KOCHI: “Anyone can be a musician but only few can be an artist. An artist is the one who can produce and create music,” says Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya, the santoor maestro who was in the city on Sunday to perform at JT Pac. When we say ‘the santoor maestro’, this softspoken man clarifies that he is a player of Shatatantri Veena (100 stringed instrument). “Santoor is a name derived from Persia but the name that is mentioned in our vedas is the shatatantri veena and I would like to call it by that name,” says Pt Tarunji who was the first ever musician to show that one could ‘meend’ or glide notes at the lower octave in a hammered instrument like Santoor. And thus he revolutionised the santoor altogether since then. He was initiated into the world of music at the age of four and his first guru was his own father Pt Robi Bhattacharya, “At that age I used to hide under the bed when guruji would come to teach me but later on I grew to love the santoor for its sweet sound,” reminisces Tarun ji about his childhood. The maestro who has come to Kerala twice earlier, enthralled the audience with his classical numbers starting with Raga Rajeshwari, going on to the semi-classical and ending with Bhatiyali. Explaining the difference between each of them, the maestro who hails from Kolkata says, “Raga Rajeshwari raga is my favourite as it is extremely soft and romantic. And the raga feels especially wonderful on the santoor. It soothes the mind. Raag bahari is a hill side melody whereas Bhatiyali is the Bengali folk music sung by the fisher folks.” Pandit ji who is also the Rotary International’s Global Ambassador for Peace & Goodwill says that his wish is to promote this classical art form worldwide. “Classical music has its own power to make a man good. There is a positive energy that flows into you. Be it on the player or the listener. And to make it more global, awareness should be brought. Only when people get the chance to listen to it will have the interest to learn. I would suggest that all our traditional music be introduced at school level itself,” says Tarun Bhattacharya who has opened up a unique institution Santoor Ashram a traditional ‘Gurukul’ in a village near Kolkata. Where there are many channels which promote western and bollywood music, there are no channels dedicated to classical, adds this doyen.Maestro Tarun Bhattacharya is also the inventor of ‘mankas’ or fine tuners that help in the tuning of this 100 stringed instrument fast, with a long lasting effect and a very high degree of accuracy. “Tuning this instrument is very difficult. And I try to experiment a lot to create and perform Indian music in its purest form,” says Pt Tarun ji whose ‘Nomad Christmas’ was nominated for the Grammy Awards in 1997. His improvisations on the shape and string arrangements have resulted in deeper and more classical sound for the santoor and he has come to be recognised in the world for his wizardry in Ragdari, as well as, Layakari (mathematical calculations) and plays music that touches the inner soul. He says that music has no language and that is why it is enjoyed by people everywhere. “Once in US, a lady started crying after the show got over. When I asked her what happened, she said she found great happiness and felt at peace after listening to the composition,” says Tarun ji who has traversed the globe and has performed at venues like Royal Albert Hall, Palace-de-beaux (Brussels), Theatre- De-La-Viile (France), Apollo Theatre (Spain), Jubilee Auditorium (Canada) and Kremlin (Russia). He is one of the few contemporary classical musicians who has reached out to connoisseurs and the general public as he has been to able to adapt to the changing times. Maestro Bhattacharya ji has released over 100 CDs and cassettes and is planning to a project with Ignat Karma Lito, keyboard player showing the public how easily the western and Indian instrument could be blend and produce a heart rendering musical. He has also those rare experiences of learning music from Pt Ravi Shankar. He tells, “From him the everlasting thing that I learnt was humbleness. And a good artist is the one who is a soft and down-to-earth person. Only then your music will reach the people.” signs off Pt Tarun Bhattacharya.
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