About the Sitar. I am quite ashamed of my self as for years I’ve thought the sitar is overhyped. Sadly, this statement was not even thought out, or investigated, and came from a place of strong bias against a famous sitar player. All because of his personal life- which is no one else’s place to judge. Certainly not mine. What a shame that I stooped so low.
I stand corrected and I feel terribly ashamed of myself for being such an arrogant idiot, and as my mum sometimes called me, “a first class fool” when I did something foolish, or was gullible enough to fall easy prey, and to be fooled- again! She would say, “Veenu, you are a first class fool; not third class, not second class, but a first class fool.” Very sternly.
I was too afraid to say anything and agreed with her, and honestly did not grasp the full implications of this admonishment till only very recently.
My mother was a busy working woman, involved in sensitive areas of the Central Government’s Defense Ministry, including in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) besides other very important departments. So she had no time or patience for niceties, especially not with her daughter, who she was raising to be wary of the big bad world. So I was an obedient child. Most of the time- especially in important matters. Important matters did not include playing group games, in New Delhi’s dry dusty playground without changing out of my while school uniform.
Do I relay this to be judged less harshly for my “foolishness?” Or am I admitting to an inherent flaw that is part of my DNA? The foolishness bit? Am I canvassing for a less harsh judgement/ criticism, of what is clearly my bias and one of many shortcomings? Certainly not. A guilty verdict for all of the above will not be enough, and I certainly don’t expect any concession towards my stupidity and lack of appreciation of the fine things of life. And, I consider myself a lover of music? What a shame, what shallowness, what hypocracy. Eyes lowered, I stand ashamed and remorseful.
How this came about was quite unexpected. You Tube, usually an ally, presented a short Reel with a clean faced young man holding a sitar. It was the title of the reel that prompted me to listen to it- “Shiv Kailashon ke baasi,” and there was also something about the singer’s presence. I W A S smitten!
Smitten, mesmerized, and in jaw dropping awe. I was also humbled beyond belief. Yes, I was also very ashamed for tainting the magic and the music of sitar, making broad statements against it, in favor of the flute. Yes, flute, shehnai, and all saxophone, all instruments of the breath are my favorites, but now the sitar is right there with them.
Ironically, there is one version this young man plays with a small live ‘orchestra team’ which includes an amazing flutist, who of course works his magic- but,
B U T- the sitar is clearly the star here. And after that I’ve been listening to the sitar more frequently, especially played by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma’s soul stirring sound coming through his fingers as he make love to the strings of his sitar. Clear half moons visible on the nails of his long fingers. Pure, spirited, blissfully seductive, he leaves one dreamily smiling and hungering for more of his magical sounds.
Rishab’s sauve appearance does not distract, in fact he gets away with henna on his hands and as if the music being made is not enough, his embellishments include precious jewels adorning his neck. Like a maharaja’s ‘haars’ reaching low. One carat diamonds in his ears, payal on his feet. His fair complexion, square face, and broad forehead give an indication of his Himachali heritage. He’s the Maharaja of the Sitar chords, the last and youngest disciple of Shri Ravi Shankar.
There is a saying in Hindi, I heard from my brother, “Guru gur reh gaya, aur chela chini ho gaya.” A little crude, and possibly out of place in this context, but nonetheless it bears consideration, if only because the revival of the love of Sitar amongst the younger generation is solely due to Rishab Rikhiram Sharma. He comes from a family of Sitar makers, and upon being shown a video of the 10 year old Rishab, Ravi Shankar called his father, and offered himself to be the boy’s guru.
“Shiv Kailashon ke bassi, dhaulidaron ke raja, Shankar Sangat harna,” here with the flute at a live show. https://youtu.be/Onb6_bRJ0Bw?si=10Rf842qjb_Lm7so
The first video of Rishab Rikhiram Sharma in which I heard the sitar with new ears: https://youtu.be/Onb6_bRJ0Bw?si=10Rf842qjb_Lm7so
Singing with his mother: https://youtube.com/shorts/thDzV5tMBnY?si=632zyx7qzfC7Q7qA
Love the classical elements of this next composition, Chanakya: https://youtu.be/KBYSpR8N6pc?si=gNVt8xYYuw37BR2V
Another longer video of Chanakya, live in Nepal with an enthusiastic young crowd: https://youtu.be/o7uMWQIpnKU?si=Cn07k2ObDoqbtRTp head shakingly and body swaying, toe tapping worth watching!
Saving the Best for last- Engaging oneself fully, head and heart swaying, toe tapping, shoulder shrugging involvement. Raga Hamir: https://youtu.be/jMcMLAyddzU?si=RJrykTqvEjaVAlqz for a serious conversation between the strings and your senses. Worth every second of the losing yourself to the sitar’s strings for 21 minutes.
Rishab lives in New York. I am hoping to see him play at a live concert.
Veenu Banga
2:38am
April 2, 2025
