex:
How are Indian ragas more similar to jazz than to ITM?
that’s an easy one
'cause ya don’t have to memorize tunes!