Photo by Noni Chawla.

One of the most celebrated Manganiar exponents, singer, Kamaycha player, Sakar Khan passed away on August 10, 2013. A recipient of the coveted National Akademi (Sangeet Natak Akademi) award as well as Padma Sri, Sakar Khan was one of the key factors who were instrumental in reviving the musicianship of Manganiar tribe. He had a close working relationship with ethnographer and musicologist, Komal Kothari.

Hailing from hamlet Hamira just 18 kms before Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, he is survived by four sons and several grandchildren, all of whom he nurtured and taught so very well.

A grand man, he is an irreparable loss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ter6XLDT80

At the Good Evening India TV set with Shubhendra Rao.
Photo by Parminder Singh Bhamra.

Shubhendra Rao with his guru, Pandit Ravi Shankar in 2011. California.
Photo Courtesy, Shubhendra Rao.
It s actually a single photo I Photoshop-fiddled with.

On December 13, I was to leave for Chandigarh to be with my ailing mom who was hospitalized a few days ago, when received a call from the national television asking me to anchor a special show of Good Evening India which is telecast live. My interview of Ustad Rahim Fahimuddin Khan of Dagar-vani was very well appreciated, it seems, that the person calling recalled it – well, it worked, the praise got me interested 🙂

I called my sister-in-law first, and later my mom, in Mohali to see if I would have her permission to come and be with her a couple of days later. She said sure.

It is well known in my circles that I wasn’t a fan of his – so that was a challenge. This meant I had to do research on him as I was not familiar with his life story – the names associated with him – his mentors and the ones who inspired him nor the ones whom he mentored and the ones he so inspired throughout his life span. The evening before the show, His Holiness Maharaj Baba Jagjit Singh Ji of the Namdhari Darbar, passed away as well, which was very sad – we were still engaged in getting the consent of Honorable Governor, Punjab to visit Bhaini Saheb and do the investiture ceremony – felicitating him as the Tagore Fellow of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. This ensured I had lot less time to research on Pandit Ravi Shankar.

I finished writing some award nominations and then Baba Jagjit Singh Ji’s obituary before I got to sit down and research on Ravi Shankar. I found his story quite intriguing and exciting. I particularly found Reginald Massey’s writeup on him very useful for it covered many a detail of Ravi Shankar’s early life. I learnt about how Andres Segovia (also my favorite) and Russian Opera singer Feodor Challipine inspired Ravi Shankar; how he actually wanted to initially study from Ustad Inayat Khan, the father of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan and so much more. I also read other articles and his official website, which wasn’t as informative as some of the obituaries that celebrated his life-time contribution to the world of music. After careful sifting and assorting, I ended up with about 8 pages – including one on Shubhendra Rao, whom I was to simultaneously interview in the show. Shubhendra, whose father N R Rama Rao was one of the first students of Ravi Shankar, is named after Ravi Shankar’s late first son with Vidushi Annapurna Devi. He is himself married to the cellist, Saskia Rao De-Haas and known as an able sitar virtuoso. I particularly enjoyed the time with him before the show in the green room before they whisked him away for make up. I have always escaped from facing the wrath of the makeup artists for it seems, they do not find any canvas to paint in between my mile long turban and mustache and beard.

I did get some fine plaudits during the show (via the ear phone I wore) as well as after the show but I only heaved a sigh of relief once I saw a recording once back at home. Being a live telecast I had no second chances and I did have feeling that I could have done more justice. Well, that is how it is with life – we seldom get a second chance.

My parting salute and respects to another illustrious virtuoso, Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920-2012), who has since moved on…

Satguru Jagjit Singh plays the dilruba II.
Photo Courtesy: Namdhari Darbar, Bhaini Sahib.

Satguru Jagjit Singh.
Photo Courtesy: Namdhari Darbar, Bhaini Sahib.

Satguru Jagjit Singh plays the dilruba II.
Photo Courtesy: Namdhari Darbar, Bhaini Sahib.

One of the most important figures of the 20th century India, a pilot, a poet, a singer, a taus-a dilruba player, philanthropist, pioneer, spiritual master – a mentor, and so much more, Maharaj Baba Jagjit Singh Ji passed away yesterday evening. His contribution in the fields of social welfare, sports, music and agriculture (organic farmer since 1962..!) will inspire people for times to come. He was a master with a fascinating sense of humour. His politicking by orchestrating inter-caste marriages is one among his countless contributions.

His patronage to music and arts is unparalleled as well. His financial support and aide to some of the greatest 20th century names of Indian Classical music is well known – name them, Ustad-s Vilayat Khan, Piara Singh, Amjad Ali Khan, Alla Rakha, Pandit-s Krishan Maharaj, Birju Maharaj, Rajan-Sajan Misra, as well as mentoring so many talented musicians from among the Namdhari community including Ustad-s Harbhajan Singh and Gurdev Singh, Bhai-s Sukhdev Singh – Mohan Singh duo, Sukhvinder Singh Pinky, Baljit Singh Namdhari —the list is beyond my ability to count.

He was also my Chacha-Guru. He studied from the wise Ustad Harnam Singh of Village Chawinda, also a relative of his. Ustad was the youngest classmate of my great-granduncle, Bhai Sahib Bhai Jwala Singh of Thatha Tibba.They had both studied from the legendary Baba Vasawa Singh of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, also known as Baba Rangi Ram.

The first time I met Maharaj Baba Jagjit Singh Ji was in the early 90s, 1994 I think, at the Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh. After the event, I was introduced to him. He inquired about my (musical) education. Babaji was surprised that I was also studying from Ustad Bhai Arjan Singh Tarangar and, while asking “is he still alive?”, requested his aides to take the address of the great Ustad. He expressed his wish to offer the last sewa (service or care) of Tarangar Sahib. Subsequently, he sent a Jatha to the village Thathian Mahantaan, near Village Sirhali, District Tarn Taran, Amritsar, where Tarangar Sahib’s daughter lived. Sadly, the Ustad had passed away by that time, but such were his ways in attending to the masters bearer of our cultural heritage..!

I had a particularly close association with his younger brother, Maharaj Bir Singh, who shared most of the CV with his brother for they strode shoulder tied together when they were young. Maharaj Bir Singh would often visit my house in Nizamuddin East and we would jam for hours – swapping dliruba-harmonium-pakhawaj-tanpura, singing and playing before it would be time for him to leave (he was always glad to be late is departing!).

In 2004, I sang some Khandar Vani repertoire at Bhaini Sahib. He too was an exponent of the Khandar Vani and was particularly impressed with a dhrupad in raga miyan-malhar – “barkha patal nache ya ho raag…” Ustad Pinky Namdhari on the Jori and Pandit Asit Banerjee on the rudra-vina had accompanied me on that occasion.

Early this year, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, honoured Satguru Jagjit Singh by inducting him as a prestigious Tagore Fellow of the Akademi for his contribution to Indian classical music and dance.

It is frightening indeed to see the scenic panorama of a valley with mountains so wonderful – so unassailable, loose them one by one. A day dawns and you find them all gone..! Just the barren, just the stricken. Hopefully, spring will arrive soon – a vale  wondrous – so bounteous will arise again… That will be a tribute to the likes of the one, Maharaj Jagjit Singh Ji, who departed after one fine innings, one fine contribution.

My salutations to him..!

For more information on His Holiness Satguru Jagjjit Singh, please visit:
http://www.beantpatshah.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=9

November 2006 – His passing 6 years ago…

Bhai Avtar Singh playing the Taus I handcrafted for him.
Photo Sarabjit Babra 2005.
Direction Bhai Baldeep Singh.
Courtesy Anad Foundation.

A legend extraordinaire
—irreplaceable, unimaginable,
to whom a song
ever-so-ethereal
occurred every once in a while.

An honour it was to be a witness at times,
to be a participant in some,
when he would take-off skywards – vertical as if,
transcending far so beyond
his finiteness.
His smile then,
the glint in his eyes when…

In remembrance
eyes when pour,
a heart so tore.

Ah! Wherefrom would one
get to hear
the songs of an eternal bloom?
The songs such
that he lives on
—he sings on…

A battle won in reality but, lost in history

Yesterday, Harbinder Singh Rana of the Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail drove me to the Cathedral at Lichfield. It was an experience, unforgettable at that, to see the Sikh Regiment colours (Standards) from the 19th century battles which the Sikh Regiments fought with extraordinary valour and passion that the Viceroy of India was ready to surrender. Sadly, the Dogra brothers – one the Chief Minister and other, the Commander-in-Chief has made deals. After supplying sesame seeds instead of gunpowder to the Sikh army men and destroying a strategic bridge before ‘their own’ Sikh regiments could cross over as part of their crucial maneuver, they conceded the battle honours to their actual masters, the British. Punjab was lost, its dignity was soiled. A battle that would have led to the demise of the British presence in India was just cruelly not to be. Imagine Punjab and even Hindustan, if the outcome of the battle had been fairly and not treacherously written..!
The Cathedral has a historic connection with Staffordshire Regiment, which is now part of the Mercian Regiment. The Sikh standards were ‘captured’ by this regiment and are displayed beneath the 19th century window. All standards are treated with respect for, as the Cathedral puts it, “the self-sacrifice associated with them, and as a reminder not to take peace for granted”.

Here are some images from my visit to the 13-centuries-old Cathedral, where I saw the colours under which the legendary General Shyam Singh of Attari fought. My salutations to all those who died fighting and say ‘disgrace’ to the cheats of the battle. Make sure, when you visit the UK next, you visit the Cathedral of Lichfield.
A few images:

In a meeting with Professor Sutinder Singh Noor, the then Vice-President of the Sahitya Academy and with Dr. Madal Gopal Singh it was decided that Shahryar should be invited to confer the 3rd Anad Kav Sanman, which was to conferred to brothers, Navtej Bharati and Ajmer Rode for their book, Leela.
My telephonic conversations with Shahryar eventually became lively. At the award ceremony, Professor Noor asked Shahryar Saheb to recite his poems and he was wonderful.
I will fondly remember the kind words that he showered me with after my short concert during which I had sung a few poems (for the first time).
Shahryar had particularly enjoyed meeting Zarminae who had compered the event that evening. There are many images but I am sharing a few with Shahryar.

Akhlaq Mohammad Khan urf Shahryar passed away on Monday, February 13, 2012 after a brief bout with cancer. May Allah’s blessings always be with him…