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Mysore Music Association had arranged a concert of Halim Jaffer Khan’s Sitar concert in the CFTRI auditorium. He was accompanied on the tabla by Sheikh Dawood. It was a scintillating concert of Binkar ang Sitar playing. After a couple of hours of playing He took a break and we, the audience, went out to have some fresh air. I remember seeing Sheikh Dawood having a quick beedi and somehow the image has stayed with me.
By the time the concert resumed half the audience had disappeared. Mysore was a sleepy city where eight at night was very late and the streets would be empty. So, many people preferred to be home as early as possible.
Halim Jaffer had announced the two Raags he had played before the interval. In the same vein he bent toward the mic and said, “I am now going to play . . . I don’t think this audience needs me to tell them what raag it is” and started playing. He was paying a compliment to the aficionados. Little did he realise that there was at least one who did not recognise the raag – me. I did recognise the next one – Bhairavi with which ended the lovely concert.
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