Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

My Kind of Place -- Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia

Real joy

When music is your 365-day preoccupation, you are bound to like things connected with it. My favourite destination is my guru Annapurna Devi's house on Bhulabhai Desai Road in Mumbai.

It may not be a palatial bungalow, but it is a place I go to when I am restless and tense. I feel completely relaxed and at peace here . You may wonder how anybody can seek calmness in the maddening pace of Mumbai. But when in my guruma's house, I can remain cut off from the chaos .

No place like India

I have travelled the world over with my bamboo reed, but believe me there's no place like India. This is the truth and you realise it when you cross the Indian shores.

A special bond

Orissa means a lot to me. I started my musical career here at the All India Radio. So, the place has played a significant role in my journey. Reason enough for me to set up a gurukul in Bhubaneswar. It will be called Vrindavan like the one I have in Mumbai. The people are warm and affectionate. Besides, there are ancient temples , beaches and a tradition of music and dance.

Outside the country

It has to be Holland. I stay there for four to five months every year. I have been the artistic director of the World Music Department at the Rotterdam Music Conservatory for the past 15 years. Besides the countryside and climate, tulips, tall windmills and greenery , there's music in Holland's air.

THE FLAUTIST SPOKE TO CHITRA SWAMINATHAN

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail