Sitar maestro Niladri Kumar pays tribute to legendary Pakistani sitarist Ustad Rais Khan, who passed away on Saturday after prolonged illness
Ustad Rais Khan
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It's hard to imagine the world of music without a few artistes. Their contribution to the art is so immense and unique that even when they aren't performing, just their presence motivates others around. Ustad Rais Khan was one such musician. He moved to Pakistan in the mid '80s. His demise has created a void that can never be filled. Nobody played the way he did.
My earliest recollection of him is as a 10-year-old boy. My father (Pandit Kartick Kumar) would always encourage me to attend his concerts. He was playing at the Suburban Music Circle in Mumbai. I went for the baithak with my mother, and we were seated in the fourth row. He broke a string of his sitar in the middle of the performance and a portion of it fell on my lap. I was surprised and showed it to my mom - it was like winning a trophy.
Niladri Kumar
He was one of the finest musicians. During what was considered the golden period for the sitar with stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan saab playing so many different styles, Ustad Rais Khan's music stood out. He would always play on a higher key than the others. He was lyrical to an extent that one felt he was singing through the fingers. He was technically very advanced and his music was expressive.
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