Traditional tunes

Tell us about your musical journey.

I received my early training at the University of Allahabad from Joi Shrivastava and finally in Calcutta from Timir Baran, one of the distinguished disciples of Ustad Allauddin Khan. I have been lucky to present recitals at prestigious conferences all over the country as well as outside. Apart from that, I have released some records and had the opportunity to perform at Doordarshan's national programme of music. My most interesting venture was a research on "Laydari: A Diagrammatic Representation".

What do you have to say on the present trend of remix or fusion?

I do not believe in remix or fusion. For me they are akin to confusion. Our heritage in Indian classical music is so rich and varied, it is sufficient to pull crowds. We do not need remix songs. I am a purist and believe that the originality of any music should not be disturbed.

What is your opinion about the ?guru shishya parampara?? Do you think the tradition is dying?

There is no substitute to the age-old ?guru shishya parampara?. So many colleges teach classical music and dance. Huge amount of money is spent in these colleges. But tell me how many ustads have they produced? It is only ?guru shishya parampara? which can ensure a continuity in the classical tradition.

Should classical music be made mandatory in schools?

Basics of music should be taught to youngsters. But it should be left to them to choose a career in music. No force should be applied. It is all right if somebody wants to learn music on his own. Ideally a student should search for the guru and a guru should not be chasing a student, imposing music on him or her.

Navtan Kumar