Foreigners strike chord with Indian classical instruments at Bhopal

Bhopal: Melody and richness of Indian classical music transcend boundaries winning over people in foreign land. Attracted to the soulful music, there are many foreigners who landed in heartland of India to learn Indian classical music forms.
These foreign nationals play some of the most mesmerising tunes on instruments like dhrupad, rudraveena, pakhawaj, tabla, israj, sitar along with their fellow Indian colleagues.
Ahead of World Music Day, TOI meets some foreign students learning different forms of Indian music and instruments in Bhopal.
Heikel, 21, from France landed in Bhopal’s Dhrupad Sansthan, run by Gundecha Brothers, to learn “Sitar”. “I landed here with my sitar, which I started playing 7 months before I landed in this institute. I played guitar before that, but as soon as my fingers tipped the strings of sitar, I decided to go ahead with it. But being in gurukul here, I started playing Rudra Veena as well, which I found even more mesmerising. I was sent to Udaipur to learn that,” said Heikel.
“About the Indian music, I would say it is well-researched and once you start learning it, you dwelve deep in to it with the urge to learn more and more. The quest for more and perfection never dies, he added, with a calm smile. He wishes to learn more Indian instruments and is deeply inspired by Ustad Fariduddin Dagar, noted Indian classical vocalist in the Dhrupad, the oldest existing form of north Indian classical music and part of the Dagar family of musicians.
There are 3 students currently at Dhrupad Sansthan, from other countries who are learning different instruments.
Amiran, 33, a Russian, who never learnt any other music except Indian classical said, “after completing education at Dhrupad Sansthan I will move on to learn another Indian instrument. Why I will stop learning and do something else. It’s the only music I know and understand and will play throughout my life.”
Amiran plays israj, being at Dhrupad, along with her husband Neloy, from Bangladesh, who is a vocalist. “Indian classical music in India is changing with lots of experiments like fusion, but the peace you get from pure Indian instrumental is not comparable. It should be kept alive in its true form, its indepth and tunes directly touches to heart,” said Amiran while talking about her experience.