Sarangi exponent Ustad Sabri Khan’s demise left a void in our hearts. With him, we lost one legend who immensely contributed to the cultural identity of the nation. He left behind a wealth of music, and this rich legacy is being carried forward by his artistic grandson Nabeel Khan who will be seen paying tribute to him at the Sarangi Legacy 2018. The event will also witness the most awaited release of the postage stamp with Ustad Sabri Khan’s portrait on it.
A proud grandson, Khan says, “The release of the postage stamp is momentous for us. To celebrate this very moment, we have arranged a platform that will showcase his legacy. He has always been an inspiration to me and my initial years of learning the art have been under his tutelage. His teaching style was different. Since the combination of sarangi and vocal works together, Nana Abu wound always sing along while playing. This helped me catch up with the various surs that I found hard to learn.” Khan believes that there could be no better teacher besides his iconic grandfather.
Every morning, Khan woke up to the sound of sarangi but that didn’t find him attracted to the world of music. It was his love of cricket that he wanted to follow. However, at the age of seven, he started learning sarangi as Ustad Sabri Khan wanted one of his grandchildren to learn the art. “Initially, I was least interested in the instrument as it wasn’t identified by everyone.
Children of my age were either learning guitar or drums. But over years, the response I got really sparked my interest. At the age of ten, I was performing with my Nana and he announced that it is his grandson playing. This was the ultimate push and after that there was no looking back,” shares Khan who has performed in many youth festivals. Apart from these, he has also enthralled audiences in Norway, Denmark, Finland, Russia and many other countries.
With the ambition to take his grandfather’s legacy forward, Nabeel who is currently pursuing his graduation from Zakir Husain College is working towards fusing classical with Western. “The first fusion was compiled by Nana Abu along with the Beatles in America at Washington University. Following his path, my uncle Ustad Kamal Sabri Sahab released the album Dance of the Desert,” he shares. Catch a glimpse of Ustad Sabri Khan’s legacy today at Stein auditorium, Lodhi Road. The gates will be open for all from 7 pm onwards.