Passing on the baton

Sunday, March 28, 2004

Originally posted by: MrspetloverUS

Qwesji,

Thanks for sharing this article.

Thanks MrspetloverUS for reading that believe me I thought no one will pick up on the article but there is lot of good information in that article.

Like father, like daughter! In an era where children are increasingly feeling the pressure of emerging from the shadows of their illustrious parents, Anoushka Shankar is one artiste who revels in her legendary dad's company. "When I am with him, I remain his student," she says. When Anoushka Shankar hit the headlines, the comparisons were inevitable. Is she as good as her dad, the legendary Ravi Shankar? Daddy is the custodian of pure Indian classical music, but will daddy's little girl be a worthy successor to his throne? Indeed, for the young musician, coming out from the shadows of her famous father was even more difficult than trying to follow in his footsteps. But, for all these comparisons with her illustrious father, Anoushka finds the entire question on how good or bad it is to grow under a tall tree surprisingly funny. "My relationship with my father is one of the most incredible. I have learnt all that I know about the sitar and music from daddy. Contrary to belief, I have never felt nervous while performing with him and even today it is the same, because when I am with him, I am just his student," says the renowned sitar exponent in an interview given to Desi Match. What's more? Anoushka claims that the father-daughter relationship only gives her mental strength and that very special feeling while on stage. Her words should not come as a surprise given the fact that Anoushka is probably the only artiste in the world who has remained exclusively under the tutelage of her father. In a country like India where the guru-shishya (pupil) relationship is founded on a mixture of tough justice, all-pervading reverence and humility, her relationship with the guru would have been even more daunting in view of the father-daughter link. While none can doubt the legendary Ravi Shankar's prowess as a great guru, how was he as a father? "He has always been much the same in both roles - very loving, caring and always giving," she says while reminding us that theirs is not the run-of-the-mill father-daughter relationship because he is a full 61 years older than Anoushka. "More than the genetic connection, it is music that has become the biggest bond between us," she says while recalling the days when Ravi Shankar would be touring the world and she would be pining for her papa. "I did miss him early on, but after my tenth birthday, I too became a regular fixture on his tours," she says. In fact she believes that it was her father's strong influence that made Anoushka eschew the road to quick money and instant stardom and instead focus on carving a niche for herself in the chosen field of Indian classical music. Ever since her stage debut aged 13 in New Delhi, Anoushka has shared the stage with greats like Mstislav Rostopovitch and Zubin Mehta. Indeed it is creditable fact that despite requests for remix, a pop career and even a movie career, Anoushka has remained loyal to classical music. At this juncture, you cannot but ask her about the next album. "Oh! I cannot tell you too much but for the fact that it will be releasing next year. It will be very different from my previous work," she says and dismisses all this talk of fusion music saying when she or her dad played; it was always Indian classical music and nothing else. After having dwelt on her beautiful relationship with papa Ravi Shankar, you quiz her on marriage and Anoushka laughs. "I have no fixed views. I have observed some very bad and some very good marriages. Some persons are not worth being life partners, though I feel there are more positives than negatives in matrimony. As for my life partner, I am sure Mr. Right will come along and I will get married too - not now but quite some time later," she says. Given Anoushka's love for music, one can guess that her partner for life too would be from the very same field. "Actually, I don't know. I feel that in general too music has a very important role to play in a relationship. It provides strength to a bond as it deals more with feelings and emotions." And what does papa Ravi Shankar think of his little girl, who became the youngest musician ever to be nominated for the Grammy Awards when her album Live at Carnegie Hall was listed under the Best World Music Album category. "I am waiting for the time when I will be called Anoushka's father. She has a rare talent; there is something spiritual in the way she plays. She feels the music and gives in to it," says the obviously proud father.

Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar along with Tanmoy Bose and Arup Chattopadhyay on Tabla performed in Stern Auditorium on Nov 15th in a jam-packed hall of over 3,000 people. Further demonstrating the music's tremendous cross-over appeal, it was noted that the crowd was only about 15-20% Indian, and tickets were sold out at least 2 weeks in advance of the performance. Though the total experience was electrifying, the Thumri during the second half was absolutely unbelievable. The overwhelmed audience gave an amazing five standing ovations, and each one of them was well-deserved.

a book by Anoushka Shankar

by

Mukesh Khosla

Anoushka with her father Ravi Shankar at the launch of her book
'Bapi - the love of my life'

Sitar may be her first love but there's another love in Anoushka's life which she values even more. And that's Bapi, as she fondly calls her legendary father, Pandit Ravi Shankar. In her recently released book, Bapi--The Love of My Life, she details many interesting - and controversial--facts of the doyen of music….

In her glittering spaghetti tops and Reebok T-shirt she could be mistaken for any teeny-bopper. But Anoushka Shankar, daughter of the legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, bears the great responsibility of carrying the baton of musical tradition that her father has passed on to her.

The young lady is already moving in the hallowed circles of artists, and intellectuals. You do occasionally spot her in hip and happening dos in the city --- where she becomes the Page-3 shutterbugs' delight thanks to her designer attire.

Yet, unlike the chatterati, her life does not revolve around Swarovski tattoos and cineplexes. Instead, it is marked by a passion for the extraordinary – excellence in sitar and continuing her father's great musical tradition.

There is yet another passion in this 21-year-old's life - her affection for Bapi, as she calls her legendary father. In her recently released book, Bapi---The Love of My Life, a biography on Ravi Shankar, she details many interesting facts of the doyen of music.

" For me Bapi is everything. Musician, rockstar, joker, Bharat Ratna. He is my father, friend, guide and guru," says Anoushka who, till the age of seven had no idea he was her father. " I always thought my mother's first husband was my father."

Even when she realized that it was indeed, Ravi Shankar she was very shy accepting it because of the big age gap---he was 61 when Anoushka was born. " But he was warm, had a lovely sense of humour and slowly and surely, I got around to accepting the fact," says Anoushka who was born in London, and grew up in California, where she graduated with honours.

She has been her father's disciple since she was nine, working first on a "baby" sitar that was built especially for her. At age 13 she made her performing debut in Delhi. That same year, Anoushka entered the recording studio for the first time to play on her father's recording, In Celebration.

Two years later she helped as conductor with her father and George Harrison, who was Shankar's friend. The two collaborated on the 1997 Angel hit, Chants of India.

International Status

Anoushka still prizes the gifts George Harrison gave her - a turquoise bracelet from Mexico, a ruby necklace from Chennai, a CD player. Indeed, it is Harrison's acquaintance that gave Ravi Shankar his true international status. Harrison called Ravi Shankar the godfather of world music.

" It was only when Uncle George died that I realised how much close I was to him. He was a surrogate father….the standby dad!"

Anoushka is frank in her book about her father's affairs with many women, but she stoutly defends him saying it was always a no-strings-attached type of affair. " He would make it very clear to them that since he is very committed to his music, he could not possibly think of settling down," she says and adds, he always respected the women who came in his life and we are still close to many - thanks to my mother Sukanaya.

The maestro's first wife was Annapoorna, daughter of his guru Allauddin Khan whom he married at Maihar in Madhya Pradesh. It is no secret there was little element of love in the union. In fact, many accuse Shankar of marrying her to promote his musical career. Nobody was surprised when the marriage went sour and divorce followed.

Anoushka is the third daughter of Ravi Shankar, born Robindro Shaunkar Chowdhury in a Bengali family in Varansi (Benares). Anoushka picked up the sitar when she was nine – a special baby sitar was made for her. By 13, she was already giving concerts.

In the biography, she also provides facts and figures about her father's growth: When he was 10, Shankar accompanied his elder brother, Uday Shankar, with his company of dancers and musicians to Paris and stayed back to do his schooling.

Later he spent several years in the West absorbing different kinds of music but returned to India in 1938 where he began his career. Between 1949 and 1956 he combined his concert performances with his work for All India Radio where he established the National Chamber Orchestra.

As word of his virtuosity spread throughout India, then Europe, Asia and the United States, Shankar embarked on one of the most extraordinary careers in the history of contemporary music.

Worthy Daughter

Anoushka says that she was lucky to be born into such a family. And candidly admits she has a definite advantage over others. But then, she adds, " I must have been a worthy daughter to share the stage with my father."

Today, in addition to her own concerts, Anoushka continues touring the world with her father's ensemble and has performed in India, Europe, Asia and the United States. She performed with Zubin Mehta in March 1997. Most recently, she became the first woman ever to perform at The Ramakrishna Centre in Kolkata in February 2000.

Anoushka admits she has been at a great advantage - of all the three children, Shankar groomed only her to be a true heir of his legacy. " That is because I spent more time with him, and in the process came closest to his persona" she says.

At 82, Ravi Shankar's body is frail. He suffers from ailments and his hearing is partially impaired. But he is content in the fact that he has a worthy successor.

Today Anoushka is gaining a status all her own. She has an exclusive contract with Angel/EMI Classics. In 1998 her first solo recording, Anoushka, was released to tremendous critical acclaim. Her second album, Anourag, was released in 2000.

As her solo career continues to blossom, she is poised to carry forward her father's legacy as one of the most creative and influential figures in the classical Indian music world. In recognition of her artistry and musicianship, on July 17, 1998 the British Parliament presented Anoushka with a House of Commons Shield. She is the youngest as well as the sole female recipient of this high honour.

" I have to thank my Bapi for everything. He has done so much for me," she says about Ravi Shankar who has frequently been accused of ignoring all his students and promoting her aggressively.

Anoushka admits, " To a certain extent it is true that being the daughter of Ravi Shankar gives you some unfair advantages. I've performed in the best places in the world, had the opportunity of learning from masters like George Harrison, Yehudi Menuhin and Zubin Mehta. It's all because of Bapi. Sometimes the most talented people don't get right breaks as they don't have anyone to back them."

Her devotion to the sitar and to her father's guidance is unmistakable. Yes, he initially promoted her but today Anoushka can stand tall on her own as an extraordinary performer.

Thanks Qwest. Here's another.........

	He is a musician. A versatile musician, who loves to take the tougher path, To begin with, he chose Santoor, an instrument with 100 strings. Then he chose the ancient and extremely demanding idiom of Indian classical music to harness and express his creativity. And, after diving deep within this time-tested ocean if Indian classical music, he chose to share the pearls he discovered with creative minds across the globe. Rahul thrives on challenges, loves to crossover boundaries, take un-treaded path and try the never before. Result? A series of hugely successful 'firsts' in the list of his musical adventures For instance he is the first young musician (not to mention the only Indian musician) to collaborate with the world-renowned pianist Richard Clayderman to not just cut an album but give live concerts too. And, he is the youngest Indian musician to perform at the WOMAD (World of music, Arts and Dance) festival in UK, as well as the Edingburgh festival, Scotland (2001). And, his performance along with his illustrious father Pandit Shivkumar Sharma was the first ever concert of Indian music in Egypt. And, he is the first young Indian classical musician to give music for a commercial Bollywood feature film all by himself. And, probably the youngest music director for whom Lata Mangeshkar, the queen of Hindi filmdom; agreed to sing in his very first venture. Not just that, there are consistent additions to his list of awards like the Indo American Society Award (1998), Bollywood Music Award for promising New Music Director, New York (2002), MTV (IMMIES) Music Award for Best Classical / Fusion Album 2003 and so on. Along with all these innovations, experimentations Rahul continues to give his concerts of pure Indian Classical Music across India and beyond her shores. Obviously, his is a vast spectrum where popular music, collaborations, sublime, new age music, high-energy trance, folk music, thematic music, psychedelic sounds and film music co-exist very comfortably with his first love – Indian Classical Music. Rahul derives his inspiration from nature. He loves to travel both physically and through net surfing. He tries to remain connected with spirituality with meditation every day. Floating in and out of varied sounds, novel creations and huge accolades, Rahul is always striving to give his best to his audiences. He is aware of his responsibility as a musician, as a Santoor player. His grandfather Pandit Umadutt Sharma had the vision of making Santoor, an obscure folk instrument from Kashmir, to be established on the classical concert platform. His father Pandit Shivkumar Sharma went one step ahead and made Santoor indispensable in the world of Indian classical music. And, from the looks of it, Rahul is all set to make it indispensable in the world of music, across the globe. And why not? He cherishes the invaluable treasure of traditional classical music that his father has helped him imbibe and has his eyes set on the globe. Rahul Sharma. He is the new face of tradition. He is "India-in-the-Twenty first Century" personified.

Thanks Bhaskar Da I really got very fascinate after reading that article thought it will be interesting topics to share with all like I said to MrspetloverUS did not thought to many reader will be there for this kind of article reader. Thanks for your Great Post also.

Anoushka Shankar is excellent at her work ! Thanks for the article about her..

This article infact brings us to a very interesting point.. is it time to welcome the new and start accpeting the change ? or do we still harper about the deterioration ?

Rahul Sharma, Bangaash Brohters, Anoushka (I've heard these three so can comment, the rest I haven't heard ..so dont want to opine) are excellent at what they do and its a great matter of pride that at such a young age they have achieved the success that they have. Its also the dawning of a new era, its these youngsters who will change the mindset about classical music in the minds of the youth.

I got inspired to listen to indian instrumental only after hearing Anoushka's sitar recital in Dubai ! Thats when I realised the beauty of indian music..

Kudos to this new talent...

Thanx qwest for another gud post.


I hav even heard Aman and Ayan playing with Amjadji many times and even they are very gud.

Ravi Shankar and Ustad Alla Rakha