MyVoice: Views of our readers 18th December 2024

Ustad Zakir Hussain an immortal maestro

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain is in a league of his own. He was a percussionist par excellence. He did magic with humble hand drums and his rhythms fused with melody enthralled audiences across India and around the world. As ducks take to water, he took to music. “Felicity” is one word without which he cannot be thought of. “Dexterity” is another word. He learnt how to play the percussion instrument from his father Ustad Alla Rakha at the age of 7. As an accomplished musician, Zakir Hussain trans-cended genres and crafted (and conjured up) beats with his “dancing fingers”. His virtuoso perfor-mances transported us to a world of pure joy. His riveting music has that indefinable something that makes it sublime (and ‘divine’ in its true, uncorrupted sense). In collaboration with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin, he formed Shakti, a band that took the world by storm by a trail-blazing blend of Indian classical music with the Western jazz music. Zakir Hussain personified the blend of brilliance and humili-ty – brilliant as a musician and humble as a man despite being clad in fame and flamboyance. He ex-emplified India’s composite culture at its best and always put humanity above everything else. It is un-fathomable that a musician who gave his whole being to music and brought so much joy in our lives suffered from fibrosis affecting air sacs in the lungs. The line on the screen before the start of each film in the ongoing International Film Festival of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram, where we made his audiences on a few occasions, “Zakir Hussain’s rhythms echo in our hearts” is a fitting tribute to the immortal maestro.

G.David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

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Zakir Hussain, a world tabala artist breathed his last on Monday at California in America. It is reported that he had been suffering from lung disease for the last few years. Zakir who started his music jour-ney at the age of 3 and began to give concerts at age of 11. His first guru was his father. He was known for fusing music which combined Hindustani and Western music with Jaaz. He was popular by reaching every house hold through his add for Tajmahal tea. His death has created void in the music world. He transcend countries, caste and religion with his music. He could be in the minds of people as long as music lives.

Pratapa Reddy Yaramala, Tiruvuru, AP

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The passing away of Ustad Zakir Hussain, the globally revered tabla virtuoso on December 16 at a hos-pital in San Francisco, is an irreparable loss to the field of world music. Known for his amazing finger-work and rhythmic brilliance, he brought the tabla to a global stage, collaborating with some of the world’s finest musicians. His gargantuan contribution to music was recognised with Padma Shri awards and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. On the global stage, he was a four-time Grammy award win-ner. His unparalleled skills earned him the reputation of a “fearsome technician” and a “whimsical in-ventor”. Beyond his musical prowess, his life was a testament to the power of dedication, passion, and cultural exchange. His influence extended beyond the concert stage, as he mentored countless young musicians and left an indelible mark on the world of music education. His collaborations spanned vari-ous genres, from traditional Indian classical music to jazz, rock, and film scores, making him a true am-bassador of global musical harmony. As fans, fellow musicians and admirers around the world mourn his loss, his legacy remains a lasting symbol of the power of music to transcend borders and unite peo-ple across cultures. In his career spanning six decades, he worked with several renowned international and Indian artistes, but it was his 1973 musical project with the English guitarist John McLaughlin, violin-ist L. Shankar, and percussionist T.H. ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram that brought together Indian classical with el-ements of jazz in a fusion hitherto unknown.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai

Debate on constitution lacked depth

The debate on the constitution in the parliament has disappointed many, due to lack of depth. The good thing is that both rival groups have expressed their reverence towards that sacred document. The leader of the House called it the unifier of country, the leader of the opposition recognised its pri-macy. But the bad thing is that both couldn’t raise above their own political interests to find a common ground to spread the philosophy of the constitution. They squandered the precious time to prove the other side destroyers of its values with the help of selective examples. Had the opportunity been used to discuss the new challenges to intended goals, be it social, economical or political in the backdrop of changed world, it could have shed some light on policy making. The ultimate purpose of spreading constitutionalism among people could have been served. It’s a wasted opportunity, thanks to the con-ventional thinking of parties.

Dr DVG Sankara Rao, Vizianagaram,AP