This question in reality relates to the development of sitar playing techniques through
an evolutionary process of tant ang to gayaki ang.
I had the good fortune of listening to many well-known sitar players broadcasting
through All India Radio. Between mid 1935 onwards upto mid 1940s, I had the good
fortune of listening to the following.
Lahore radio
1) Ustad Siraj Ahmed Qureshi
2) Ustad Mohammed Poochhwale
Delhi radio
3) Ustad Haider Hussain Chughtai
Lucknow radio
4) Ustad Yusuf Ali Khan
5) Ustad Ilyas Khan
Dhaka radio
6) Ustad Waliulla
Kolkata radio
7) Several disciples of Ustad Enayat Khan, some of the names are Sailen
Dasgupta, Renuka Saha, Jiten Mohan Sen (Surbahar),John Gomes etc.(about 10-15)
Practically all these great masters were playing through plucked bols dar da – dar da
– etc. even in Alap the gat portion was essentially based on rhythmic patterns of tabla.
Frankly I was too young to identify whether jhala portion was included in the recital.
However some of the students of Ustad Enayet Khan had started the practice of
playing on melodic line (instead of rhythm based execution), which Ustad Imdad Khan
and Ustad Enayet Khan already popularised.
It was in 1950 onwards that I could listen to Pt. Ravi Shankar ji when I felt that a new
pattern / path seems to have evolved fully i.e. through the entire process of alap, jod,
gat and jhala. Subsequently, I had the good fortune of listening to Ustad Vilayat Khan
from Delhi radio when intuitively I felt that “here is my Ustad” – “my Guru”.
To respond to the specific question “what is my impression of their performance style?
How was it significantly different from today’s sitar music?”
Here we can divide the journey of sitar style into 3 sections.
1) Purely based on plucked bols which I have already described. Apart from a
minor glimpse into the “matter” of music, I felt that it was based purely on bols based
on rhythms i.e. focused on the how or manner of playing. Thus the “matter” of music
was still to develop.
2) 1950 onwards, as mentioned earlier, the style of sitar playing especially in
Bengal (Kolkata) reflected a midway, as Ustad Imdad Khan and Ustad Enayet Khan
had already sown the seeds of gayaki ang in the techniques of sitar. However, the
scope for improvisation, it appears, was limited as a fair portion of all the sections of
sitar recitals was substantially pre-composed. All Kolkata players I heard had very
impressive stylistic structure which was highly effective both musical and entertaining.
It was noted that – especially in respect of Ustad Enayet Khan Saheb’s students, that
there was a tendency to shift slightly away from Dhrupad rendering, with the
introduction of Khyal elements – an important change.
3) Presently, the art of sitar playing has undergone deep and focused
technological advances. Though in the seminar held in the past on Gharana’s of Sitar,
of the seven Gharanas that were represented – two of them made prominent and
significant presentations. Those were our Gharana and Maihar Gharana. Other five
Gharanas viz. Dharwad Gharana, Indore Gharana, Lucknow-Shahjahanpur Gharana,
Vishnupur Gharana, Senia Gharana made presentations but it was difficult to note any
specialisation, projecting individual distinguishable styles.
As has been well said, today sitar is a complete instrument through which finest
shades of emotions can be expressed. Individual recitals are able to match the
grandeur of vocal music perhaps attracting greater interest of common people as
compared. To conclude, we can mention that the stylistic change that occurred over
2 /3 centuries was from a rudimentary musical execution, to-day the sitar has musically
achieved a very dignified status in the music scenario not only in India but worldwide
Q72
Namaste Guruji. You have, on many occasions mentioned the names of some famous
sitar players that you used to hear from various Radio stations in your younger days.
It would be great to know your impression of their performance style. Whether/ how it
was significantly different from today's sitar music? Many thanks in advance. Warmest
regards