Mother-daughter duo to perform with musicians at a Mumbai concert

Sangeeta Shankar

The violin has an innate sense of interfusion, in that it is one instrument that rests easy on the shoulders, quite literally, of both western and Indian classical musicians. But why is that so? What makes it transition seamlessly between dichotomous genres?

The answer, says Dr Sangeeta Shankar, goes back centuries ago to the time when traders introduced an ancient Indian instrument called ravanhatta to the western world, which then fashioned it into what can be considered as an ancestor of the modern-day violin. Dr Shankar, herself a highly accomplished violinist, will play a concert this weekend called Band Baja, where she will perform alongside her daughters, Nandini and Ragini, apart from an assortment of other musicians. She tells us, "The violin family was born after the West modified the ravanhatta that invaders and traders had taken there from our part of the world.

Ragini Shankar

And then it came back with the British, French and Portuguese. But the concept of drawing a bow across a set of strings is essentially Indian. So, when the violin was introduced to the country in the 18th century, it blended seamlessly with something like Carnatic music, and the technique developed over 300 years. It's a perfect binder between the West and the East."

She adds that the instrument has also held together her own family. So much so, that the rigorous training that Dr Shankar received from her mother, N Rajam, percolated to her daughters, Nandini and Ragini. But did she have any apprehensions about her children charting a career in music? "Not at all," she answers, adding, "See, the level of vidya we have at our home is so high that it should transcend down to the kids. But they have also had an education in engineering and chartered accountancy. So, they are free to make an informed decision when it comes to their choice of profession."

Nandini Shankar

When we speak to her, however, Nandini seems more than grateful about her upbringing. "You know, children just like to be. So, that's why my mother and grandmother would sit before us and listen to us play, to motivate us to practise. But after a point, when you start understanding the treasure you have, you start practising on your own. As a child, you don't really think of what you want to do and what you don't. So all credit goes to our parents and guruji for making us work on our music at that point in time," says the 24-year-old.

She adds that playing music has also helped her forge a unique bond with Ragini. "Both of us grew up learning together, and it helped us become friends. Sometimes, our guru would teach us something, and one of us wouldn't get it. So, the other would help out. And it also helps that even though both of us have had the exact same training, we have our own ways of expressing ourselves, because ultimately it's your individual personality that comes through in your music," Nandini says.

That individuality will now be on display at the concert in a SoBo venue. It will feature a fusion of various musical styles. "Each piece has a totally different feel and story. So, you won't know what's going to come next," she says, echoing her mother, who keeps her cards similarly close to her chest, saying, "All I can say is that it will be unlike anything. So I can't give you any sort of familiar context to what we will be playing."

ON: April 21, 6.30 pm
AT: Experimental Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
CALL: 22824567
ENTRY: Rs 300

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