A true quest
ANJANA RAJAN
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In the series on accompanists, here is Yar Mohammad, sitar exponent.
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VERSATILE Yar Mohammad enjoys being a soloist and an accompanist
Predictability has become, if not a virtue, a quality so commonplace in today's youngsters, it is always interesting to come across a story with unexpected twists. Take Yar Mohammad, sitar exponent, who has been visible on the sides of Odissi performances for over three years now. However, when Yar Mohammad came to the Capital from his native Rajasthan, he was neither a sitar player nor an aspiring one.
Starting trouble
"I am a traditional folk singer of Rajasthan. I came to Delhi to learn the tabla. I did for about six months. Then my maternal uncle, Rehmat Khan Langa, who is associated with Bal Bhawan, suggested I learn the sitar too."
That was in 1987, and till then, says Mohammad, he had never touched a sitar. Jagdeep Singh Bedi of Bal Bhawan became his guru in the medium. "My fingers were so painful that I stopped playing," he laughs. "My uncle rebuked me, saying even girls play this instrument! Then I persevered." Empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations as a singer and with All India Radio as a sitar artiste, his schedule is packed. He performs with his own troupe of Langa and Manganiar singers as well as his uncle.
These singers are known for their soulful, full-throated renditions extolling the Beloved in the Sufi tradition. Against this backdrop, and with sitar beckoning as a solo career, Mohammad was still attracted to the art of accompaniment. "I would see dance performances and felt I would also one day accompany like that, especially with Madhaviji," he recalls. Mohammad has accompanied a range of Odissi dancers, from the late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra to youngsters just coming on the scene.
Recently returned from a tour of Europe, where he accompanied Madhavi in her collaborative venture with Bharatanatyam dancer Alarmel Valli, he enjoys the experimental aspect. "I had to play a Carnatic raga using Komal Dhaivat as the Shadja. It was a great experience for me."
And teaching? "Oh no, I'm still a learner," he protests.
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