Ishaan Ghosh on the Tradition and Future of Tabla
The prodigious tabla star reflects on his family’s legacy and changing times for Indian Classical music
Ishaan Ghosh, the 20-year-old son and disciple of tabla and sitar maestro Nayan Ghosh, may very well be the first internet-famous tabla player. Over the past few years, video excerpts from his solo performances have created an online buzz and caught the attention, praise, and criticism of tabla enthusiasts around the world.
Praised for the speed and clarity of his tabla playing — the mark of a hot-blooded youngster eager to be taken seriously — Ghosh is known to play traditional compositions that demand dexterity, accuracy, and contemplation. On the concert circuit, he can be seen accompanying some of the most popular classical musicians, like Kaushiki Chakraborty and Purbayan Chatterjee, among others.
Curious about how a precocious young maestro sees, thinks, and lives Indian Classical music differently than what is commonly understood, I reached out to Ghosh for an interview. Originally planned to be in-person during his and his father’s tour of the United States (rescheduled due to COVID-19), we resorted to an email-based discussion. That exchange follows:
Q: What was it about tabla that drew you to pursue music more deeply?
A: I am told by my parents that I showed strong signs of being rhythmically inclined since I was around 8-months-old when I could point out the ‘sum’ or the first beat of a rhythm cycle by nodding my head every time I would hear it. It was not long before I found the tabla to be my favourite toy and would spend a lot of time with it and more importantly, I would listen to music all the time be it directly from my father, or recordings of other great masters. I guess that really helped me to let the music seep into my system which later resulted in me being able to pick up things more easily.
Q: You are from a generation where Indian Classical music isn’t necessarily prominently seen in popular culture. As a young musician, how do you reckon with the expectation of being trendy yet immersed in the historical environment of Indian Classical music? Would you want Indian Classical music to be trendy?
A: I believe Indian Classical music is very much the “in thing” for people of my generation thanks to the contribution of so many legendary figures and also due to the rise in the number of supremely talented young musicians. It is overwhelming to see folks of our age attending classical music concerts in such large numbers both in India [and abroad]. Due to this, it feels so amazing to be in such a congenial atmosphere wherein all of us artistes can focus on enhancing our creative abilities and delivering the best we can for such discerning audiences.
But for my young friends who have not heard this music yet, all I can say is that it is worth giving it a shot to listen to the right interpretation of classical music as it has everything required to get you attracted towards it.
Q: Your grandfather, Nikhil Ghosh, had discussed the painful choice of focusing on tabla rather than singing — a decision posed to him by his guru, Jnan Prakash Ghosh. Your father, Nayan Ghosh, is known for his virtuosity in tabla and sitar. Do you identify as a tabla player or sitarist or both? What role does sitar play in your musical life?
A: First of all, I feel extremely blessed to be born into such an illustrious family in which each and every individual has contributed immensely to various fields within Indian Classical music. Moreover, it something surreal to imbibe this art from my father and guru Pandit Nayan Ghosh, who is one of the greatest musical wonders of our country, being the only one of his kind to attain equal mastery and skill over both the sitar and the tabla besides having spent more than fifty years in performing, propagating, and promoting Indian music in India and around the globe. As for me, I identify myself as a student of music, particularly the tabla, as I have grown up with it as my friend, my companion, my guardian and a force that I have always worshiped. I must mention that the all-round musical training that I received from my father in sitar or vocals, in addition to the tabla, enabled me to widen my musical perspective which in turn resulted into me being able to look at so many different intricacies of tabla-playing not just as a percussive instrument but as a form of musical expression.
Q: Are there any dimensions of sitar-playing that you have incorporated into your tabla-playing? Are there any dimensions of tabla-playing that you have incorporated into your sitar-playing?
A: Due to the “taleem” that I received in melodic music from my father, I am able to enjoy the minute elements of music especially when I am accompanying an instrumental or a vocal performance and that helps me to try and judge the sentiment of the main artiste, the raag that is being performed, the melodic composition, and the needs and requirements of the main performer at every moment, which are the most important factors that govern the growth of a tabla player as a supporting artiste.
Q: Your father is recognized as an esteemed scholar and historian of tabla. What role has his scholarship played in your learning?
A: His unbelievable knowledge and expertise over so many different aspects of the tabla in particular and Indian Music in general, made me realise the enormous contribution of great masters in the past who paved the way for us to be able to live and breathe such an evolved form of this art.
I will narrate a very interesting activity in my childhood that would take place repeatedly: My father would put me to sleep every night narrating anecdotes from the lives of legendary masters of the past be it Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa, Ustad Hafiz Ali Khansahab, Pandit Omkarnath Thakur and many others or talking about genealogies, gharanas of music, history of instruments, etc., and he would do all of this in such a fascinating way that it became the most awaited part of the day for me! That was how he ensured that all these treasures of music would unconsciously make their way into my system.
Q: The size and shape of your hands are quite different than your father’s. How do you navigate the expectation of being true to his tradition and sound when you’re naturally predisposed to sound quite differently from him?
A: I think what is more important is to know the correct and authentic method of execution of every syllable or composition based on the gharana or the composer, etc., and that is what my father always focused on. If you get that right, you can still sound yourself and adhere to tradition at the same time.
Q: At what point did music develop from an interest to a career for you? What choices led to making the decision to commit to a professional life involving music?
A: It was never a conscious decision to make music my profession. It was my life! Honestly, I started off at an age when I did not even know what a ‘profession’ meant. I remember being paid after a few of my early concerts which I would immediately use to buy some chocolates or other goodies and give the remaining amount to my mother! But yes, I would [be] fully aware of the fact that I was on stage before an audience, and had to give my 100% each time. Much earlier, I would sit with my father on stage during his performances and thoroughly enjoy the whole procedure of getting up there with a thousand eyes watching you and often would pester him to let me play for a bit! It was due to this that I was comfortable to be performing in public since an early age.
Q: Your grand-uncle, Pannalal Ghosh, is one of the most celebrated and elusive classical musicians of the 20th Century. What have you learned about his life and musicality that holds importantly for you today?
A: Pannalal Ghosh-ji is known as the “Father of North Indian Flute.” Within his short lifespan of 48 years, he not only invented the bansuri but also established it as one of the most popular instruments of North Indian Classical music by enabling both the “gayaki” (vocal form) and “tantrakari” (instrumental form) of this music to be reproduced on it. This unparalleled contribution made him a legend in his lifetime and one of the most important musical figures in the history of our country. If he could pickup a simple piece of bamboo and take it to such high levels of refinement and sophistication, the least we can do is to derive inspiration from this and try to delve deeper into our respective subjects in order to be able to attain some level of proficiency and skill.
Q: What responsibility and relation does the tabla accompanist have to the raag?
A: It is a known fact since many generations that “every raga has its own personality.” Raags are even considered living entities which have to be treated with a certain sense of love, reverence, and care. As a supporting tabla player, it is essential to have proper knowledge and understanding of various raags, the interpretations of different raags according to the gharana which the artiste belongs to, the individual styles of artistes and several other such elements. It is based on these, that one can provide the suitable accompaniment. As my father always says, “Every stroke of your theka should be directly related to the raag and the main performer.”
Q: During many of your solo concerts, you mention how Amir Hussain Khan is one of the finest composers tabla has seen. What about his compositions makes you feel that?
A: Ustad Amir Hussain Khan and Gurudev Gyan Prakash Ghosh have been one of the most important composers of tabla in the 20th century and I am extremely fortunate that both of them were my great-grand gurus. Besides the innumerable compositions that they created, what made them special was their ability to portray the entire spectrum of human expression through this abstract language of tabla with the help of elements like choice of syllables, phraseology, mathematical configurations, etc.
As an analogy, Ustad Amir Hussain Khansahab’s compositions are like the shayaris of Mirza Ghalib whereas those of Gurudev Gyan Prakash Ghosh ji resemble the verses of Shakespeare! Therefore, the works of both these masters will be the “all time classics” in the world of tabla.
Q: There are many senior musicians today, like Pandit Jasraj, whom you, your father, and your grandfather have accompanied on tabla. But you are included in a generation today which has unprecedented access to musicians across the globe from different traditions and virtually limitless recordings of past maestros. Given that, what do you think may be unique about the sense of musicality that your generation could contribute to raag sangeet going forward?
A: If you are talking about social media, I think social media is truly a blessing for artistes and art lovers today. For us young musicians, it has a two-way utility factor. One is where we can get unprecedented access to the music of the legends of the past as well as the maestros of today which are absolute treasures and are a massive learning source for us. Also, the availability of almost every kind of music in the world on social media widens our perspective and enables us to add newer dimensions to our own music which in itself is the sign of progress. As they say, any form of art can survive only if it is constantly evolving!
Secondly, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter give equal opportunities to all artistes to showcase their work and attract audiences and this has led to an increased awareness about Indian Classical music amongst the youth, almost all of whom are active on social media. For example, when we travel to various places to perform, there are people who know us or about us even if we have never met or have never been to that place before, all thanks to social media. Therefore, I think that we should try to make the best possible use of it in our own respective ways.
Q: To what music do you listen to keep inspired, curious, and learning?
A: Since I grew up learning and playing Indian Classical Music, that is what I mainly listen to, but there are various different genres that I enjoy listening to, and perhaps they even indirectly help me in my understanding of my own music. I love listening to genres ranging from Western Classical to Jazz, Pop, Folk music of Eastern Europe, Country Music, Middle Eastern music, Electronic Music and of course Bollywood Music!
Q: If you could spend one hour with Nikhil Ghosh today, how would you spend that time?
A: I would probably forget that he is THE Pandit Nikhil Ghosh and would want him to spend that one hour with me as my grandfather. This is because unfortunately, I never got to see him.
Q: If you could spend one hour with Jnan Prakash Ghosh today, how would you spend that time?
A: Um, it is very hard to answer this because of him being such a multi-faceted genius.
Q: Many senior musicians argue that the role and place of gharanas is becoming less relevant and important today. As an emerging artist known as a promising representative of a rich gharana, what do you want your generation to know about gharanas, and the Farukhabad tradition, that may not be commonly understood, respected, or acknowledged?
A: Gharana gives you a sense of belonging and acts as a strong base. Especially in tabla, every gharana has its own style of compositions and techniques of execution which distinguish them from one another. Perhaps, this is the only subject in which one can identify the gharana just by observing the language of a composition. The Farrukhabad Gharana was founded by Ustad Haji Vilayat Ali Khan approximately in the early part of the 19th century. Broadly speaking, it incorporated the stylistic features of the Delhi and Lucknow gharanas but it was due to the genius of Ustad Haji Sahab (as he is popularly known) that it found its own voice and later, the Farrukhabad Gharana saw the emergence of some of the greatest exponents not only of this style but of the tabla art as a whole. However, Ustad Munir Khansahab (the Guru of Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa and Ustad Amir Hussain Khan) is credited to be the first tabla player to learn from masters of more than one gharana. He incorporated the styles of the Delhi, Ajrada, Farrukhabad, and Lucknow gharanas into his repertoire and passed it on to his following generations. Ever since, the scope of tabla playing in general has widened immensely and today, gharanas are no longer seen as barriers but as sources of knowledge because of which, it is almost impossible to stick to one particular gharana.
Q: One of your grandfather’s legacies is the Sangit Mahabharati in Mumbai. What role has this institution played in your life? What do you hope the future of this institute will become?
A: Sangit Mahabharati is an inseparable part of my life! I have learnt so much there just by observing great musicians, dancers and creative people coming and performing or just meeting up and chatting for hours about music or any form of art! As envisaged by its founder Pandit Nikhil Ghosh, it is truly a “cultural hub” of our country. Though it is mainly a premiere music teaching and research institution, one of the very special happenings are the “baithak” concerts that are taking place for more than 60 years now. These intimate concerts take place in our special “mehfil room” which is adorned by rare vintage photographs of the greats of our music and these give a unique vibe to the atmosphere. Legendary artistes ranging from Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, Pandit Jasraj and many others have performed there. Even today, we continue this tradition of hosting performances of not only celebrated but also rare masters, in addition to a large number of younger artistes. Besides this, there are several other activities which ultimately aim at providing authentic music education and information to aspirants by way of mass education as well as in the traditional “Guru-Shishya Parampara.” It is as if the entire space is charged with music and dance 24/7. Truly, it is something you have to see to believe.
Q: Are you interested in working on fusion projects and collaborating with musicians from other music traditions and genres? Kishori Amonkar had once said, “Fusion is confusion.” Do you agree with this sentiment?
A: What is fusion? It is nothing but the emergence of a new idiom due to the fusing of two or more styles of music. In that sense, the present form of North Indian Classical music is also a result of fusion, by combining genres like Dhrupad, Haveli Sangeet, traditional folk, Sufi, and others. For a student like me, experimentation is always a process of learning and therefore, I am always open to collaborating with various genres of music, because of which I realise that these seven musical notes or rhythms can make you feel like the part of a large family spread across the world!
Q: What does the presence and absence of music mean to your life? How do you navigate practicing an ancient and medieval artform in modern times?
A: For every musician, music is a way of life. Personally, I feel blessed to be in a musical frame of mind all the time be it with or without my instrument. There is something or the other going on continuously in your subconscious mind and that is what is the most beautiful part of being a musician. I cannot even imagine spending a minute without at least one musical thought not crossing my mind. Therefore, the absence of music is not possible in my life.
Though the roots of our music go back to the ancient times, it can be termed as the most contemporary form of music because it is mainly based on “upaj” or systematic improvisation. The special feature of this music is that most of it is created in the moment and therefore, there cannot be anything more contemporary than that! As a result of this, over a period of time, there have been considerable changes in the interpretation of the music while keeping the traditional values intact.
Q: Your father maintains a close association with some of the finest tabla players today, many of whom he has performed with. What about these maestros particularly has your father pointed out for you to study and reflect about?
The tabla has developed so much over the centuries, that today, as young seekers of this art, it is essential for us to derive inspiration from all the landmark figures of this subject. My father, Pandit Nayan Ghosh, is my idol and I am completely in awe of him mainly because of his unbelievable skills as a performer, a guru, and a flag-bearer of tradition. Several masters of the past like Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa, Ustad Amir Hussain Khan, Ustad Habibuddin Khan, Pandit Anokhelal Misra, my grandfather Pandit Nikhil Ghosh, Ustad Alla Rakha, Pandit Samta Prasad, Pandit Kishan Maharaj, Ustad Lateef Ahmed Khan, and many others have been huge inspirations and are figures whom I worship.
Also, it is so special to witness the magic of the stalwarts of our times like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, and Pandit Kumar Bose.
I feel privileged to have received their continued affection and blessings and believe that we youngsters are fortunate to have such luminaries amongst us to be our guiding lights and to show us the way forward.
Q: What would you like to share with us that we haven’t asked you about and want readers to know?
A: Well I think I have said all that I know as of now and I would be happiest to remain a student of this great art form.
Follow Ishaan Ghosh on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay tuned about his music.
Written by Aarshin Karande for Surasik. Support Surasik on Patreon!
