India’s soft power and rich musical heritage on full display in the United States.
America and Indian Americans got a glimpse of India’s soft power and rich musical heritage as Zila Khan, a leading Sufi singer and daughter of sitar maestro, the late Ustad Vilayat Khan, mesmerised the lovers of Indian music at Washington DC, New York and Houston in the past one week.
Khan was in the United States for her performances at these Indian-American dominated cities as part of India@70 celebrations to mark India’s Independence Day in the US. She mesmerised the crowds at the Georgetown University in Washington DC, where the Indian Embassy had organised the concert and again at Asia Society’s event in NYC and then in Houston.
It was a week of soaking into melodies and going to the rich musical roots of India for many Indian Americans, as the Kolkata-born Zila Khan, an inheritor of strong musical roots, turned out to be a revelation. Zila strongly believes that culture connects countries and people across continents. “Culture is such an important bridge for every kind of country to be tied together. We all feel that politics and economy can change, but culture is one thing that remains the same. It is built on a very, very solid foundation, which stays and sustains itself,” she said during the concert at the Georgetown University.
Praising her musical roots and her passion for Sufi music, India’s Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna said: “She lives her music and she gives it all her heart. Music is in her blood.”
Zila passionately argues that “it is important to feel that (culture) in your music”. Elaborating her point, she said while she has musicians from across the world—the US, Egypt, Africa, and European nations—to play with her, but she keeps the “fabric of Indian Sufi music intact”.
She credited her father for the success and fame she has got today. “He not only trained me, but also changed the family tradition that did not allow women to perform…” He (Ustad Vilayat Khan) honed my skills. He made me do the riyaz daily for 12 to 16 hours sometimes.”
Zila, who is today famous for her command over various music styles, added, “I feel very privileged that I had a mentor and a guru who could show me my brilliance.”
Sarna has only praise for Zila: “She has sort of made music her life… It is not just the Sufi music which you hear, if you actually explore Zila Khan’s repertoire, there is ghazal, fusion, jazz and experimental music.” The Indian Ambassador didn’t forget to add that he’d first heard the acclaimed Sufi singer at the Jahan-e-Khusrau festival at Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi.
Zila, who is a regular performer at Indian and international music festivals, including at the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Symphony Space, Broadway and Trafalgar Square in London, signed off with a wish: “If I can leave 15-20 students, singers, performers, instrumentalists like me and better, who would perform and spread Indian cultural heritage globally, I think my journey and my life would be quite complete.”
Maneesh Pandey is Senior Executive Editor with the ITV Network and currently a Fulbright Visiting Professor at Delaware State University, USA.