savethesitar

The Sarangi

No-one is quite sure what the sarangi’s name is meant to mean. Some argue that it comes from the Persian for ‘three strings’, while others claim that it means ‘a hundred colours’, a reference to its incredible musical range. Whatever it means, one cannot deny that that very name is now synonymous with Pakistani classicalContinue reading “The Sarangi”

From the Archives of Ali Ayub

Hello dear reader! Or better still, dear researcher! Save the Sitar is proud to bring to you the field work of Ali Ayub, a former student at NCA whose graduation dissertation explored the major sitar gharanas found in Pakistan. In 2007 he set off on a journey across the country to interview prominent sitarists andContinue reading “From the Archives of Ali Ayub”

The Ektara

Hmm, well, it has a rather curious name, to be sure. Most instruments have names whose etymologies are extremely hard to trace, leading to a delightful (well, only for those who are interested in such things) research spree as one races from one obscure source to the other. The ektara, on the other hand, hasContinue reading “The Ektara”

The Song of the Surmandal

Niaz Khan is certainly a well-travelled, multi-talented and multi-lingual individual. He has been to many countries around the world, from Russia to India, can sing in many languages, play the surmandal and makes a variety of instruments, from the druza to the harmonium. A man of many talents, as we said before, and certainly oneContinue reading “The Song of the Surmandal”

Zohaib Hassan

Zohaib Hassan Khan (b.1987) is a sarangi-player who associates himself with the Amritsari gharana. He learnt how to play the sarangi from his uncle, Ustad Bakhtawar Hussain Khan Sahib, as his whole family played the sarangi. His ancestors included the noted Ustad Hussain Bakhsh Khan Sahib, Ustad Peeru Khan Sahib, Ustad Nathu Khan Sahib andContinue reading “Zohaib Hassan”