00:00Ma'am, you're making your debut by the most and after being surrounded by some of the most
00:07celebrated musicians in your family, was finding your voice also an act of finding your own
00:12identity within that legacy? Well, it is quite a challenging thing for me because when I recorded
00:21this, it was just for the family and for the posterity of the children that the record will
00:29be there. I am singing because these are the slokas that I have learned in my school days in Kalakshetra,
00:37Rukmini Devi Arundel's famous dance institution, my guru. And these were the prayers we used to do
00:43every morning and every day there was a different prayer. So it has naturally gone into me very deep
00:50and understood the meaning of it. And music and prayers, I think they go hand in hand.
00:57It's so much of feeling, so much of everything. And naturally, I take a backseat with so many
01:05musicians around me in the house. Start with Khan Sahab, then Aman and Ayaan, taken off. Now my
01:11grandchildren, Zohan and Abir, they are also started performing, playing. They are the eighth generation
01:19of an unbroken chain of Sarut playing. So I think I feel very honoured, grateful to God that this has
01:27happened. But it was not planned as it has come out to be today.
01:33And later on, I realised, not only it was song, Khan Sahab also put in his music, Aman and Ayaan
01:40did. So the culmination of the whole thing has turned out to be totally different.
01:45Different, what shall I say, the effect. And the sound, the people who have recorded, the arranger, Savan Datta, Sai
01:57Sravanam.
01:58And they have done a great job, especially Savan, who is a family friend and very attached to me. She
02:07also said that, Aunty, you have to do it. So this is how it carried on.
02:11And, well, here I am, and I only hope people like it. And I am passed in my exam.
02:21What was your reaction when she first recorded? How was that?
02:27You see, our family, we are committed, dedicated to the peace of, peace of the world. And after my marriage
02:38marriage, to Suvalakshmi Barua, at home, she was always in her prayers, chanting, reciting these shlokas. And so children, Aman
02:53and Ayaan especially,
02:54by listening to all the chants, they were very, they tried to learn also. And some of them can recite
03:04Hanuman Chalisa also.
03:08So, the chants, they are committed to the peace and harmony. And why she took so long, it was not
03:19in her control, because Aman, Ayaan, or especially Ayaan,
03:25wanted to preserve all these shlokas, all these chants, what she recites.
03:31So, one day, they took her to the studio, and did not give her time to rehearse or practice.
03:38And they immediately made her sing whatever she knew. And I am sure she has said that she learned in
03:47Kalash Ketra from her guru, Krukmani Arundel.
03:50I was definitely not in my best form, I think. But I did it, for the love of it. And
03:58because my children wanted me to do it. So, you know how it is,
04:02you are in the hands of your children, and very forceful. And they said, you have to do it. So
04:09I'm grateful. I think I did it. I don't know how good it is.
04:12But also, Khansab said, yes, it is a chant, not a music, singing as such. It will be good. I
04:20was very nervous. I'm still very nervous how people are going to take it.
04:25I played Sarod, Aman, Ayaan, we all played Sarod to her voice. And there are another great singers, Pandit Krishnadas
04:35and Nina Rao, and many other scholars and Pandit.
04:40There is a similar album with His Holiness, Dalai Lama. It's called Meditation, where all three of us performed and
04:51collaborated with His Holiness. His life is committed to peace and harmony. And finally, all of us received Grammy Awards.
05:03So this is a historical moment that father and sons receiving the same award, Grammy Award together. And Aman and
05:14yet to receive any Indian awards. I hope every youngster who are in their 40s receive encouragement from our government.
05:26Aman and yet to receive a lot of love may not be awards, but the blessings and love of people,
05:34which is so important in our life. That's the greatest award.
05:40Yes.
05:46But Ustajji did the first record session of Ma'am, make you fall in love with her once again.
05:52Yes, you are right. I never knew.
05:56I am so embarrassed because I have done it, yes, but I don't know what you think about it.
06:02No, no, I am very happy. And because she is not dancing now, but she remains an artist of great...
06:14Well, an artist is always an artist. The art cannot die. It is within you and it will keep growing
06:21till you die. You know, that is the art form is such...
06:26It's like nature. Nature will be there always as long as you are alive and the tree will be always
06:32there as long as it is dead. Art form is like that, I think.
06:37And I don't know, Khan-Sahab will appreciate any way he will say anything good about me, but Janata kya
06:45kehte hai that is more important today for me.
06:48We are very grateful that God has given Aman Ayan in our life and we are most grateful to God
06:55that Subhu Lakshmi Barua, she is in our life.
06:59We can't do without her and we all depend on her as she is so stressed because she takes care
07:09of everything right from kitchen to the terrace.
07:14And I hope she has 100 years to live in the world.
07:17My God, Khan-Sahab is very, very, you know, generous with his compliments.
07:22We all love her and we all depend on her.
07:27No, no, that is not true.
07:31No, that's the encouragement that Khan-Sahab has done.
07:35You know, always everything is good. Aman Ayan.
07:38We are very lucky to have children like Aman and Ayan.
07:41They have really taken so much care and they still take care.
07:45We only hope that, you know, they are successful, loved by people in their own lives.
07:52We have many more disciples all over the world.
07:55They are living on music, they are successful and they are performing.
08:01So my next question to both of you is that, you know, the chance of unity, it's on chance of
08:06unity.
08:07Can music truly unite people or does it merely remind us that we were never as different as we imagined?
08:14You see, music has connected the world.
08:19Music is a precious gift of God.
08:21Music does not belong to any religion like flowers, air, water, fire, fragrance, colors.
08:29So, unfortunately, language creates barriers.
08:33It is my appeal to all the schools that they must begin the assembly with Sare Gama Padhani.
08:41These seven musical notes are connected with all the cells of your mind.
08:49And instead of imposing lots of language, lots of songs on the children, I think the school should begin with
08:59the Sare Gama Padhani.
09:01And another appeal to the schools and the parents of the child, that I hope every child becomes Rehemdil, kind,
09:14compassionate, and every child should respect all religions of the world.
09:20This is very important because there is no period or no subject in the school to tell the children.
09:28But I would like my children and all the children of the world, they must respect all the religions of
09:37the world.
09:38Now, what about you?
09:39Well, when you go to a concert, I'll give you a very simple example.
09:44I can't talk like Khan Sahib, but a very simple example I give.
09:49When people go to a music concert, there are hundreds of people sitting together.
09:54Nobody talks about religion.
09:56Nobody talks about anything.
09:58It is the music who speaks by itself.
10:01Nobody is asking that.
10:02That means music is above all and our cultural heritage is so strong and which binds people together.
10:11The language, then the religion, caste, creed, they take a secondary place altogether.
10:18I would say that it is best, great, not best, it is great to be a good human being first
10:24and rest will follow.
10:27We need more compassionate people in the world and we need kind people.
10:34And I hope every youngster achieve his goal of life.
10:42I wish all the youngsters of the world to achieve their manzil, their goal of life.
10:50Also, ma'am, you know, there's something vulnerable about putting your own voice into the world.
10:56And what part of yourself did you discover through this album or through this whole process?
11:03Well, I have yet to discover what I am.
11:05But because first time I'm coming with a vocal, this thing, I don't know how people will take it.
11:12That depends upon that.
11:13I did my job because for the children mainly, but then they have given a very formal form to the
11:21whole, the chant record, the album.
11:26And it all depends how people take it because I have done it with utmost sincerity and love for music
11:33and whatever I have learned.
11:35It reminded me of my school days, how I learned coming from Assam, being an Assamese, from a family who
11:43loved music, culture, everything.
11:45And that was just an extension when I went to Kalakshetra.
11:49So I think it's a complete life and then marrying Amjad Ali Khan, having the children.
11:55Now my grandchildren are the eighth generation of an unbroken chain of Sarut playing.
12:00And I only pray to God that they continue and get the love and the blessings of people.
12:05Our life is committed to peace and harmony and seeing the world intolerant.
12:18We feel very sad to hear Russia, Ukraine, America and Iran.
12:27So we are all the time praying for the world peace.
12:30I hope our younger generation, they always have peace and harmony in their life.
12:37They never see war or any conflict in the world.
12:42Our humble prayers, as they say it, through this chant for the world peace will have, if not wave, definitely
12:52some ripple in lives of people.
12:55Thank you so much.
12:57Sir, I have a question.
13:00Sorry.
13:01Ustajji, how has your relationship with the Sarut changed as you have grown older?
13:07Is there something you understand about the instrument now, which the younger Amjad Ali Khan did not know about or
13:15did not understand?
13:19I have my younger day Sarut in my museum in Gualia, where I was born.
13:27Our ancestral home has been converted into a museum.
13:30It's called Sarut Ghar.
13:31All the instruments of my forefathers and other great masters of India.
13:36It's all there.
13:40So according to…
13:40Kindly donated.
13:41A lot of great musicians have donated their instruments.
13:45Great musicians, they have donated their instruments.
13:47And every Sarut player, they gave their best.
13:54And every Sarut player has a different desire, different kind of sound.
14:00My father's Sarut was a different sound.
14:04And Anaman sounds different.
14:08Ayan sounds different.
14:09And my sound, finally, by the grace of God, I…
14:15I don't play Sarut.
14:16I sing through my instrument.
14:19The singing is most important to bring out…
14:39So every Sarut player has a different mission, every Sarut player.
14:44And I am very happy that today there are about 500 Sarut players all over the world.
14:49So the future of Sarut is very bright in every field, whether sitar, tabla, gana, dance.
14:58There are amazing youngsters.
15:00I am so proud of them.
15:01What are your plans?
15:06Well, the best way, I think, to celebrate a birthday through…
15:11Oh, sorry.
15:12The best way to celebrate a birthday, I think, nothing better than music.
15:17And fortunately, tomorrow, there is a function where Aman and Ayan will be performing.
15:22And that will be a tribute to their father also.
15:25Usually, we do have a lot of things happening, students coming in.
15:29But this year, we thought we'll go a little slow.
15:32Yeah.
15:33You see, the birthday is more enjoyable of our children.
15:41When you are 10 years old, 12 years old, the birthday has a lot of meaning.
15:47But at our age, I think we want to be quiet and be low.
15:54And only the family dinner is most important.
15:59That's what I always need.
16:01I like to be pampered by my children on my birthday.
16:05Khan Sahib is very, very holy type.
16:07It is not that.
16:08But I enjoy my children's company.
16:10The fast they make you around.
16:12It's lovely, I think.
16:14Yeah.
16:14Love of the family members.
16:15It's matter.
16:17Blessings of the people on my birthday means a lot.
16:24It's a very sad thing that has happened today.
16:26That is, Nana Ji passed away.
16:28And he's had this whole four decades long journey in cinema.
16:31I'm sure you must have crossed paths somewhere.
16:33So how would you pay your tribute if you have some memories?
16:36We are very sad to hear legendary Nana Patikal Ji's passing away.
16:43He was a great artist and we are all great admirers of his work.
16:48And I had the honor of meeting him only once.
16:52And I still remember.
16:54I have seen many of his films.
16:56I don't think anybody can replace him.
17:00He was a great actor.
17:02Whatever actor.
17:02It's a great loss of the film industry.
17:06He will always be remembered.
17:08Would you like to say something?
17:10Well, I have been a great admirer of his and I haven't met him.
17:14I'm not fortunate enough like you.
17:17But his acting capacity.
17:19I mean, I'm nobody to judge.
17:21But that style only he could do.
17:24Nana Patikar was Nana Patikar.
17:26That's all you've said.
17:27He will always live in our heart and mind.
17:31And through his films, he'll always be remembered.
17:48Thank you so much.
17:50Namaskar.
17:51So what we're seeing here.
17:51Well, you can do that.
