Twenty one years ago, when Alancode Haridas set about to buy a ‘Santoor’ from a Kashmiri music store in Delhi, his only reference point was the spellbinding music he heard from a concert the day before. The pristine sounds that drenched the auditorium and the hands holding mezrabs haunted him through the night. Today, Haridas not only owns a ‘Santoor’, but is also the proud disciple of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, whose music was the sole reason why he fell in love with the instrument in the first place. Haridas, who is about to have his first western fusion performance in the capital city with a German music ensemble recalls his illustrious journey in mastering ‘Santoor’, a Kashmiri instrument.
“I was learning Hindustani music on violin from 1983 from a Malabar musician, Bhargavan. When I heard Pt Shivkumar Sharma, I was instantly smitten. When the instrument came home to Alancode, Malappuram, two months after I ordered it in Delhi, I was apprehensive about the result. However, with my violin background I started practising,” says Haridas.
He finally got to meet his idol at Thrippayar on April 4, 1994. Sharma, who had come to perform at a festival conducted by Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, generously gave this wanna-be-musician an ear. “I think he wanted to know how a Malayali learnt ‘Santoor’. I told him I want to learn the fundamentals of the instrument. He asked me to come to his room in Arya Vaidyasala the very next day. There I had my first lesson,” says Haridas.
Haridas’ journey with Sharma started then and there. As per Sharma’s instruction, he went to Mumbai for a week-long session conducted at Sharma’s residence. There the Guru taught him the basics as well as an advanced composition in Hindustani. He was asked to practice the same compositions for two years.
“I think he wanted to test whether I was serious about it. But I got to present my craft before him soon, when he came to Palakkad to perform. He was quite happy with it,” says Haridas. Haridas, a school teacher, was able to take short-leaves from his vocation to indulge in his passion. He sneaks away to Mumbai whenever he can and never wastes a chance to learn from his Guru.
“I thank my stars to be able to learn under Shivkumar Sharma. It was Sharma who brought ‘Santoor’, a forgotten instrument to the forefront. He has added his own inputs to it. So basically he’s the father of Santoor today. So playing ‘Santoor’ before him has always been a challenge. But he is like a living-breathing saint who never loses his calm,” says Haridas.
Haridas who has performed on around 1,000 stages in Kerala says Shivkumar Sharma’s name is indeed a crowdpuller; however, he is aware that if you don’t prove your mettle the first time they may not call you again.
“I have been experimenting with what little knowledge I have of the instrument. Music around the world is interconnected. ‘Santoor’ used to accompany Sufiyana music of Kashmir and ‘Edakka’ sopanam music. Recently I have associated with the ‘Edakka’ player, Krishnakumar and we played our own music on the stage and the result was amazing,” says Haridas. He recently performed a jugalbandhi with his son Sreerag, who is also learning ‘Santoor’ under the tutelage of Shivkumar Sharma, at the Chembai Sangeetholsavam 2013, Guruvayur.
When asked about his love for Hindustani music, Haridas says his younger days in Malappuram were filled with Ghayals and Khawalis sung by Malabar Ustads.
“My first guru was also one such musician who taught me, the essence of Hindustani music. From 83 onwards the only music I heard was Hindustani sung by the maestros. Bhargavan’s teaching has helped me to keep my calm even when I performed before Shivkumar Sharma. Once Sharma even told me that “your Guru has taught you very well”. It is like an acceptance to all Malabar musicians who didn’t get their due while they were alive,” says Haridas. Haridas never got the chance to explore the possibilities of ‘Santoor’ in Carnatic music, as his base is strongly Hindustani. However, he feels that ‘Santoor’ can be used effectively in Carnatic music.
He is looking forward to perform his first fusion with the German music band by the invitation of German Cultural Centre, Goethe Zentrum in the capital city on April 19.
“The music band will be playing a German instrument called Hackbrett, which is very similar to ‘Santoor’ in looks and tone. So it will be interesting. A violinist from the capital city Shwetha will also perform with us,” says Haridas.
