For the second set of interviews, I was only a little more prepared than the first time, which I thought was a no-show, a near disaster actually, as far as the beginning and ending sequences were concerned. The change overs weren’t exciting either. Believe me, at one point I thought of just getting up and walking away from the set. Somehow, I didn’t. This time the ambit was interesting from laughter with both the artists to tears as Arushi so lovingly remembered her late mother. I wanted to tell her that even I have only recently realized what it is to lose ones mother.

I also think starting the show with a tribute to the contribution of Ustad Ghulam Sabir Khan’s wife, Mehtab Begum, in his life was very powerful. His acknowledgement of her seva was indeed moving. Even I have an ancestor named Bhai Mehtab Singh, the father of Baba Tehal Singh who was also known as Bhai ‘Punjab’ Singh. I thought Ghulam Sabir Khan’s description of his three teachers and related demostrations – Ustad Rafique Ahmed Khan (grandfather), Ustad Siddique Ahmed Khan (father) as well as his maternal uncle and teacher, Ustad Sabri Khan – was fascinating.

Contents are usually fine when I am around 🙂 It is such a learning curve learning about artists and their work – young and elderly alike. Some with eventful decades behind and for others ahead.

Here are some of the images taken by Gurliv Singh, who was kind enough to accompany me to the Prasar Bharati studios.