Page 39 - Seniors Today Dec 2019
P. 39
Nakwe clicked away. He was talking to me and
posing for the camera at the same time, without
ignoring either of us. Probably noticing I was
in my early or mid 30s, he began talking about
the Beatles, even making me hum a few songs.
Before I realised it, he was speaking on Indian
classical music in a language I understood. The
rest of our conversation flowed like a river.
PART 2 - JOD
December 11 marked his seventh death
anniversary. Over the years, there had been With actor friend Peter Sellers during the filming of
some wonderful interactions. I interviewed The Party
Shankar in person on four subsequent composer Philip Glass, flautist Jean Pierre
occasions, spoke to him over the telephone Rampal, cellist Msitslav Rostropovich, and
once and met him a few times at concerts or conductors Andre Previn and Mumbai-born
dinners. Naturally, I was bowled over by his Zubin Mehta, he attracted more foreigners to
sheer charisma and conversational skills each Indian music.
time. There was melody in those eyes, magic on The doyen was conferred the Bharat Ratna in
his tongue. That first meeting also set the tone 1999. He had come on a personal visit and stayed
for understanding his music and becoming an at the Hotel Oberoi, now Trident. Anoushka was
ardent fan. 17 years old then, and had made a small name
A representative of the Maihar gharana, for herself, though cynics felt she was only
Shankar learnt from legendary multi- riding on her father’s glory. I was to interview
instrumentalist Baba Alauddin Khan. Earlier, them separately, and he had a vague recollection
he had a chance to accompany his brother, of our first encounter.
dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar, in My talk with Shankar was more musical this
Paris. This was where he was first exposed to time. I had heard quite a few of his recordings
western culture. by then, and my favourites included raags
Shankar married Khan’s daughter, surbahar Hameer, Jogeshwari, Kirwani, Charukeshi,
exponent Annapurna Devi, and they eventually Maanj Khamaj and Miyan Ki Malhar. Without
separated. In the 1950s, he travelled extensively getting technical, he explained the compositions
to the US with tabla players Pandit Chatur briefly. I had also admired his album ‘Chants
Lal and Ustad Allarakha. The latter also Of India’, produced by George Harrison of
accompanied him at the Monterey Pop Festival the Beatles and released in India by Milestone
in 1967 and Woodstock Festival in 1969. By Entertainment. The reference led to a talk on the
collaborating with violinist Yehudi Menuhin,
spiritual nature of Indian classical music.
The interview over, I took out a Saregama
HMV album called ‘Milestones’, for Shankar
to autograph. Sukanya had not seen the cover
before and felt it was the repackaged version
of an older recording, released without telling
them. She felt he shouldn’t sign it, but he calmly
obliged, saying, “It’s not his fault. We can get
this copy in a music store and approach the
label.”
A few weeks later, Shankar returned to
Anoushka and Ravi Shankar with President K. R. Narayanan Mumbai. Since I was on leave, I decided not to
39 SENIORS TODAY | Volume 1 | Issue 6
