Eight year old Meera Gandhi, a resident of South Florida, has been impressing music lovers with her skills at playing the Santoor instrument. She recently played at public music events such as the Independence Day celebrations and APAI presentation of a Mohan Veena concert by Grammy award winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
A traditional instrument from Jammu and Kashmir, the Santoor is made of walnut wood and has twenty-five bridges on it, with four strings on each bridge, making for a total of 100 strings. The instrument has therefore been referred to as the “Shatha-tantri veena” in ancient Sanskrit texts.
Meera has been taking online lessons along with her father from Sri. Kunal Saha (disciple of Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya) based in Kolkatta, India. Her confidence in playing the 100 string instrument was proof that online music lessons combined with dedication from both, the teacher as well as the student can be effective in nurturing musical talent. Aspiring to be a high-caliber Santoor player and a pediatric dentist in life, it will be no surprise if Meera succeeds in achieving her dreams given her talent and determination.

To watch her short performance, please visit deshvidesh.com/meeragandhi

About Suchita Rao

Shuchita Rao is a Coral Springs, Florida based award-winning Hindustani vocalist, published author, art critic and a sought-after music educator.

For more information, visit www.shuchitarao.com

After 90 minutes of playing raga “Puriya Dhanashree,” Pandit Bhatt sang and played a popular song in the Urdu language “Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo” on his instrument and also educated concert attendees on several important features of Hindustani raga music and rhythm cycles.
“We have not rehearsed what we are presenting to you today. It is spontaneous improvisation!” said Pandit Bhatt. The audience repeated phrases of Raga Yaman after him and recited sixteen beat cycle teentaal accompanied by hand movements.

Padma Bhushan Pandit VM Bhatt, trained by the legendary sitar player, Bharat Ratna, the late Pandit Ravi Shankar is popular all over the world and especially recognized for the manner with which he establishes a warm connection with his audiences. Pandit Subhen Chatterjee, disciple of Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, is a percussionist who is equally adept at playing solo tabla, accompanying vocal as well as instrumental artists. He recently earned a spot in the Guiness Book of World Records for his live performance in a 60-minute composition with over 300 musicians playing over 350 musical instruments.

Together, the artist duo engaged 80 listeners with an engaging question-and-answer session towards the end of the concert. Pandit Bhatt told the story of how during his teens, he adapted the Western guitar to create the Mohan Veena instrument with 20 strings. He used a small, steel metal door hinge to produce a gliding sound effect known as “meend” which is very important in Indian music. He also recounted a collaboration with Western slide guitarist Ry Cooder in an album titled A Meeting by the River which went on to win a Grammy award in 1993. “The entire credit for the awards I have won in my life and the musical performances in 82 countries goes to this little steel rod,” said Pandit Bhatt with a smile, evoking laughter from a room full of listener

APAI executive committee president, Smt. Bharti, and her husband Dr. Deenbandhu Chokshi, as well as multiple supporting sponsors and a team of dedicated APAI volunteers deserve kudos for organizing a truly memorable Hindustani music concert that brought together not only music of the finest caliber, but also storytelling and gentle humor that created a warm bond between the artist and the audience

Contributed by Suchita Rao

About Suchita Rao

Shuchita Rao is a Coral Springs, Florida based award-winning Hindustani vocalist, published author, art critic and a sought-after music educator.

For more information, visit www.shuchitarao.com