Hansveena

16+ years

Playing music, for me, is a profound journey that transcends mere sound. Having played the Hansveena for 16 years, I view music as a medium that deeply connects the inner self. I have been trained in Indian Classical music by my father and Guru, Bijal Jagat Shah. By practicing the instrument regularly even today, i can literally feel my thoughts as i make a mistake and bring my attention back to the current moment focusing on the practice. My journey of music is full of stories that keep inspiring me to pursue the art persistently and meticulously. 

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The rare instrument was designed by Varun Paul (in 1970s), a disciple of Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravishankar. I used to play the Mohanveena but happened to come across this instrument when i travelled cross country to several shops in Kolkata where these instruments are hand crafted by artisans. The resonance and sound quality of Hansveena was excellent and I happened to return back home to Ahmedabad with a new instrument. The playing style was exactly the same as Mohanveena. My Guru's Guru, Shri Emmanual Desai noted "It is the instrument which found you and not the other way around"

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Improvising is based on two key aspects: Practice of the muscle and sensibility of the brain. Practice of muscle comes from regular practice enabling capability to play what you think. Sensibility of the brain develops by careful listening of good music. My guru passed on a quote to me "50% music ability develops by just listening carefully"

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As my little contributions to the society and to spread appreciation for Indian classical music, I have ensured that I organize music evenings at all places that I stay. Indian Classical Music is built on improvisation and hence my performances too are planned but the melodies and combinations are creations of the moment. I also create short compositions collaborating with other musicians and using garageband. These compositions do not necessarily belong to any particular genres.