Ustad Bahauddin Dagar: At 16, I saw timelessness in music
Growing up, the little Bahauddin saw his mother teach sitar every day and his uncle indulge in jazz. 'Once, American jazz musician Don Cherry came home as well. It was my uncle who exposed me to new genres; in no time, I was listening to Boney M, Madonna, hard rock, and metal. I even had a keen interest in painting and considered pursuing Fine Arts. But at 16, something changed,' he reveals. What was that turning point? The maestro recalls, 'Well, I played the tanpura behind my father at The Festival of India tour in 1986. Suddenly, my eyes and ears opened to the nuances of music…it was marvellous. I saw a timelessness in it.' Thereafter, he devoted his days to music.
But he started learning the Rudra Veena, which is second nature to him today, after his father passed away in 1990. 'This instrument requires undivided attention. Family and friends become secondary. And I do not regret my decision at all,' he states.
In a line of work that requires, by and large, hours of riyaaz (practice), steely focus, and perfection, Ustad Bahauddin confesses that he makes mistakes — and is not embarrassed. 'So what? It is not an examination. Making a mistake is when I am doing something new!'
And embodying the 'new' is what this maestro solemnly stands by. 'When I was younger, people would chide me, saying I wasn't as good as my father. I wasn't hurt, no; rather, the fire in my belly prodded me to be better and new. If I am just like my father, what will be special about me?' he asks.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
When Gailard Sartain was discovered for ‘Hee Haw', the actor said, 'Yeah, get out' to Jim Halsey in disbelief
Gailard Sartain , the prominent American actor who worked on various well-known projects and was known for his uncanny portrayal of characters from the South, passed away on June 19. The star was most well-known for his 20-year run on the variety sketch show 'Hee Haw'. How did Gailard Sartain get 'Hee Haw', one of his most well-known projects? In a previous interview with News 6, the actor had recalled his time on the hit variety show 'Hee Haw'. He talked about his success and even delved into the details of how he was discovered for the show that heavily influenced his success in the industry. During the interview, Gailard revealed that he was suddenly approached by Jim Halsey, one of the most prominent artist managers who was responsible for names like Roy Clarke at the time. He shared that 'he came down, said, 'How would you like to be on 'Hee Haw'?' Yeah, get out, you know next, and he said, 'No, I'm serious.'' Sartain shared that at the time, he had no idea who he was and had even proceeded to ask him about it. He had shared that after finding out about who Jim Halsey is, he nervously apologised and asked if he could start over, and the rest was history! The actor was a part of the sketch variety show for the entirety of its run. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo Not only that, but 'Hee Haw' managed to become one of Sartain's most beloved works on the screen. More on Gailard Sartain The beloved American actor amassed a successful career of more than 30 years and managed to work in some of the most beloved shows and films of his time. The actor starred in a total of three 'Ernest' movies alongside the one and only Jim Varney . Not only that, but throughout his career, the actor managed to work with some of the biggest names in the industry, like Francis Ford Coppola , Carl Reiner , Jon Avnet, and Alan Rudolph .
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
World Music Day 2025: Date, history, quotes, significance — all you need to know
World Music Day 2025 Theme and History: Music plays a significant role in our lives, possessing the remarkable ability to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers, thereby uniting individuals from various corners of the globe. Known as Fête de la Musique, World Music Day is celebrated annually on June 21, celebrating music and musicians worldwide with daylong performances and concerts, among other activities. It can be traced back to France in 1982, when the French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, dedicated a day to the celebration of music. Composer Maurice Fleuret was roped in to organise a festival in Paris, thus laying the foundation for the celebration of World Music Day. A different theory for its origins believes that the American writer Joel Cohen came up with the concept of holding an all-night music festival to commemorate the Summer Solstice. On this World Music Day, we celebrate the soul-stirring power of music that unites, heals & inspires. Here's to our talented artists and the rhythm that moves us all. #worldmusicday2025#NagalandForMusic — MyGov Nagaland (@MyGovNagaland) June 21, 2025 Every year, people gather to commemorate World Music Day, which now has grown into a global event that symbolises music as a universal language to symbolise inclusivity and unity. The day is commemorated with slogans like 'Faites de la musique' or 'Make music,' which reflects its main objective of inspiring everyone to enjoy music, regardless of background or ability level. Music reveals truths beyond what wisdom and philosophy can ever express. ~ Ludwig van Beethoven Music should move you, whether it stirs your soul or gets you on your feet. ~ Elvis Presley Music belongs to everyone; it's only publishers who think otherwise. ~ John Lennon The beauty of music is that when it hits you, it brings no pain. ~ Bob Marley Music speaks truth. If anything in this world can bring change, it's through music. ~ Jimi Hendrix Music has always been my constant, even when people weren't. ~ Taylor Swift
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Priyanka Chopra says she accidentally offended John Cena; reveals daughter Malti is a K-pop fan: ‘Every morning, she listens to…'
Priyanka Chopra reunited with one of her favourite talk show hosts, Jimmy Fallon, on The Tonight Show. The actor, who's currently promoting her upcoming film Heads of State with Idris Elba and John Cena, opened up about life with her daughter Malti, marking her first appearance on the show since becoming a mom. During the chat, Priyanka shared how the family had hunkered down in New York for a while due to Nick's Broadway schedule, while she flew back and forth to India for shoots. While talking about her upcoming action-comedy Heads of State, Priyanka Chopra revealed that John Cena turned out to be the exact opposite of what she'd expected. 'They're both the most incredible guys,' said Priyanka. She recalled meeting them for the first time, saying, 'I was very nervous.' 'John is like the opposite of what I expected,' she said. 'I'd never met him before.' On the other hand, she shared that she's known Idris for a while and is friends with his wife. Since she had never met Cena, she decided to break the ice with a joke: 'You know, I came in expecting not to see him,' referencing the iconic 'You can't see me' meme. Even Jimmy Fallon paused for a second before catching the sarcasm and apologising for not getting the joke immediately. Also read: Priyanka Chopra's daughter Malti Marie calls dad Nick Jonas, his brothers Kevin and Joe the 'doughnut brothers': 'She is funny and she knows it' 'The first scene we were doing together, I just went for it—I did the pose in front of him like 'I don't see you,'' she said. At that moment, John and Idris were standing next to each other. As soon as she did the pose, Idris subtly signalled her to stop and told her not to do that in front of John. 'I was like, now I've offended him,' Priyanka said. Later, Idris told her that Cena hates it when someone does that pose to his face. The whole incident left her sweating. Speaking of Malti, she called her precocious, funny, and 'a little comedian,' adding, 'She's the light of our lives.' Later, when Jimmy asked if she was stuck listening to baby music, Priyanka laughed and said Malti's love for music cuts across all genres. The Citadel star revealed Malti is crazy over the American animated musical adventure film Moana and said, 'She wears a Moana dress all day and Moana 2 is her favourite,' while talking about their recent visit to Disney World. She further added that her daughter has a varied sense of music. 'She listens to APT, it's her favourite song by the way,' she said, even belting out the hook lines of the song with Jimmy. 'Every morning,' she added, saying it's her morning song. Hearing that, a curious Jimmy asked if she listened to any of her dad's stuff, any Jonas Brothers songs. Priyanka replied, 'I think she doesn't identify them,' but added, 'she calls them the Doughnut Brothers,' leaving everyone in stitches. 'Will you right now trademark that name?' Jimmy teased, suggesting they should actually make merch out of it, adding he'd buy it like a 'Labubu' doll. Priyanka also revealed how they've now settled on the East Coast for the summer, with Malti having her own little clique of friends, calling her highly sociable and saying, 'Her schedule is crazier than mine. There are so many classes. Kids do so much. She wants to socialise with other babies.' Previously, Nick, too, had revealed how they're sending her to karate and piano lessons. 'She's in nursery school here in New York. She's got her little friend group, and it's wild. We also put her in a bunch of classes,' he shared. 'These toddler schedules are way more intense than my schedule.'
