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The Sitar is a perfect symbol of the genius of Indian culture which has integrated may traditions into a unity during its long evolution.

The earlier indigenous prototype of this plucked string instrument was modified to its present form in the thirteenth century by that aristocrat, Amir Khusru, who hailed from Persia but adopted India as his homeland just like the Moghuls did a little later. As in architecture and painting, in music too there was a fine synthesis of Indian and Persian traditions and in the development of the sitar’s tradition, a long line of Hindu and Muslim maestros has made unified contribution. Today of all the Indian instruments, the sitar seems to be the most well-known in Europe and America.

Supple in its expressive capacities, the instrument has enabled a wide spectrum of stylistic approaches to develop. There is also a bigger array of relatively younger talents in the case of the sitar than in the case of other stringed instruments like the sarangi and the sarod.

Nikhil Banerje (B. 1931), who has just entered his forties, is one of the most distinguished sitarists of the younger group. He started his musical training very early, at the feet of his father, the late Jitendra Nath Banerjee, and was something of a child prodigy, for he won the highest honor in an All Bengal Sitar Competition at the age of nine. Later he was introduced by the distinguished musician Kumar Birendra Roy Chowdhury of Gauripur to Ustad Alauddin Khan of Maihar, the doyen of north Indian instrumental music, under whom he had an intensive training. Subsequently he became a disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the sarodist of international fame.

As the member of an Indian Cultural Delegation, Nikhil Banerjee has played before appreciative audiences all over Europe.

THE MUSIC

Raga Soheni: Soheni is a late night melody which has auspicious traditional associations. Its original name might have been Sobhani and the benedictory sont (Mangal-ashtaka) sung during marriages among Maharashtrians is in this Raga. It is sung in several variant forms, the descent using six notes, dropping Pa, and the ascent using either six or five notes, dropping Ri or both Ri and Pa. In the most popular form, both Ma and Dha are Tivra. Other North Indian Ragas showing affinities with Soheni are Marwa, Pooria and Hindol.

Raga Megh: Megh belongs to the Kafi That and is five note mode which drops Ga and Dha. Notes used are Tivra Ri, Suddha Ma and both Komal and Tivra Ni. A beautiful Raga, it is also difficult one for it is very similar to Brindavani Saranga and Madhumad Saranga and sensitiveness and judgement are required to maintain the identity.

Artists: 

Nikhil Banerjee (Sitar)