Different

On Saturday, Republic Day was celebrated at the Kala Academy, Goa with a Jugalbandi of Tabla, Djembe and Sarangi. The program was organised by the Samraat Club Panaji and Rotary Club of Panaji under the Horizon series of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

The artists included Tabla Maestro, Ustad Wasi Ahmed Khan, his talented sons, Faraz Khan (tabla) and Wajid Khan (djembe) along with Arish Faisal on the Sarangi. After an engaging jugalbandi, the Ustad performed a unique presentation on national integration.   

Ustad Wasi Ahmed Khan played the tabla in different ways to create different beats from different parts of India. He transformed the tabla into different percussion instruments from different parts of the country. The instrument was the same but the sounds made it seem different.

Our ethnic identity arises mostly from the nurturing we receive and the cultural ambience of the place we reside in. We notice that we are different from others. But when we open ourselves to align to intricacies of other identities, we discover that we have a capacity to be similar.

This capacity to be analogous is inherent to the reality that we are the same species. Never mind the diversity of different appearance, habits or beliefs, we are eventually just Homo Sapiens. Despite the difference, we can create similar sounds of humanism!

We must learn to connect as human beings like the amazing musicians connect with music from across the diverse spectrum. Difference styles and different approaches coming from diverse cultures will not (and should not) prevent us from noticing the common reality!

Heed the sounds that are different to hear

Not just tool, for the player music is dear!

~ Pravin K Sabnis