Sarangi practitioners, classical singers pay tribute to Ustaad Sultan Khan

Ustaad Sultan Khan

At the Ravindra Natya Mandir today, some of the best names of classical music will come together to pay homage to Ustaad Sultan Khan. "The Sarangi Mela is a celebration of a beautiful instrument. Ustaad was a pioneer in bringing the sarangi to the world stage as a solo instrument," says Ustaadji's nephew, sitarist Imran Khan. He is also the director of Creative Karma Events, which is organising the show.

In fact, as a child, Ustaad's father had advised him to learn classical singing if he wanted to be a popular artiste, like a lead vocalist, and not just play an accompanying instrument. "But, he was adamant about not only learning the sarangi, but also giving it its due place in the pantheon of Indian solo instruments like the sitar and bansuri," says Imran.

Conceived by Ustaad's son, Sabir Khan, who continues his legacy, The Sarangi Mela is a fitting tribute to a father who spent most of his life in this city. In fact, all the artistes participating in this event have been inspired in some form by the Ustaad.

Paying homage to the Ustaad, the concert will feature artistes like Salim-Suleman, and Roop Kumar Rathod and his daughter Reewa Rathod. A special percussion performance by Fazal Qureshi, Taufiq and son, Shikhar Naad Qureshi, and Ranjit Barot will open this event and the evening will see a beautiful blend of classical and fusion music, with a hint of Bollywood.

When: 2 PM
Where: Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi
Call: 24365990