NATIONAL8 (Spotlight Weekly]

Pied Pipers At The Capital

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and Ustad Sultan Khan on the sarangi held the audience captivated on February 3

By AKSHAY SHARMA

Since its formation, the B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation (BPKF) has organized several cultural and musical programs to strengthen the cultural relations between two countries. As part of this endeavor, the organization recently organized a concert on tabla and sarangi

The foundation in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Embassy of India, presented BPKF Concert 2001. Zakir Hussain, the famous tabla maestro, and Ustad Sultan Khan on the sarangi held the audience captivated for two hours. The event, held on February 13 at the Royal Nepal Academy, was the apple of the eye for the audience.

Hussein (left) & Khan : Magic of music

Talking to the press before the concert, Zakir Hussain said, "I just arrived from Mumbai, but I've been in Nepal as a tourist before. This is my second performance in Nepal. I was here before and played with Hari Prasad Chaurasiya (the renowned flute player).'

Speaking about his music, he said, "I beat my own drum. I play the tabla and have managed to gain recognition around the world. When I was a wee lad, maybe of 2-3 years old, I started learning from my father. He is my guru. He has come to Nepal and played with maestros like Ravi Shanker."

'Hussain is today a large figure in music around the world, especially in the field of percussion, and he himself is an international phenomenon," says a music expert.

Highlighting the performance of the show, Ustad Khan mentioned the importance of rhythm and time. 'Rhythm and time are the two sides of a coin," Ustad Khan explained. "I have seen some good tabla players in Nepal. Music is a subject that is best approached through belief. It's my meditation. Ever since my childhood, I wanted to be a musician. I have a pupil here and his name is Kumar Kancha."

"Music is concerned with love and friendship. Music doesn't have any barriers. God gave us the world. But it is up to us to build a home," says Khan, who is one of the most popular sarangi players in the Indian sub-continent. He learnt from his father, Ustad Gulab Khan. He belongs to the ninth generation of his family who has nurtured the art of the sarangi. He is famous around the world and has sung in many Hindi movies.

Hussain can be called the tabla virtuoso of the highest order. He is consistently brilliant and his exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in his own country, India, but he has managed to gain recognition around the world.

Nepalese audiences enjoyed two-hour concert. "The program seems to be the mother of all concerts," said Ajay Singh Basnyet, police inspector at Durbarmarg Police Center.

Husseint said, "I have seen some good tabla players in Nepal. It's an inspiration to see that tabla is played in Nepal. Music is derived from the earth and if he's playing it he's taking it serious he's taking it in the right way. The musicians express feelings with their talents. Music is magical, it's my Shangri-La.'

Zakir Hussain is considered the favorite of many of the classical musicians and dancers in India like Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shanker and Birju Maharaj. But his genius does not rest there. His tabla playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisations that is founded in formidable knowledge and study.

"You can express yourself and the way you see things through the music you play," and makes tabla-like sounds by tapping his fingers on his cheek. "It's unique to hear Nepalese maestros play on the madal. It definitely sounds unique in India,' Zakir Hussein said.

Considered the architect of contemporary music, Zakir has been performing shows since he was 12 years old. His contribution to music has been immense like Shakti, which he founded with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar. Other masterpieces created by Hussain include the Diga Rhythm Band, Making Music, Planet Drum with Mikey Hart. And has done recordings and performances with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, the Honk Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony.

Zakir embarked on his international career in 1970 when he went to the United States of America and played no fewer than 150 concert dates every year. His recorded albums and soundtracks for famous films like 'Little Buddha' directed by Bernardo Bertollucci, Ismail Merchant's directorial debut and 'Vanaprastham', that was chosen and screened at the Cannes Film festival in May 1999. He has received widespread recognition as a composer for his many ensembles and historic collaborations.

"God has blessed us with music. And it feels like a miracle while I play. It's seen in different cultures like the American Indians have what they call the Rain Dance." He is a staunch believer in music, saying, "Music has a certain kind of frequency. It has an effect on the environment you are in. You start to unwind to another environment listening to the kinds of music. Music has been used in therapy for sick people. And they have started to play music at green houses for plants."

Defining his philosophy he says, "When we sing the rainy raga it is possible that it may rain which makes one believe that music provided us with that instance. Lord Shiva came down upon earth and played his damaru and drove away the demons and Ganesh with his Shankha (Conch shell) later did the same. We musicians believe that musical vibrations possess great power. The bells in the temples and that every country has one kind of drum. These sounds have a meaning and maybe mythical power. "

Later that evening, the maestros magical fingers created the sounds of the Shanka and the drums while Ustad Sultan Khan accompanied him with his sarangi. When asked about his famous song "Piya Basanti" Hussain said, "Ustad Khan was a bit tired so I dragged him out of bed. I sat outside his door and sang, " Piya Basanti."

"Basanti is basant (spring) it is full of colors. You can put your own meaning to the song, "Sultan said," It is talking about holi which is the festival of colors. Basanti is a symbol."

Although Khan spoke no more on the topic but Hussain comically created amazing musical sounds beating around his mouth," Basanti may be a girl he has stashed away there somewhere in the song."

"It is very important to understand all the musicians around the world. The world is getting smaller everyday. It is important and beautiful to have cultural interactions between different cultures. Westerners come here to learn yoga and music," Hussein says.

Asked why Western music and culture seems so interested by the Eastern culture,"Why do you wear shirts, pants and tie, it's not your national attire?"

"We should continue to learn. Music is a divine blessing. When Lord Shiva drove the demons away he played the damaru and his son Ganesh developed the first syllables on his instrument the conch shell," Hussain suggests, as his fingers reverberated on his tabla creating similar sounds. "We're trying to play old and new compositions," he said during the program.

The maestros are gone but not forgotten. The people at the Royal Nepal Academy sat on floors because tickets sold out more than expected.