Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Troubled Tradition
For over four months now, I've been at the core of a controversy about traditional values in Indian classical music. Though the actual circumstances surrounding the controversy are a little dated, reactions to what happened on January 8, at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall (a traditional concert venue in Bangalore) are still pouring into my in box.
The issue involves one of India's most respected tabla players - Ustad Zakir Hussain. I'm putting down a brief sequence of events and a short paragraph of what actually happened on January 8. I'd love to hear your take on the issue.
Tina Sugandh is a tabla player in New Jersey, and driven by commercial considerations, chose to hit the glamorous route to popularize her music and the tabla. One of her publicity pictures features Tina wearing stilettos, seated with tablas in front of her. I used this as the cover image for my December issue with an accompanying story. Zakir Hussain, who saw the image, was extremely angry and chose to haul up Rave Magazine at a press conference in Chowdiah Memorial Hall before a scheduled performance with sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan in January. Here's a transcript of what he said that day:
I am extremely upset with Rave Magazine. I saw the (December 04, Tina Sugandh) cover with this girl who’s got her shoes on while playing the tabla – that’s simply not done. (At this point Ustad Sultan Khan says, ‘Yeh Bilkul Acchi Baat Nahi Hai, Aisa Kabhi Nahi Kar Sakte). I think you guys have lost your focus. I had plans of doing a lot of stuff with you guys, but not anymore. This girl was born, like, this morning, and there are artistes who have worked very, very hard for 40 years, who don’t get this kind of coverage. What you’ve done is very wrong – even with someone like Ustad Sultan Khan, who is really a great Ustad, and he should be treated such, because he’s right up there with all the other greats – you can’t put him down below this kid, to a second level on your cover. I have a copy of Rave Magazine in my room – and I see that on the last page there are all these pictures of the previous covers: the first few are of established classical Indian musicians, but then later, all you have are pretty women. There is clearly a loss of focus. And you cannot say it’s still all about the music, because it’s not about quality music any more. I know it’s about selling units, but this is about respecting senior artistes. I mean, I could give Ustad Sultan Khan a plastic surgery job, so you can put him on your cover! (Aside, Ustad Sultan Khan says to Ustad Hussain: ‘Jo Ho Gaya So Ho Gaya,’ and Ustad Hussain replies: ‘Aage Jo Hoga Yeh Dekha Jaayega.’)
The issue involves one of India's most respected tabla players - Ustad Zakir Hussain. I'm putting down a brief sequence of events and a short paragraph of what actually happened on January 8. I'd love to hear your take on the issue.
Tina Sugandh is a tabla player in New Jersey, and driven by commercial considerations, chose to hit the glamorous route to popularize her music and the tabla. One of her publicity pictures features Tina wearing stilettos, seated with tablas in front of her. I used this as the cover image for my December issue with an accompanying story. Zakir Hussain, who saw the image, was extremely angry and chose to haul up Rave Magazine at a press conference in Chowdiah Memorial Hall before a scheduled performance with sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan in January. Here's a transcript of what he said that day:
I am extremely upset with Rave Magazine. I saw the (December 04, Tina Sugandh) cover with this girl who’s got her shoes on while playing the tabla – that’s simply not done. (At this point Ustad Sultan Khan says, ‘Yeh Bilkul Acchi Baat Nahi Hai, Aisa Kabhi Nahi Kar Sakte). I think you guys have lost your focus. I had plans of doing a lot of stuff with you guys, but not anymore. This girl was born, like, this morning, and there are artistes who have worked very, very hard for 40 years, who don’t get this kind of coverage. What you’ve done is very wrong – even with someone like Ustad Sultan Khan, who is really a great Ustad, and he should be treated such, because he’s right up there with all the other greats – you can’t put him down below this kid, to a second level on your cover. I have a copy of Rave Magazine in my room – and I see that on the last page there are all these pictures of the previous covers: the first few are of established classical Indian musicians, but then later, all you have are pretty women. There is clearly a loss of focus. And you cannot say it’s still all about the music, because it’s not about quality music any more. I know it’s about selling units, but this is about respecting senior artistes. I mean, I could give Ustad Sultan Khan a plastic surgery job, so you can put him on your cover! (Aside, Ustad Sultan Khan says to Ustad Hussain: ‘Jo Ho Gaya So Ho Gaya,’ and Ustad Hussain replies: ‘Aage Jo Hoga Yeh Dekha Jaayega.’)
