Sarod is the complete instrument

Tucking his legs into a padmasana, he picks the instrument and places it on his lap reverently. His fingers play on the strings, and sudd...

Tucking his legs into a padmasana, he picks the instrument and places it on his lap reverently. His fingers play on the strings, and suddenly, the air comes alive with melodies that merge into naught even before you can savour them. 8220;The sarod,8221; says Surmani Rajan Vinayak Kulkarni, his fingers drumming the java, a dried and smoothly polished piece of coconut kernel used to play the sarod, 8220;is the complete instrument. It can be used for both serious and light occasions. Its deep tonal quality is what attracted me when I was 18.8221;

Hailing from a family of musicians settled in Amritsar, with the sole objective of propagating Indian classical music, Rajan was initiated into music as an infant. At just two, his tabla performance was appreciated by the then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. His uncle, the late Pandit Raghunath Kulkarni, founder of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Amritsar, and his father, the late Pandit Vinayak Kulkarni, a long-standing principal of the Mahavidyalaya, undertook the responsibility of grooming young Rajan into a full-fledged musician.

On the threshold of adulthood, when he was required to choose an instrument to specialise in, he chose the sarod. To ensure that he obtained training under a master exponent, his family arranged for him to become a disciple of Mumbai8217;s Pandit Ratnakar Vyas.

When Rajan came into his own and established his identity through public performances, fate, in the form of his father8217;s poor health, intervened and ordained that he migrate to Pune.Looking for a foothold in an alien city, Rajan began his musical tryst with the music-loving native populace by establishing the Sarang Sangeet Vidyalaya at his Kothrud residence in 1992. 8220;Vocal and instrumental music, alongwith dance kathak 8211; are taught here,8221; he says. The Vidyalaya has 125 students aged four to 67 years.

His wife, Shubhangi, a civil engineer, assists her husband in running the Vidyalaya. Their son, nine-year-old Sarang, who plays the tabla, and three-year-old daughter Sanika, who loves singing and kathak, are picking up the nuances of the arts young. 8220;I will insist that both pay equal attention to their academics,8221; says Rajan, a commerce graduate with a master8217;s in English literature and music.

Having given many public recitals, Rajan has special memories of a performance dating 1979. At the reputed Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, Jallundhar, he was awarded a gold medal at the hands of Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro. 8220;It was an unforgettable moment,8221; he says.

This exponent of the Gwalior Gharana is not averse to Western music, 8220;I enjoy The Beatles. Western music has good orchestration and I like Western classical too.8221; He does not fear the invasion of popular music, 8220;Indian classical music has strong roots. It may dwindle temporarily but will emerge stronger and reign perpetually.8221;

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When not practising or teaching music, Rajan watches sports, with cricket ranking first among his favourites. Alongwith his artistic vein, Rajan has a funny bone too. 8220;I love watcing comedies and comic serials,8221; says the instrumentalist-cum-vocalist.

This musician, who was awarded the title surmani by Mumbai8217;s Sursingar Sansad, has only one ambition in life 8211; to promote Indian classical music. 8220;If I get a sponsor, I8217;d love to cut an instrumental album,8221; he says.

8220;Music,8221; he says, 8220;elevates a person to a good human being. It imbibes sensitivity and takes the soul to heights of peace and harmony. Music makes the world a better place.8221;