Music, Food Of Love

Sheila was a stickler for pakka raga without frills or compromises. She walked out of a concert by Mehdi Hassan who I regarded as the greatest ghazal singer with lofty disdain exclaiming, "He is a crooner." Classical Hindustani music in its pristine form was her passion. Her mission in life was to propagate it among the common masses. She took me along a couple of times to her ustad, Pandit Pran Nath. I sat through their joint singing sessions without comprehending any of the subtleties of notes. They disputed between them. Though she remained friendly as ever before, she gave me up as a lost case as far as music was concerned.

Dhar makes out a laboured case pointing out similarities between good eating and good music. Pakka gaana she assures us is derived from pakaana (cooking). Just as a tasty dish gives mazaa—enjoyment—so does a well-rendered raga. It is chancy: at times neither the food nor the raga comes out just right. As the proverb goes: raga, rasoi, pagree, kabhi kabhi ban jaye (melody, food and turban do not always come right). Dhar continues: "I have not encountered one (ustad) to whom cooking and serving of food was not extremely important. When Zia Moinuddin Dagar went to stay with an ardent American disciple, the first thing he did was to take charge of the kitchen and start operations on lamb korma so that it could be ready by the time the first day’s music session ended. Pandit Pran Nath used to say that real music was only for those who could replicate the aroma of kebabs in every note. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan once announced to an inadequate host that he could hardly be expected to produce his kind of music if he was given ghaas phoos (grass) to eat. Ai khaana to ai gaana—come food, come singing. Dhar names other great ustads like Faiyaz Ahmed Khan and Munawar Ali Khan who swore by gourmet food as they swore by their music. Ustadinis were not far behind. Siddheshwari Devi was "an inspired cook". Begum Akhtar relished kakori kebabs. Writes Dhar: "I have heard it said many times by ustads, ek hi baat hai—it is the same thing."

Dhar’s missionary zeal to convert people to appreciating pakka raga was shared by her friend Nalin who lived in New York. He would assemble his American friends, including his blonde sweetheart Beatrice, and subject them to hours of classical ragas played over his hi-fi stereo. His friends slowly dropped out of his circle and Beatrice ditched him.

There are other items of interest to music-lovers in this compilation of articles. Problems faced by purists because of recording companies which insist on time limits, use of amplifiers to reach large audiences, the use of harmoniums and pianos not suited to the fluidity of Indian vocal music. These are spiced and peppered with amusing anecdotes which give them a flavour which was uniquely Sheila Dhar’s contribution to her vocation in life. The collection also includes three articles published before and two obituaries.They bring Sheila Dhar alive to those who knew and loved her.