Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma - Page 3

GOLDEN HERITAGE by Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
Remarks by Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
on the occasion of the release of the 'Golden Heritage'-
live recording of concert in Toronto, Canada 27th April 1997
In my mind, post-independence era of India has witnessed a virtual renaissance with regard to Indian classical music. In days of yore, this genre of music was mainly confined to the courts and palaces of the Maharajas and Nawabs alone - the fate of a musician depended on whether the Raja or Nawab liked his music enough to support him and offer him patronage. Under these prevailing conditions, many a talented musician remained u known, unable to present his music merely because he was not fortunate enough to gain royal patronage.

It was in 1947, in that hallowed midnight hour when we kept our "tryst with destiny" that Indian classical music found its voice and liberation. All India Radio and budding recording companies reached the towering maestro's voices to Indian homes in every nook and cranny across the country. Finally our voices could be heard by all who cared to listen.

Given this fillip, we never looked back. Instead we set ourselves the daunting task of projecting the cause of Indian classical music the world over. It was a difficult proposition indeed - to match the best and try maybe to better it!

But, I do feel that we have met the challenge and emerged stronger in the bargain. Indian musicians have never had it so good. Our classical music is appreciated all over the world and created a large following of its own.

Especially encouraging to me is the trend of young people coming to classical music concerts. Time and again, I have been told that the Santoor is greatly responsible for this initiation of the younger generation, particularly the Indian youth. If that is true, I feel my lifelong endeavour towards reaching the Santoor to the common man has been worthwhile.

An ancient instrument that was originally known as "Shatatantri Veena", the Santoor was initially used as an accompaniment to Vedic hymns and later by Sufi singers, in Kashmir. The credit of introducing the Santoor as a classical musical instrument goes to my respected Guru and father, Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma. It was his conviction and foresight, reached at after years of research, that the Santoor actually found its present day identity.

Under his able guidance, I was able to perfect the tonal quality of the instrument, establish a sound tuning system and bring about the correct technique of playing the Santoor.

The journey of the Santoor as you see it today is also a 50 year old saga. It is therefore fitting that in this particular recording, my son, Rahul, is playing with me.

I have always believed in encouraging newer talents and have indeed been training select students from different parts of the world, keeping this in mind.

Rahul is my son and youngest disciple, who has been learning from me for twelve years now. He gave his debut performance during a tour of Scandinavian countries in 1996. In 1997, he accompanied me and performed in the USA and Canada.

I hope Rahul carries on the legacy with sincerity and dedication to the next century and beyond.
Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

Santoor magic

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma was instrumental in bringing the santoor on to centre stage of classical music. He tells BIBHUTI MISHRA of his journey to fame.

MYSTERIOUS and distant, yet fascinating. That is how he always struck me. Like the place he comes from — Kashmir. His jade green eyes, his curly hair, his tall slim fair and striking frame belie his 60 years. And his soft words, gentle manners and intense feelings win you over.

"I am not Kashmiri though many people are under the impression that I am. Kashmiris are from the Valley. I am from Jammu, a Dogri."

Early days


Just four decades back the santoor was a little known instrument, confined to Jammu and Kashmir and Shiv Kumar Sharma was a nonentity. Today, the instrument has ensconced itself in the upper echelons of the classical concert outpacing other instruments in popularity. And the name Shiv Kumar Sharma has become synonymous with the santoor.

Born in Jammu in 1938, Shiv Kumar Sharma is the only son of Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, a famous vocalist and tabla player of Jammu and Kashmir. Pandit Uma Dutt was a disciple of the legendary guru Pandit Bade Ramdasji of Benaras; Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and he had played together in their childhood as the latter's father was a court musician in Kashmir.

"My father thought I had some inclination for music. So when I was five I was given training in the tabla and vocal music," reminisces Panditji. But why the santoor? And when?

Before answering that Pandit Sharma explains the background of the santoor, which as a classical instrument is only a little over 40 years old. "It is played in 'Sufiana Maushiqui' and combines the influences of Indian as well as Persian music and connected with the Sufi spiritual tradition of Kashmir. Its origin is, however, very old. In ancient Sanskrit texts, it has been referred to as Shatatantri vina (100-stringed vina). My father was working for Jammu and Srinagar Radio as music supervisor when he saw the instrument played in the Sufiana style. He introduced it in the classical style. I was about 13. By then I had been studying vocal music and the tabla for 8-9 years. My father worked out a system tuned to the needs of the Indian ragas. When I was asked to play it, I picked it up very fast. After a couple of years, I began playing in children's programme on radio."

But the real break came in 1955 when 17-year-old Shiv Kumar was presented at the Haridass Sangeet Sammelan in Mumbai.

For the first time, people heard the instrument in a major performance at the national level. Some found it fascinating while a few music critics said classical music could not be played on this instrument.

Evolving style


They were to be proved wrong. Pandit Sharma successfully tided over the problem of the staccato notes of the santoor by evolving a style whereby the notes could be prolonged and sustained after making certain changes in the instrument.

"It was a long struggle after I left home to do something in Mumbai. My father was very learned but not well known, so there was no question of piggybacking on him. There were days when I had only an anna in my pocket and nothing to eat!"



AP


But all that is a thing of the past. Today he lives in Bombay with his wife and two sons. His younger son Rahul, having taken to the santoor, is also in the musical circuit — his recent album "Jannat" has been getting rave reviews.

Teaming up with the flute wizard Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma has composed for Hindi films like "Silsila", "Lamhe" and "Darr".

"I was doing film music as long as it did not interfere with my classical music. Now it is difficult because both of us are touring all the time. Besides film music is a director's concept. It depends a great deal on his taste and thoughts. Nowadays, in film music, there is a strong influence of the West, of MTV culture. We are great imitators. Mediocrity is in abundance today. We may not get the right kind of directors to work with even if we had time," he says.

Honours


A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award and other honours, Pandit Sharma does not think much of awards. "All awards can be manipulated, the listeners' response cannot be. So that is the true award for me."

Talk of music therapy and he says, "My disciple, Dr. Bhalachandra Phadnavis, has been working on it. The results have been fascinating. It has been proved that music especially the sound of the santoor eases pain. But a lot of research needs to be done to put it into a system. In the U.S., there are doctors who have used my music and my album 'Feelings' is much in demand."

Sometimes he is nostalgic — "I do miss my beautiful state, Jammu. But to achieve something, one has to sacrifice something. I sacrificed the lure of my home."

April, 1980

BIRTH OF A NEW MUSICAL TEAM
BOMBAY : April 9, 1980 will go down as a red-letter day in the lives of the two talented men of music--Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia. It will be remembered as the day they became a musical team and recorded the first song for Yash Chopra's new film "Silsila". Khayyam and Lakshmikant and a number of classical musicians greeted the duo. And so did Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar. Another song, again in the voices of Lata and Kishore and then Shiv and Hari left on a long concert tour of Europe and America- something they have been doing regularly.

Yash was more than happy for having chosen the two for his film. " It (his film) is an out and out romantic story and the music, naturally, has to be very strong. I have been observing Shiv and Hari for a number of years and found in them streaks of genius. I decided to give them a break and here we are in the recording studios", Yash said.

It was an atmosphere charged with superlatives on both the days. The acclaim was unanimous. They were 'superb', 'fantastic' and what not. The best tribute came from Jimmy Narula, a senior H.M.V. officer. Said Jimmy: " I have been in the line of music for fifteen years. I have heard the best of music by the best of men, but by God what Shiv and Hari have done in these two songs, the kind of music they have created , I have yet to come across".

For lovers of music, ShivKumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia are household names. For years they have been haunting lovers of good music with their music. Shiv is a master of the santoor and Hari the flute. More than three famous music directors have told me that they have still to find anyone like them- humble men and great musicians. One more duo is here then. The more the merrier and better. So welcome Shiv and Hari, welcome to the new world, a world of new challenges.

Tuesday, January 13, 1998

Pt. Shivkumar Sharma is 60 and still making the santoor sing
BOMBAY : Pandit Shivkumar Sharma who turns 60 today will be felicitated at a special function at the Nehru Centre organised by the Lalit Kala Nidhi. This will be followed by a performance by Pandit Jasraj accompanied by Ustad Zakir Hussain.

Pandit Sharma's name is synonymous with Indian classical music, especially the santoor. "I don't feel 60 at all, but as far as the santoor goes, when I look back, it's very interesting to know what has happened over the years", reminisces the veteran, "about 45 years ago the santoor as an instrument was not known to anyone. I did not know then, what would happen to my mission of propagating the santoor as an integral part of Indian classical music."

"Everything that happened over the years was due to my father and guru, Pandit Umadutt Sharma. The senior musicians of those times would compliment me and urge me to continue with my music, but they would also tell me that I had chosen the wrong instrument," he recalls.

Learning since the age of five, he got his own santoor only at the age of twelve. However, it wasn't smooth sailing for the young musician. "There were many musicians, critics, listeners--who were of the opinion that santoor could never portray the intricacy of the alaap, due to some inherent limitations like the inability to do meend."

"My father was always the guiding force and today when I think of my journey, it's nothing short of a miracle. He passed away in 1973, but had he been amongst us today, he would have seen his dream turning into reality. My son Rahul had also started playing the santoor, and my father would surely have been a proud man today." Says Pandit Sharma.

"With any art form, there has always been a lot of experimentation. Fusion music is one such experiment. There are different kinds of fusion happening today, but if the combination is not right, not well-planned, fusion sometimes becomes more of confusion. I am not against fusion, but I am for something that creates harmony, which is soothing and lasting in its beauty." For him, the greatest inspiration comes from nature. "The mountains, springs, trees, a beautiful human being--they fascinate me."

As for all aspiring classical musicians, he has a message that there are no shortcuts to becoming a performing musician. " It's not enough to have a liking or passion for music--regular riyaaz and improvisation on mistakes are indispensable. The utmost responsibility of the generations of classical musicians to come is to preserve the heritage of this wonderful art form and the essence of it, its Indian-ness. They need to present the beauty and purity of our music with great sincerity. My blessings are always with them."

by Nishant Fadnavis The Times of India

RAHUL UNPLUGGED: SANTOOR MEETS PIANO

by

Avinash Kalla

Rahul Sharma…Carrying on a family tradition.

Rahul has emerged from the shadow of his legendary father Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma with his first fusion album with pianist Richard Clayderman. The young musician is all set to take the santoor to greater heights in the twenty first century with his creativity.

 

Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma's son Rahul has had to go through the paces and is now emerging from the wings of his father to carve an identity for himself in the world of music. Initially, of course, a little help from the father was always welcome.

Back in 1999 Sharma launched Rahul with an album that was appropriately titled Together. " The musical partnership reaches its peak when the performing artists belonging to two generations hail from the same family," says Rahul who has come a long way since he rode piggyback on his dad.

He now has a solo career all his own. His concerts in India and abroad have a following that could match that of his legendary dad. He has performed with the great fusion band Shakti which has the likes of Ustad Zakir Hussain, John Mclaughin and T.N. Vinayakram. And more excitingly, the young man has also composed music for the Hrithik Roshan starrer, Mujhse Dosti Karoge.

Rahul's album The Confluence with pianist Richard Clayderman, recently released by Virgin Records, has been a smash hit among connoisseurs of fusion music. The two who were recently in Delhi to perform in a music festival organized by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, are now planning another album together.

The Confluence was a great experience, says Rahul and adds, " When I got a call from Virgin Records for a jugalbandi of the piano and santoor I agreed instantly without even checking out who my accompanying artiste would be."

When he came to know it was the legendary Richard Clayderman, he says he was simply stunned. " I then started working on it, talked to Richard and sent him compositions on CDs and E-mails. Then we met and worked out the finer details. So the album was partly done here and partly in Paris."

" It was a wonderful experience working with talented Rahul, he has a great understanding of music," says Clayderman, internationally considered to be one of the best selling French recording artists and concert performers of all times.

Rahul has other admirers as well. Admirers like tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain, who says, " It was a treat listening to the duo. Not for a moment did one get the feeling that this youngster was playing alongside one of the greatest international masters of the piano."

Not bad going for the young man who, just four years ago, was an accompanying artiste with his father and was extremely comfortable to remain in his shadow. He gave his first performance when he was 24 but in a few years he has become one of the most sought after musicians not only in India but abroad as well.

Be it the gradual unfolding of a raga through alaap or the rich, complex and intricate permutations and combinations of layakari or the soul-string rendition of an emotional folk melody, Rahul does it all with great panache.

Today, the 28-year-old can match his illustrious father string for string. Earlier he just accompanied him to concerts and was one of the many musicians in the background score. Now he can give a stirring jugalbandi with the senior ustad.

His complex unfolding of a raga and intricate rhythmic patterns of the rendition of folk melodies conjure upon the mind's eye the visions of Kashmir---much like the music of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.

Though purists have always expressed reservations about the shortcomings of the santoor, essentially a Kashmiri folk instrument, to adapt itself to the needs of classical music, Rahul says he is determined to popularise it with the younger generation. " I owe it to my father and grandfather."

Indeed, he does. His grandfather Pandit Umadutt Sharma had the vision of establishing the santoor on the concert platform. Shiv Kumar Sharma achieved that ambition. He did for the santoor, what Bismillah Khan did for the shehnai-- increased the melodic range of the instrument to cover three octaves. He also enhanced its strings to 91 and its bridges to 31, making the instrument more expressive of the bhava innate to the ragas.

And that's the legacy that his son has now inherited. Rahul is all set to take this instrument to greater heights in the twenty first century by adding new dimensions to it with his creativity.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma from Jammu, is the man who brought santoor, a Kashmiri folk instrument of Sufiana music, out of the valley and into national and international prominence. Actually the credit also goes to his father Pandit Umadutt Sharma, a music teacher and regular vocalist on the AIR stations of Jammu and Srinagar. Umadutt started training his son in vocals and tabla when the boy was five. But later he initiated Shivkumar into santoor which, he thought, deserved to be brought out of isolation in the valley.Though Umadutt never played the santoor he had done his own studies on the instrument. The father played guru to his son with the hope that he would carry the santoor parampara to the world stage.  Shivkumar started out at the AIR in Jammu and Srinagar

but the reach was limited to the state. The budding star got his first major breakthrough when he performed at the Haridas Sangeeth Sammelan in Mumbai in 1955. Both the artiste and the instrument had arrived on the national scene. Before moving ahead Shivkumar worked to solve the few problems that the santoor had. One was the staccato notes produced by the wooden mallets used to tap the 100-stringed instrument. Another was that the notes could not be elongated. Shivkumar changed the 25 'bridges' of four strings apiece to 33 'bridges'. Up went the number of notes. Gone was the tuning system that repeated basic notes and restricted tune variations to 12. He also used new strings to get a soft, soothing tone and overcame the problem of staccato notes. "In the vocal tradition the meend (continuity) is very important," says Sharma. The sixties saw Sharma's 'new santoor' gain popularity. His career hit a high note with the release of the album 'Call of the Valley' by HMV. "It was a theme based on traditional ragas," he recalls. The album also featured flute virtuoso Hariprasad Chaurasia and Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabra, the man who introduced guitar to Indian classical music. "It is still one of the best selling albums of HMV," he says with pride. Starting with the HMV in 1961, Shivkumar is a sought after name in the music industry. Sharma made his debut in the west in 1968 at a festival of Indian music in the US organised by the sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. Today, thanks to Shiv Kumar, the santoor is a regular feature at music festivals round the world. Sharma, who turned 65 on January 13 2000, is also well known as a composer for Hindi movies including Silsila (with Chaurasia), Chandini, Faasle, Vijay, Lamhe, Sahiba and Darr.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma is a household name in India. His influence has transcended the classical audience and contributed to a greater popularity of Indian classical music. He has single-handedly lifted the santoor, a folk instrument previously found only in the Valley of Kashmir, to full acceptance within the classical repertoire. Shiv Kumar Sharma gave his first public performance in Mumbay (Bombay) in 1955, recorded his first solo album in 1960 and has not looked back since.

The santoor, a trapezoid-shaped instrument of the dulcimer family, has 116 strings, which are hammered with a pair of carved wooden sticks. Its original Sanskrit name was shatatantri vina (lute of a hundred strings). Similar instruments are found throughout Europe, the Middle East, and as far east as China. In Kashmir, santoor accompanied the regional music Sufiana Mausiqi, of Sufi origins.

Shiv Kumar Sharma was born in Jammu, in the state of Kashmir, on January 13, 1938. Training as a vocalist from age 5, followed by further training in percussion on tabla, led to other instruments - the sarod, violin, and harmonium - under the tutelage of his father and guru, Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma. Shiv Kumar took up the santoor at the age of 14, encouraged by his father, who had researched the instrument and recognized its potential as a classical instrument. Shiv Kumar started modifying the santoor to make it more suitable for his individual playing technique. By increasing the number of bridges to get a wider range of octaves and a smoother meend (the gliding action between two musical notes), Shiv Kumar successfully altered the structural configuration of the strings to make intonation more precise, elevating the santoor to an instrument of classical sophistication.

In the past three decades, Shiv Kumar Sharma has established a lineage of disciples, including his son, Rahul, who plays jugalbandi (duet) with his father. Together, father and son are helping to widen the popularity and further enhance the accessibility of this melodious instrument.

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma recently released his memoirs, Journey with a Hundred Strings: My Life in Music, pubished in India.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

Journeying with Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma recently released his memoirs Journey with a Hundred Strings: My Life in Music.  For this, he collaborated with Delhi based cultural activist Ina Puri. The President of India at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in Delhi released the book. Following which it was launched at the ITC grand Maratha Hotel in Mumbai. The evening started with Shubha Mudgal reciting many thumris. Many luminaries from the world of music including Pankhaj Udhas, Naushad, Adnan sami and Jasraj were present. Bakul Patel, Kiron Kher, Manjit Bawa and Smita Thackery also graced the occasion. Dilip Kumar, legendary actor, was the Guest of Honor. Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Sharma's close friend, narrated many interesting anecdotes.

The Pandit has struggled continuously to establish the santoor. The book starts with his youthful days in Jammu and Kashmir, moves on to Mumbai and then speaks about his association with the All India Radio (AIR). It also mentions his tours and his work in films. Interestingly, it chronicles his artistic rivalries too. A simple collection of black and white photos completes this collection.</>

Ina opines that he was trying to make a simple book on his life. The very idea germinated during the Pandit's 60th birthday celebrations. Though many critics were present, Sharma himself felt that he needed to be comfortable with the person he was talking to. Therefore he chooses Ina over the critics to write his memoirs.  Sharma's relationships with other great contemporaries like Zakir Hussain,Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, George Harrison, Lata Mangeshkar and Ravi Shankar are also discussed in this biography which will prove useful for both, the historian as well as the casual reader.

A total frankness seems to pervade throughout the book because of Panditji's initial suffering. Though he attained celebrity status, it was no easy task establishing an unknown instrument like the santoor. To make things worse AIR treated him like a B grade artiste. Of course, he has never held grudges against anyone because of his spiritual nature.  

It took about five years for Ina to write the book. The publishers, Penguin, edited it for a year. To get up close and personal with Sharma, Ina went with him and met his family. He was amazed by their simplicity. They even accepted Ina as a member of the family. He also accompanied Sharma to places like London, Benares and Calcutta for concerts.

The first concerts took place in 1955. Since then the Pandit has continuously been evolving in a spiritual way. There were many uncomfortable moments like the time when he went to play the santoor at Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister's house. As they were unacquainted with the instrument, Panditji walked out.  One chapter in the book also mentions the amazing effect that Panditji's music has on healing cancer patients.

Compiling this biography was no easy task for both Pandit and Ina. His family and friends helped him a great deal in remembering incidents and anecdotes of the past. Besides the book, a CD ROM version is also being planned. The effort seems to have paid off.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

Published: 06/22/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)

"I produce and compose music that makes me happy and if that is able to appeal to someone else then it's a bonus," says Rahul Sharma. Vazhisojan/Gulf News

No strings attached

By Vinita Bharadwaj, Staff writer

The santoor connects musician Rahul Sharma to nature and nothing else. It's a bit unnerving, how attractive Rahul Sharma is. So unnerving that it's difficult to even ask him if he ever wonders whether his looks distract the audience from his music. Sharma plays the santoor (a 100-stringed instrument comparable to the dulcimer) and is busy taking it beyond the realms of classical Indian music. He was in Dubai recently to perform at a charity dinner for Manzil and spoke exclusively to Weekend Review. "It's a bit ironic when you think about how I got into music really," Sharma says. "I only started playing at 13 and it was my elder brother who learnt it as a child, but later moved away from it." They were both initiated by their father, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, who is widely acknowledged as the man responsible for popularising the santoor. "Initially it just sort of started out as playing what my father's students were learning and I was unsure of whether music was my true calling. So I ended up graduating in economics and then debuted alongside my father," he says. The debut, he recalls, just happened. "It was in Norway and wasn't really planned." Happy to be on stage "I was very happy to be on stage, even though I did have a lot of stage fright. What I've realised is that sometimes in life we don't realise what to do until you do it and that's how music was for me." Despite the inevitable and unavoidable pressure associated with being his father's son, Sharma decided he was ready to go solo and did so when he was 23. That didn't mean he parted ways with his father, he clarifies, though he hasn't played with him in two years. "There's a different kind of freedom in solos. But when I perform in India, it's still primarily a very classical dominated theme. The number of solo opportunities has also increased. Initially it was hard to break through because I was new and the way things worked, but I really enjoy what I'm doing and I do like to experiment a lot," he says. Having grown up listening to all sorts of sounds, from the Beatles to modern-day trance, Sharma has already produced and worked on 33 albums. When you take into account his age - 33 - that is quite a portfolio. "They're all with the santoor, some collaborations, some not and they're all produced in Mumbai, which is home," he says. By way of his forays into production, Sharma has acquired a fan following of the younger Indian generation that might not have been too keen on his father's music. "It's not like I'm targeting anyone. I produce and compose music that makes me happy and if that is able to appeal to someone else then it's a bonus," he says. His keenness to experiment led him to compose music for a Hindi film, Mujhse Dosti Karoge (Will You Be My Friend?), which won him commercial success and had the movie industry nodding in approval. However, there hasn't been any follow-up, even though he says there were other offers. "I was offered Hum Tum (Me, You) from the same banner, but I couldn't take it up as I travel a lot. Composing for films takes up a lot of time and I'm not at home long enough to give it the required attention." New-age appeal This New Age appeal in terms of younger listeners has also given way to the formation of a Santoor Fan Club, in which most of the members are on the left side of 35. When I ask him if he's the president of the club, Sharma laughs and says he's not. He says he only keeps track of what they're up to because of the santoor element. "It makes me feel responsible in some way." "It's ethereal and is resplendent of nature," he says after some thought, when asked what the santoor's sound is to him. "When you hear it, you are transported to a valley that is filled with snow-capped peaks and waterfalls." No surprises there when you consider that the instrument is from Kashmir and Sharma's family is also from the state. "Nature is my inspiration. I love the mountains, much more than beaches. And for me the santoor connects me with nature," he says. Content with composing music, Sharma rules out any immediate plans to create a raaga (melodic form of Indian music using some or all seven basic notes). "Somehow, creating a raaga always seemed easier. To me, it's very important to maintain the purity of existing raagas. There is so much in Indian classical music and it's much more challenging to see how well you play and master the raagas," he says.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

  "But words are things, and a small drop of ink
     Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces
      That which makes thousands, perhaps millions,
       Think"

                                                              - Lord Byron (1788-1824)

 

 

For as long as I can remember, there were two things that never ceased to excite my intellect or touch my soul - good music and good writing. Both had the extraordinary ability to transport me to a magical world that became a canvas where I painted the themes, composed the songs of my imagination. Each stroke created as a child coloured the path I finally walked as an adult.

I grew up in a family where my father, a military man, had the passionate soul of a poet and my mother, the creative heart of a musician. She trained in classical music under Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, father and guru of santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. She is a vocalist but also dabbled with the tabla when it was not a woman's domain - it still isn't.  Often, she would compose music to and sing my father's poetic renderings. In addition to their creative pursuits, both my parents are dynamic athletes as well.  My mother and father are two of the most unassuming, honest and dignified people I've known. They bear their sorrows quietly and their triumphs with humility.  They have given generously of their time and money to worthy causes with the same quiet grace.

It was my maternal grandmother who was perhaps the greatest influence in my life during my growing years. She left me the legacy of an undying passion for books, music and the fine arts. She strongly believed that a divine power exists and it directs our course, but it was equally important (especially for a female child in India) that I become fiercely independent and stand for what I believe in. I'm told that I also inherited her temper, but hey that's a small thing compared to what an awesome difference she made to my life. She died suddenly when I was 16 and to this day I miss her.

My paternal grandmother was truly the iron lady. She lost her husband and her only daughter when she was in her thirties. Undaunted, she managed to raise 6 sons single- handedly on meager finances in post-independence India. She lived long enough to see all of them do exceedingly well and got her many hours of fame when her youngest son became the Governor of Punjab. The newspapers carried her picture on the front page.

Growing up in India is an experience in and of itself. I feel sorry for the Indian kids who grow up here and never get to experience the many summer vacations filled with family reunions and incessant hugs. The mischievous gang pranks and scolding grandmothers giving chase. Memories of eating mangoes on sultry summer afternoons or the damp fragrance of red mud after the rain. Sailing boats in muddy little streams dotted with lotus blossoms. Steam emanating from cups of hot tea and roasted peanuts on a wintry December morning.

I wanted to become a veterinarian all throughout my childhood. I would bring wounded stray animals home and nurse them back to health. It was my older brother Parvez, an awesome published author currently in the Indian administrative services, who saw the potential writer in me (or maybe he was just fed up receiving long epistles discussing the dismal state of sports in India !) He insisted that I graduate in liberal arts and think of a career in writing. He then pushed me into meeting the editor of a Times of India publication, but forbade me to tell them he was my brother! They thought the world of him and his writing, but he wanted me to make it on my own steam.

If I have anyone to thank for being perceptive enough to know my true calling, it's my brother. He is my hero in more ways than I can count... one of the most honest people I know, incredibly gifted and kind. Believe it or not, Parvez is also a very humble and honest bureaucrat. (I know, I know- an oxymoron!)

Today, whenever people tell me they are moved by my stories, and they ask "Where did you learn to write like that?", I'm reminded of Lillian Hellman's comment- "If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves."

I did not attend any workshops or graduate in the field of journalism. I believe, quite simply, that to touch the heart of others you must first be touched yourself. There is truth, beauty and inspiration to be found in every story, in every life.  When one writes with honesty, passion, and a sincere belief in the words that come from his/her pen, it elevates all that is mediocre to another dimension.

- Kavita Chhibber

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago