<p>One of the celebrated torchbearers of Indian classical music, Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya has brought a new dimension to the playing style of santoor by creating musical patterns that are unprecedented. He is also the inventor of mankas, the fine-tuners that help tune the 100-stringed instrument to a high degree of accuracy. Excerpts from an interview with the maestro...<br /><br />How did you come by santoor? Why do you prefer to call it shata-tantri veena?<br /><br />I grew up playing the organ, sitar, guitar, tabla and the piano as my father, Rabi Bhattacharya — he also played the sitar — ran a music school in our Howrah <br />residence. I wasn’t serious about music at all. He pushed me to pursue it. It was 15 years before I decided to learn the santoor, under the guidance of Dulal Roy. <br />"The word ‘santoor’ is of Middle-Eastern origin, whereas the word shata-tantri veena can be found in the Vedas. So why not use the original name?<br /><br />Is it true that you were the only approved disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar who played the santoor? Please share the experience.<br /><br />Indeed. It was a lovely experience. Raviji was my guru and will continue to be so. There is a difference between a teacher and a guru. A guru is someone who also moulds your character apart from teaching music. I’ve learnt so much from Raviji. I used to stay with him in Varanasi. I also visited him in Mumbai and the US. It’s important to maintain the guru-shishya bond. Only then can one learn music.<br /><br />Do you think Bollywood music eclipses classical music? <br /><br />Yes, partly. Well, I am a positive musician, and I strongly believe in the art of presentation. I think we should be a bit more careful presenting ourselves in front of an audience. When I play at college fests, I modify my style. When I perform a Bollywood tune, I play some ragas related to that tune. And I have seen it work. It’s about making the style of music a bit more appealing to youngsters. When I play to a much older <br />audience, my performance becomes more raga-oriented, more grammatical. <br /><br />How important is music for growth?<br /><br />This is what I tell everyone: be musical, if you cannot be a musician. Music helps everyone overcome stress. You can meditate using music. My music is used in German mental asylums to treat people. Try listening to Pandit Ravi Shankar after a good night’s sleep and go to bed listening to Ustaad Bismillah Khan.<br /><br />You have performed at many lovely venues across the world. Please share a few memorable experiences.<br /><br />On my first ever tour, in Canada, 3 of us played a small piece as instructed by Raviji. When it ended, the 2,000-odd viewers stood up, as if to leave. <br /><br />As newcomers, we thought they were unimpressed. So we packed our instruments and left! Later, the manager said that we had performed extremely well and the audience standing up was a standing ovation! Back home, after I performed in Santiniketan, the audience applauded by chanting ‘Sadhu, sadhu.’ At the end of a performance in Varanasi, the 2,500-odd people began chanting ‘Har Har Mahadev’ in unison; it was a spine-chilling response.<br /><br />Why aren’t you scoring for films?<br /><br />I have done background scores for many Bengali films. But the reason I’m not scoring for any Hindi movies is the lack of good projects.<br /><br />Looking at the number of awards you have received from the government, do you think you have been overlooked?<br /><br />Yes. And I’m disappointed. But I’ll continue to play and learn music till my last breath.<br /><br /></p>
<p>One of the celebrated torchbearers of Indian classical music, Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya has brought a new dimension to the playing style of santoor by creating musical patterns that are unprecedented. He is also the inventor of mankas, the fine-tuners that help tune the 100-stringed instrument to a high degree of accuracy. Excerpts from an interview with the maestro...<br /><br />How did you come by santoor? Why do you prefer to call it shata-tantri veena?<br /><br />I grew up playing the organ, sitar, guitar, tabla and the piano as my father, Rabi Bhattacharya — he also played the sitar — ran a music school in our Howrah <br />residence. I wasn’t serious about music at all. He pushed me to pursue it. It was 15 years before I decided to learn the santoor, under the guidance of Dulal Roy. <br />"The word ‘santoor’ is of Middle-Eastern origin, whereas the word shata-tantri veena can be found in the Vedas. So why not use the original name?<br /><br />Is it true that you were the only approved disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar who played the santoor? Please share the experience.<br /><br />Indeed. It was a lovely experience. Raviji was my guru and will continue to be so. There is a difference between a teacher and a guru. A guru is someone who also moulds your character apart from teaching music. I’ve learnt so much from Raviji. I used to stay with him in Varanasi. I also visited him in Mumbai and the US. It’s important to maintain the guru-shishya bond. Only then can one learn music.<br /><br />Do you think Bollywood music eclipses classical music? <br /><br />Yes, partly. Well, I am a positive musician, and I strongly believe in the art of presentation. I think we should be a bit more careful presenting ourselves in front of an audience. When I play at college fests, I modify my style. When I perform a Bollywood tune, I play some ragas related to that tune. And I have seen it work. It’s about making the style of music a bit more appealing to youngsters. When I play to a much older <br />audience, my performance becomes more raga-oriented, more grammatical. <br /><br />How important is music for growth?<br /><br />This is what I tell everyone: be musical, if you cannot be a musician. Music helps everyone overcome stress. You can meditate using music. My music is used in German mental asylums to treat people. Try listening to Pandit Ravi Shankar after a good night’s sleep and go to bed listening to Ustaad Bismillah Khan.<br /><br />You have performed at many lovely venues across the world. Please share a few memorable experiences.<br /><br />On my first ever tour, in Canada, 3 of us played a small piece as instructed by Raviji. When it ended, the 2,000-odd viewers stood up, as if to leave. <br /><br />As newcomers, we thought they were unimpressed. So we packed our instruments and left! Later, the manager said that we had performed extremely well and the audience standing up was a standing ovation! Back home, after I performed in Santiniketan, the audience applauded by chanting ‘Sadhu, sadhu.’ At the end of a performance in Varanasi, the 2,500-odd people began chanting ‘Har Har Mahadev’ in unison; it was a spine-chilling response.<br /><br />Why aren’t you scoring for films?<br /><br />I have done background scores for many Bengali films. But the reason I’m not scoring for any Hindi movies is the lack of good projects.<br /><br />Looking at the number of awards you have received from the government, do you think you have been overlooked?<br /><br />Yes. And I’m disappointed. But I’ll continue to play and learn music till my last breath.<br /><br /></p>
