The Sixth String of Vilayat Khan, Namita Devidayal

The sixth string of Vilayat Khan

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Devidayal is a pleasure to read and her reverence for art and the artist makes the reading and the portrayal of the subject a pleasure. Weaving past into a visual storytelling is her strength and keeps you hooked to the book. This was her third book for me and I look fwd to more. 

After her first book the world of music once again reopened for me. The musical anecdotes and visuals floated in my mind - the ghazal singer Naseeruddin shah in Sarfarosh and the scene of recording by Aamir’s uncle from a kings court, or the recent web series called ‘Bandish Bandits’ that shows a gharana and the tough riyaaz and rituals to get to the roots of real and soul nurturing music. 

<Vilayat Khan with his father> 

The books takes you into the musical world and the quirks of musician. The patrons of art and how they keep these arts alive. Can we do more. Music is the elixir of life and we need to keep it alive. 

I realized that as a patron even All India radio had such a big role in preserving and promoting Indian classic music. In times when it was believed that microphone, gramophones would snatch away their voices they brought in the change and took the richness of our music to the people on the streets. 

Another patron was one of the regular mentions in the book - Shriram Shankar Lal , the big sponsors and patrons of art. In whose name the music festival happens. Life does come a full circle. On digging deeper I realised this is the same Lala Sri ram who set up the college I did my graduation from - Sriram College of Commerce. By various degrees of separation I felt connected to Vilayat Khan although I am far from music, philanthropy or education business. 

<Vilayat Khan’s father and the mother who played a big role in making him a musician after his fathers death> 

I take so much from the book - the competitive dynamics between Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan, the father son and brother relationship, the art and its traditions and of course Vilayat Khan’s music which I would listen to more! Some wonderful lines, pictures and notes from the book: https://www.goodreads.com/notes/42686678-the-sixth-string-of-vilayat-khan/2327087-neha

A lion and a tiger cannot be in the same room.

A powerful statement and possibly every super hero story. No one is unnecessarily evil, people are just trapped in power games. 

My journey into his life is also an attempt to understand that abiding paradox: how anarchy can coexist with harmony.

Someone close to him once said: ‘Woh toh galti se sach bolte hain.’ He speaks the truth by mistake.

Extreme deprivation and formidable talent can be a combustible combination.