Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri is one of the finest tabla players of the Lucknow gharana India has ever produced. He has been the accompanist to Swarasamrat Ustad Ali Akbar Khan for over almost four decades and is now the Head of the Department of Percussion of Ali Akbar College of Music. He is also the Chairman of World Music Council. Recipient of Padmashree and Sangeet Natak Academy awards from the Govt. of India, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri has always stolen the hearts of music lovers as a soloist as well as an accompanist to music stalwarts of the world. I had the good fortune to speak to him at his Kolkata residence. Here are the excerpts.

How was your teenage? 

My teenage was like all others’ but my father was a strict disciplinarian. I was kept an eye on all the time and because of that I had to practise both my studies and music. We had an extended family. As our family was a conservative one, reading of books was a must there.

Be it in English or Bengali. At that time, we read Upendrakishore or Phantom, and when we grew up a little, we read Bankimchandra, Sharatchandra or Rabindranath. Besides this, I used to play cricket. I played in an intercollegiate match from Jadavpur University. 

How was the beginning of your musical career? 

At first, I learnt Vocal music from my mother. My vocal training helped me play Tabla a lot. You know if you don’t know to sing you cannot play Tabla. If you talk of aesthetics or feelings, then you will feel the notes you are touching by singing (if you know to sing). And once you feel the notes, it will appear to you as though it assumes different forms. In Tabla, the concept of the different forms of a note is just a bit moulded and has been changed to the concept of different forms of a single bol. 

How did you listen to music? 

I was lucky enough to attend live concerts. I attended live concerts of Ustad Habibuddin Khan Sahab, Ustad Thirakwa Khan Sahab, Ustad Masit Khan Sahab and many more. They were the actual monuments of Tabla. Besides, there were Pakhawaj players like Parbat Singh Ji or Ayodhya Prasad Ji. I witnessed the music of both olden generation with the performers like Masit Khan Sahab or Thirakwa Khan Sahab and modern generation with the performers like Alla Rakha Khan Sahab or Samta Prasad Ji. All the performers of that particular era had their own styles of performing and all the musicians were my favourite. When I was a beginner, which I am still, the musicians sitting in the audience used to question and challenge the musicians sitting on stage or they requested them to play in accordance with their desire yet they treated each other in a very loving way. 

How did your Guru teach you music? 

My Guru, Acharya Santosh Krishna Goswami, inspired me a lot. He never allowed us to note down the bols. I had to memorize a class of four hours before taking leave of it.

Today, just because him, I am what I am right now. When I entered the field of Music, all the Tabla players were from the Farrukkhabad School of Tabla. The outsiders weren’t accepted yet I succeeded in securing a place among the Tabla players at that time and it was because of my Guru. 

What had happened to me was that, I used to listen a lot and I used to have all of them verified from my Guru. While listening to a live concert, my Guru could predict what would happen after. I never understood how he did it but now I can understand how he could foreknow music. You know, if you keep on thinking about music, you will find different ways to present it. 

How did the musicians senior to you inspire you? 

They inspired me a lot. I had grown up listening to their music. 

You have played with many a musician but how did you mange to play with them all? 

I told you that if you think about music, you would find different ways to present it. And another thing; if you keep on thinking about music, you can take yourself to such a level that you won’t be able to rise from there mentally – you will find your Tabla sound different.

How was the musical condition abroad when you first went there? 

When I first went there, it was a period of transition there. 

Is anybody of your foreigner students attached to musical bands? 

Many of my foreigner students are attached to musical bands. They like music and they use it in proper ways. You do watch Hollywood movies, don’t you? All the musicians playing there are my students, I know all of them. 

You were good at studies as well. How did you manage to practise both studies and music simultaneously?

Music has such power that it increases one’s concentration level. Once your concentration level rises, you can succeed in whatever you want to do. Actually, there is no wall between music and studies. It’s a misinterpretation and that music hampers one’s academics is believed in our country only. 

Nowadays, students learn music online, then how can Guru Shishya Parampara survive? 

Guru Shishya Parampara can survive if Guru and his disciple are sincere. 

You do perform Tabla solo very well and you accompany well too. How do you balance between these two? 

I told you before that if you love to play Tabla you could do anything with it but remember not to ‘use’ Tabla. 

Who is your most favourite student? 

Every student of mine is my favourite. But, I find most of them to neglect practice but some are there who really do practice. 

What’s your message to the aspiring musicians? 

I would tell them to learn music properly form their respective Gurus. They must clarify all the queries they come across while learning music. And another thing I want to tell the young musicians is that they must not imitate anybody. If you imitate a man your chance to rise higher than him will be lost. Be yourself and create something on your own with your own style.

Class X, Coordinator, AK Ghosh Memorial School