The term ‘walls speak’ holds true as one enters the humble residence of Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan in Bandra in Mumbai. The walls are adorned with photographs of the Ustad receiving awards from dignitaries including former President APJ Abdul Kalam. There are a host of such honours that have been bestowed on him over the decades, including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award as well as the Tansen Samman.

Stacked against the walls are several sitars in cloth bags, which the Ustad uncovers whenever his students come by for lectures. While the 84-year-old Ustad may have given up performing on stage due to a hearing problem, he is still physically fit (thanks to rigorous 8-12 hour long riyaaz sessions) and teaches the art of playing the Sitar.