Wooing an Ustad

By Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI, JAN. 26.

Aftab-e-Sitar Ustad Vilayat Khan will make a public appearance after a long time; courtesy Pandit Chaturlal Memorial Society which appears to have managed to woo him back to the stage for the big do they are planning this Monday to commemorate the 75th birth anniversary of the tabla wizard who died 30 years ago.

Considered the architect of the modern sitar and the longest performing Indian musician, the 73-year-old Ustad Vilayat Khan will not only present a recital on Monday evening but also interact with the audience.

According to Mr. Charanjit Lal, son of Pandit Chaturlal and founder of the Society, the audience will be encouraged to express their doubts and ask questions so that the evening allows at least some people to leave the auditorium with a greater understanding of Indian classical music.

A `Jaagriti with Living Legends' programme, this is the fourth edition of the series that was launched on October 31, 1998, with flautist Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia occupying centrestage. An educational series, the first of the other two editions featured vocalist Pandit Jasraj and the country's maiden woman sitar maestro, Sharan Rani.

More recently, another educational concert was organised as part of the series on December 22 last year with the Misra brothers -- Pandit Rajan and Sajan Misra -- holding court. And, this time round, the series will put the spotlight on a musician who has performed at the royal courts of Iran and Afghanistan and also boast of the unique distinction of having played at the Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth II.

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