In this book Sheila Dhar introduces the lay person to complex concepts of classical music with deceptive simplicity, using analogies and stories from everyday life. What the performing musician in the Indian classical tradition sets out to do is very similar to the aims of the chef. Writing on music and musicians, Sheila Dhar follows a recipe that has won her a devout following. She introduces the lay person to complex concepts of classical music with deceptive simplicity, using analogies and stories from everyday life. She takes us into the inner courtyards of gharanas, especially the Kirana Gharana, of which she was a student. In richly anecdotal, affectionate essays she tells us of Abdul Karim Khan, Begum Akhtar, Abdul Wahid Khan, of Faiyyaz and Niaz Ahmed Khan, evoking a world of laughter, music and grace. In every essay she wears her considerable knowledge lightly, and whether writing on subject mundane or esoteric, communicates her ideas with wit and irrepressible energy. ‘What the performing musician in the Indian classical tradition sets out to do is very similar to the aims of the chef. The dish must be prepared according to ancient recipes that have stood the test of time, it must be creative and carry the personal signature of the cook, it must preserve and serve the original flavors of the ingredients in all their freshness, it must ensure that all the spices and condiments come together in a single confection, and most importantly, the experience, the taste, the mazaa, should live in the mind of consumer…’
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