SURINDER KAUR-THE NIGHTINGALE OF PUNJAB

THE NIGHTINGALE OF PUNJAB SINGS NO MORE...

by M.IQBAL,COCHIN

The music lovers of the nation had to listen with immense grief the deparature of Surinder Kaur. The nightingale sings no more…
She had succumbed to death at New Jersey Hospital, United Stated, on the late night of the 14th June. She was admitted to New Jersey Hospital on 3rd May. She had to fight out incessant breakdowns of various complications and ailments and had been in long drawn comma. On 22nd December, 2005, she had suffered heart attack and was admitted to the General Hospital, Panch Kula of Punjab. After that she had gone to New Delhi to receive her Padma Sree Award.
The admirers in India was totally misfortune to see their icon had lost her life in an alien country and her body was not carried to here.
She is survived by three daughters. The eldest being Dolly Guleria, the celebrated singer who had performed so far along with her mother, following her footprints. The other two daughters, Nandini Shah and Pramodini Juggi are in New Jersey, who were looking after their mother while she was ailing in the hospital. Husband of Surinder Kaur was late
Pro:Joginder Singh Sodhi, who was a prolific writer and who was instrumental in providing all sorts of support as to reach the career of his wife to the zenith of success.
Surinder Kaur was born in Lahore to a conservative sikh family on 25th November 1929. At first her parents were reluctant in agreeing to their child to go for singing since it was taboo for a sikh girl to chose singing to be her career . But the brothers who had identified a real talent in her while she was 12year-old, did lend her support
However, as the initial objection of the parents began to fade away, they sent their child to Ustad Inayat Khan, the nephew of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Later she had her studies of music under Nizar Hussein and Pt. Mani Prasad.
It was on 31st August, 1943, the 14 year-old Surinder Kaur had her first performance when her song was broadcast over Lahore Radio. The song obtained mass appeal.
Her elder sister, Prakash Kaur, in the mean time got married. And her husband did encourage her for music. It is to be highlighted the singing bondage of these two sisters, whose duets appeared in perfect unision and appeal. It was in 1943, the Kaur sisters had recorded their first song, “maawan te teeyan ral baithiyaan”, which has not left it’s freshness as yet.
It was after partition their family had moved to Ghaziabad and she was married to Pro:Joginder Singh Sodhi. He was a man of letters. He was proud of his wife and made acquainted his wife with the literary doyens like Amrita Preetam, Shivkumar Batlavi,Pro:Mohan Singh and Nandlal Noorpuri.
It was Ghulam Haider, the great music director, who had introduced Surinder Kaur to the filmdom. Let us not forget Ghulam Haider had likewise introduced Lata Mangeshkara and Kamal Barot as singers to the masses. Surinder Kaur had a powerful, though short, role to act against Di li Kumar in ‘Shaheed’ in the year 1948. Under the baton of Ghulam Haider, Surinder Kaur sang three songs, “badnaam na ho jaaye mohobat ka fasaana”, “aanaa hai tho aajaao” and “thaqdeer ki aandhi…hum kahaan aur thum kahaan”.In the same year she had sung for two films. She sang for “nadiyaa ke paar” (1948) “akhiyaa milaake akhiyaa, rove din rathiyaa”. C. Ramchandra was the composer and Moti the lyricist. It was again Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal in “Nadiyaa ke Paar”. In “Pyaar Ki Jeeth”, Surinder Kaur had five songs, two solos, one duet with Ram Kamlani, and two chorus songs with Suraiya and Meena Kapur. “Nadiyaa ke Paar” had the music director, Husnlal Bhagatram and Rajendr Krishna and Qamar the lyricists. “main apne dil ke haatho badnaam ho rahaa hoon” and “ithne door hai huzoor kaise mulaaqaat ho” were the solos., penned by Rajendr Krishna and Qamar respectively. The duet and chorus songs penned by Rajendra Krishna were “Mai apne dil ke haathi badnaam ho rahaa hoon”,“kabhee panghat pe aajaa,mere sapno ke raaja” and “ruth rangeelee hai suhaani raath hai”. In “Sunehre Din” she had the song “thum rangh akhiya milaake nehaa lagaa ke” and the duets with Mukesh, “lo jee sunlo thum se kahthe hai” and “dil do naino me kho gayaa”, music director being Njaan Dutt and lyricist Dina Nath Madhok.
However, Surinder Kaur had her preference to stage programmes rather than in play back singing. She used to tell that in stage the feed back was instat and the repartoire, whereas one had to wait for days for play back singing. She had the immense aspiration to revive the rich Punjabi Folk Music and she did succeed in it. This made her a pioneer in the Folk as remarked by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. She used to sing classical, folk, bhajans, ghazals and sufi kalams. Verses of Bulleh Shah, Baba Sheikh Farid and poets like Shiv Kumar Batlavi were chosen. Along with the inseparables, Prakash Kaur and Asha Man Singh, she created marvellous magic on Punjab’s indigenous music especially folk..Surinder Kaur had really conceived to her heart the essence of Punjabi music in a very earthy manner. Her indefatigable strain and struggle for the cause of the music of her land which had spanned over six decades had imbibed all the verve, vigour, veracity and volumeness of the land . The present style of music Punjab is ever indebted to it’s Gurji Surinder Kaur. In her treasure of music there were songs for all walks of life for the people of Punjab.The rusticfragrance soaked in the sweetest voice naturally attracts from generation to generations.
Though it is not possible to quote her outstanding songs, since they altogether comprise to a large ocean, some are quoted. “haaye oye mere daadia rabba”, “ik meri akash kashni”, “gori diyaan jhanjraan” , “bale bale ni ambraan to rab jhadka”, “andar jawaan baahar jawaan”, “lathe dee chaadar utte saletti chan mayio”, “jutti kasuri”, “vev mundewa hev shawa” etc are a few of them. It has also to be mentioned the songs rendered by Surinder Kaur and Prakash Kaur. “kalaa doria kunde naal adiya oye”, “suhe ve cheere waliye”, “baajre da sitta”, “sui ve sui”, “maina deor de viah vich”, are only some of them. They represent the diversity of music and rendition of the artist. The Kashmiri song “gari draam kemi taam” of the sixties is enchanting. Ghazals like“jo there gham nu hanske sahaar lentheme” are worth mentioning. Eminent singers from Punjab like Jagjit Singh, Hans Raj Hans, Gurudas Mann, Sardool Sikander are among her fans.
Seeing the deplorable state of today’s music mill which run out of soulessnes, the Punjab di bulbul had said “the singers of today sadly do not sing with the strength of their voice and control, but on the beat of the music and orchestra… We had only two instruments on the stage. We do not give separate miches to the instruments , so that the voice dominates… The new generation should also look to improve the selection of songs. It needs a more literary refined touch.” Yet on another ocassion she had told, “today the half baked singers are being exploited by the music companies”. She had advised the naïve aspirants attracted by the glamour world that learning classical music was always beneficial. Here, we can see the real spokeswoman championing for the purity and charm of our own music.Last year she was accorded with the prestigeous Padmasri puraskar of the nation as an honour for her life time career for the pure and rich Punjabi music which had enthralled crores of people the world over. She was conferred with the Sangeeth Natak Academy award in 1982. Punjab Government had accorded her the award for The Singer Of The Millenium. It was Guru Nanak Deva University of Amristar which had bestowed her with Doctorate. The Pride of Punjab had always the honour in the hearts of the crores of people. She had shared many ocassions of national importance with Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru who remarked her “mothi”. Music being the spiritual power transcending boundaries she is loved by the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Pakistan on her visit President Musharaf had invited her to his residence as a mark of honour.
What is rest assured for the music lovers is the fact her daughter Dolly Guleria follows her mother’s footprints for the cause of real art. She is a respected artist in and around Punjab. Besides her mother’s enchanting melodies, she sings her own. She had her studies of music from late Khan Sahib Abdul Rahiman Khan of Patiala Gharana. She has a number of albums and has sung for films. It is a matter of pride and pleasure that Sunaina, daughter of Dolly Guleria has also followed the suit. She also preserves the lineage of music. It was in 1995 the trio, Surinder Kaur, Dolly Guleria and Sunaina had cut an album under the caption “Surinder Kaur- 3 generations”.
The Nightingale has lost. But for us her melodies will be ever touching our soul, and Surinder Kaur is the epitome of music culture of India..Adieu for Surji…
--M. IQBAL, COCHIN

GUL MOHAMED-THE FIRST GRAMPHONE SINGER IN MALAYALAM

GUL MOHAMED- THE FIRST GRAMPHONE SINGER IN
MALAYALAM AND
THE VERSATILE GENIUS

- by M.Iqbal


GUL MOHAMED, who was the first Gramphone singer in Malayalam was a
versatile genius. His was a house hold name for four decades in South India
whereupon he was a celebrated Gramphone
singer as well as stage performer. He had made wonderful stage performance
in and outside India, including Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma (Myanmar) and
Malaya (Malayasia). He had profound scholarship in Hindustani, Carnatic,
Folk, Ghazal and Qawwali systems of Music. His contributions in Mappila
Pattu is memorable. He used to play various string and percussion musical
instruments.

Travelling to distant places in and around India, he had in the meantime
become a Sufi thinker and singer. He had learnt Hindustani from the reputed
Ustad Wali Khan. The versatility of Gul Mohamed ranged from religious
scholar, linguist, painter,calligraphist, photographer, physician, craftsman,
poet, lyricist, speaker to freedom fighter artist, besides being a singer.
Malayalam literary figures from Vaikkom Mohamed Basheer to P. Bhaskaran
Master were his admirers.

He was born in Mattancherry of Cochin in a family belonging to Kutchi Kazi
lineage, known to be Bawas (Babas), who were Imams of Kutchi Muslim
Mosque in Cochin and scholars, and had come to Cochin from Kutch of
Gujrat. In the conventional manner, he had learnt from his ancestors Quran,
Hadis and Fikeh. He was assigned with the job to copy Quran and other
religious texts on palm leaves with organic ink and woody pen. By dint of
this he became a good Caligraphist. He became Imam of Kutchi Muslims'
Mosque in Cochin at the age of 18. But the real fervour of music embedded
in his mind invited disguist amongst the community and he had to quit the
mosque himself. Taking along with him a harmonium, a gramphone player
and a camera he left Cochin for Chaavakkattu in Trichur District.
For the people at Chavakkattu this intriguing personality felt amazing.

With the advent of Gramphone, Gul Mohamed learnt from the records
songs of WH Khan, Gouharjan, Hingan Bai and others and sang with the
same manner and style. In the meantime he had learnt photography from
Dr Sreenivasa Rao and Painting from A K Rockey, a well known artist
of Palliport. With the linguistic knowledge he acquired from his ancestors,
he studied Unani from Arabic and Urdu texts and Chintarmani system From Tamil books. Besides he sought knowledge of Ayurveda from
a traditional physician of Guruvayur.

The indigenous population of Chavakkattu village who witnessed the
Gramphone record songs and Photo making in camera had yet another
surprise to see from him-the Harmonium. Apart from his singing playing on
Harmonium they had received a virtual hero with strange
dressings of Sherwani, Jubba and Turkey cap. Meanwhile, Gul Mohamed
appeared for Tamil Dramas when staged in Kerala, as Bhagawatar (singer)
or Harmonium player. The Harmonium was foolt peddled. He also made
anchoring with dramatic speeches and dialogues and songs for silent cinemas
in theatres.

When he played the foot peddled Harmonium (Chavittu Harmonium) on
stages placing three harmoniums in an array, and playing first and the third
with his left and right hands and the middle one with nose and tongue,
the audience made thunderous applaudings.
He used to conduct concerts in the courts of Travancore and Cochin Kings.
To receive Gold Medals from the Kings was a great honour at that time.
Gul Mohamed was recipient of Gold Medals from Maharaja of Travancore,
Maharaja of Cochin, Mysore Maharaja, Arakkal Maharaja of Canannore,
Diwan Sir C P Ramaswamy, Kasargod Sharul Sahab, Khan Bahadur Attakoya
Thangal, Kadankutty Kutty Ahmed Haji, Thalassery Maliyekkal Tharavadu etc.

When the British Gramphone Company, His Master’s Voice (HMV) had
started their functioning at Tiruchirappally of Madras State, they had
identified Gul Mohamed as singer from Kerala. It was on 1924 October 7,
the first commercial gramphone record was prepared in Malayalam with
Gul Mohamed as the singer. One has to think about the skeleton technical
facilities of that prime period and the limited musical accompanying only
with Harmonium and Tabla. Gul Mohamed beautifully played Harmonium
and on the Tabla K V Naidu of Cochin. “Ollaahi Nhaan Pollu Sonnane”,
“Alhamdudayone Ahadone”, “Osaakal Valiyoru Thirakkil (Thaali Paattu)
were the Mappila Pattu numbers recorded at that time with a remuneration of RupeesTwoHundredFifty, lofty amount at that time. Gul Mohamed’s
popularity was mountaining and this can be observed from the incidence
including the recording of 24 songs in two days (6 of them were Hindi/Urdu
songs) in the year 1926. It was a record on those days! Besides Mappila
Pattu, he had recorded Humour and Light Music. The instrument
“Tayshakotte” imported from Japan was used for Gul Mohamed’s ensemble
and it is said Gul Mohamed had christened the instrument “Bul Bul Tarang”.
He himself had played it for the recording, while singing. A Rag Maala with
six ragas were recorded playing Bul Bul Tarang.

Gul Mohamed was assigned for other British Gramphone companies namely
Columbia and Pearson. His songs with stories were released in volumes
of records. “Abida Vijayam” had five volumes and “Lucky Amina” six volumes .
People were eagerly waiting for the release of the next volume during that time.
“Sabira”, “Mappila Kallyanam”, “Aabharana Brahmam”,“Ration Bahalam”,
“Election Galatta”,“Aeroplaninte Varavu”, “Manathala Nercha”, “Chakkalathi”,
"Lubdhante Bharya” etc were his most popular records of songs.

What is noteworthy is that his themes contained very social subjects of the time,
some of them remain relevant even today. It was Gul Mohamed who had
brought in the Mappila folk instruments and music like Arabana, Duff, Baith,
Muttum Vili, Kolkkali, Oppana , Mangalappaattu etc. for Gramphone music.

The amazing part of his musical acumen in recording was that it was without
any pause or stop, he had presented his songs, dialogues, and music with all
these indigenous folk instruments at a stretch, sometimes even abruptly
extemporily, taking into mind the quantum of waxin and the linings therein in
the records.

There was no editing at all. It was not possible with the then techniques.
Today’s mono-acting and mimics could find themselves their roots in
Gul Mohamed’s Gramphone performances. Ration Bahalam and Election
Galatta of 1926 and 1930 are examples. The speciality of Gul Mohamed’s
records was they provided really a visual effect by dint of his dramatic
dialogues and explanations. His experiences in the Tamil Drama stages and
Silent Movies as anchor could have helped him for this repartoire.

His remuneration in 1931 became Rupees Two Thousand, which was the
highest at that time. When he went for recording at Madras and
Tiruchirappally he found Subbayya Bhagawatar, Thyaga Raja Bhagawatar,
Ponnappa, Kadar Pasha Bhagawatar, Ranga Rao, D K Pattambal, and
M S Subba Lakshmi as his co-artists there. M S Subba Lakshmi at her teens
became close friend to Sara Bai, the co-singer of Gul Mohamed, who was his
disciple and became wife and later divorced. Gul Mohamed had taught Urdu to Thyagaraja
Bhagawatar, when the former was assigned to act in a Hindi/Urdu Film.

Gul Mohamed who had presented a compendium of around two hundred
songs had started a Music School at Chowakkatt in the year 1935 and
a Photo Studio in the name “Gulzar Studio”. It is said he had taken the first
photograph of Guruvayurappan .Gul Mohamed had participated as an artist
in the freedom struggle. He along with Sara Bai had sang in the stage of
Mahatma Gandhi and Ali Brothers. His “Kayaraattanammaa,
Kayaraattanammaa, Gandhi Mahaan chonna Kayaraattanammaa..”
became the inspiring song for boycott of British cloth and freedom movement.
While he was singing with Sara Bai on a stage the police rushed in and he was
arrested and jailed in Tenkasi of Madras. They were released later in protests
of the masses.

Gul Mohamed was the spokesman artist for Religious Harmony. His song
“Aarum Anyarallaa Sahodaraa Aarum Anyarallaa” recorded in 1943 became
a mantra to the lofty ideals of Harmony. He had sung with Sara Bai and his
son Sathar, who was a boy at that time (The son K G Sathar later became a
very reputed singer in Kerala. His credit goes mainly to his Gramphone songs
of sixties and seventies). He sang, “We call God by Ram and Rahim. Kaabaa
and Kaasi, whichever be the centres our minds seek the same God”. Nobody
could argue religious tenets with him, who had thoroughly studied religion and had become
Imam at the age of eighteen . K G Sathar in his concerts
often sing this inspiring song.

Because of the skeleton technical facilities the singers including Gul Mohamed had to sing for recording on high scales. But his diction was perfect. Sara Bai’s voice was elegant.

In his later days Gul Mohamed had become more pious and his Sufi thinkings
made him sing about Khwaja Mueenudheen Chisti and Khwaja Nizamudheen
Owliya. He presented his Qawalis at Ajmir and Nizamudheen.

On May 3, 1970, Gul Mohamed breathed his last at the age of 102 years.
His longevity could not make lesser either his memory or creative thoughts.
He had died in Chowakkattu at the house of his singer son K G Sathar.
leaving away a rich treasure of art for the posterity.
-M. IQBAL, COCHIN

ANURADHA PAL-THE QUEEN OF TABLA

ANURADHA PAL-THE QUEEN OF TABLA: by M.Iqbal, Cochin

Anuradha creats an amazing world of rhythm on Tabla. Like a magician. A wizard. She has arisen herself a maestro percussionist in the world scenario. But behind her uprisingone can see only tales of hard toils and struggles.
The regaled audience on hearing her Tabla playing, will shout, “Wah…Ustad Anuradhaji…” Many among them will express wonder, “Still, it is a woman playing like this…”
But this was the problem, to say, with Anuradha. Tabla is a hard instrument. The fingers of a woman will not play on it- this was the doubt of many of them. But Anuradha hadthe undiminishing will and restless endeavours to meet such a challenge. She met it.
One and a half lakh people had attended the Womad Festival conducted in Britain. It was Anuradha as the first ever woman there to perform a solo concert on percussion.The audience there who had come across the world was mesmerized by Anuradha’s performance with surprise. The Sunday Observor reported, “one more male bastioncaptured…by Anuradha Pal.” U K Weekly wrote, “The one and only one Queen onTabla”. It was a News for the British dailies.
Anuradha Pal, well versed with the stylization of Tabla gharanas Punjabi, Delhi, Benares, Poorab and Ajrada, had learnt Tabla for a span of period of 16 years from the world famous Ustad Alla Rakha and his son Ustad Zakir Hussain. Even now she is gettingher guidance from Ustad Zakir Hussain. She had also a training on Mridangam fromVidwan Umayalpuram Sivaraman for understanding the science of rhythm in Carnatic Music.
Anuradha Pal, who was born on 8th May 1975, as the daughter of Ravindra Pal andEla Pal, dremed in her childhood of becoming an air pilot! But her obsessive desireto music somehow brought in for her the world of Tals. Her father is a reputed pharmacist consultant and mother a well known writer and artist. Anuradha had been watching how amazingly scholars like Ustad Alla Rakha was playing Tabla!It attracted Anuradha Pal.
Regarding her education, after her studies in Mumbai Jamna Bai Narsi School, shehad continued in Rooparel College for Science stream. After that she had her higherStudies from Mitti Bai College on English Literature. Anuradha who had expressedher unabating desire for music from her childhood had her initial studies on HindustaniMusic from Manrao Popatkar and Madan Mishra. Striking balance to her training onMusic for three and four hours together well with the school studies, she had securedhigher marks for examinations. Anuradha appeared on stage to play Tabla solo right when she was only 10 years old.
Anuradha still remembers the moment she had met first her Guru Ustad Alla Rakha:“I still remember that. I had gone to him all alone. I requested him to beat me,to shout at me, but you please teach me Tabla.” Then he asked me, “Are you readyto practice Tabla for three-four hours a day?” She did not look back. From the nextday she had started her training from the great Ustad.
When Anurada hears her Guru’s name her throat gets stumbled. She honourilyremarks her Guru, “the Last Saint”. She says, “ I did not have any consideration from him for being a girl. Instead he had expected from me more on Tabla.She had realized my scope as a student on Tabla. Expected more from me.”Anuradha has great reverence to her second Guru Ustad Zakir Hussain. 16 years’ ideal Guru-Sishya relation! Alla Rakha has three sons. Some commentAnuradha to be his “fourth son”.]
The world was knowing her at Swarvilas Sangeetolsava. She was only 16 yeas old then.The reputed Classical singers Kishori Amonkar, Pandit Jasraj and Shobha Gurtuwere there to perform for the three day-festival. It was this girl, Anuradha, who hadaccompanied on Tabla for Kishori Amonkar, for the first day. It was a wonder to manypeople to see a girl accompanying on Tabla to such a great artist. But, for the secondday a storm had blown up in the music circles of Mumbai. Anuradha Pal hadperformed on Tabla solo. Some said, “see… another Zakir Hussain”. Subsequently,there were many a programme of Tabla concert by Anuradha Pal in the various partsof India. Everywhere the audience had felt it a wonder.
There appeared no delay in her mission with Tabla to the other parts of the world like United States, Europe, Hongkong, Japan etc. Actually she was on her Aswamedha. around the world. Anuradha who had enticed the Wellingdon Global Carnival of Mellbourne, Cardiff Jazz Festival of Manchester etc. was the centre of attration onthe 12th Commonwealth Games Festival in London. She also started to make dialoguewith other musical forms of the world, as her Gurus had successfully done.
Her venture with the African musicians, Pan African Orchestra, with the caption,“India and Africa in Conversation” became a notable event.
Anuradha has accompanied Tabla to illustrious Hindustani musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Hari Prasad Chowrasya, Shivkumar Sharma, Ustad Sultan Khan, Imrath Khan, ShahidParvez, Veena Sahasrabudhe and Viswa Mohan Bhat.
There are records related for Anuradha Pal with Encyclopaedia of Britanica, Asian-American Who is Who Journal, Historical Society of World, Limca Book of Records etc. As the First Female Percussionist of the World, the Rhythm Personality of the Women or as the Musical Genius.
Anuradha is also the founder of Stree Shakti. There are only women to play percussionsIn the Stree Shakti. The Stree Shakti troupe consisting of vocalist Shubha Pardakar,Meera Vijay Kumar in Veena, violinist A. Subba Lakshmi, Sasikala Venkita SwamiIn Ghadam, and in Ganjira is not only an embodiment of empowermentof women, but a synthesis of Hindustani-Carnatic musical systems of Percussions.Anuradha becomes eloquent when speaking about the Stree Shakti, which gives importance to rhythm, “rhythm is the sign of very life. Rhythm is motion. And the paceof advancement.”
“Saas aur Aawaaz” formed under the initiatives of Anuradha is yet another venture and has become notable for it’s organizing many a musical event. She laments onthe present days’ misfortune: “today the students who undergo studies for merely some days want to become famous instantly… many of them are not prepared toto take pains. .. they should understand our musicians had taken a lot of painsand sufferings to reach to their positions now… let our youngsters listen to goodmusic… let them think about the hardships faced by our Gurus.”
M.F. Hussain had identified Anuradha Pal for scoring background music for His movie, “Gajagamini”. Hussain who had by the time listened to the concert ofAnuradha, approached her and told, “In Gajagamini, the plight of women is depicted.Her pains, sufferings and sacrifices. Anuradha is expressing all these things in yourTabla. You actually speak on Tabla. I want this in Gajagamini…”
Anuradha has appeared in “Aaj ki Naari”, the documentary made by Films Divisionsof India.
Now Anuradha is busy with her engagement for the UNICEF film, “Gender Vendor”,directed by Poojitha Chowdhury. It is a film on women empowerment. Anuradhais giving her messages for the subject on Tabla.
Anuradha Pal’s albums are there in the market. Anokha (Solo) of B M G Crescendo,Stree Shakti, Sensational (with Ustad Shahid Pervez), Shanti, In Search of Peace, Spiritual Journey of India, Journey from Creation to Moksha, the albums releasedby United States Indian Archives, like Jugalbandis or Performance with Sarangi maestro Ustad Sultan Khan, Pandit Viswa Mohan Bhat, Tarun Bhatacharya and the solosAnu (Solo) by Amazon dot com and Orchard dot com.
Anuradha’s Tabla playing is a mesmerizing experience. The clarity of Parans.The perfect conclusion of Thihayis. Like her Gurus, we can visualize in herTabla also, the noises of heels of the horses, the waterfall, the rain, the lightningand thunder . Her fingers elegantly dances when she plays. Her eyes lashing out. The face eloquent. All these are for her journey…And she yet plays her Tablastill for perfection…
- by M. Iqbal, Cochin