Abba… God’s Greatest Gift to Us

Abba- God’s Greatest Gift to Us is a reflection of the Bangash family in tradition and in transition. Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash- the two sons of the sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, and promising players themselves, look at their father’s life with deference, humility and great love. In a world where traditional culture is often considered passe`, it is refreshing to come across a family which upholds traditional values, amalgamated through they may be with modern thinking and an urbane sophistication. Making no bones about the constant balance they strive to achieve in separating the father from the guru, the Bangash brothers tell of their father’s struggles, his emotional conflicts, the betrayals he faced, his secular approach to life….Interesting vignettes of the maestro’s interaction with people- famous and ordinary, indulgent cameos of his fads and foibles, Jungian examples of how the man is ruled by his heart- such are the visible vibrations of the life of a man as seen by his progeny. This biography differs from others about him in that his life has been put under a microscope by his sons, Herein lies a tale charged with emotion, objective judgement, curiosity and above all, an unflinching faith in a father and guru.