Play the sarod

In 1998 and 1999 during the Easter Pujas I had the privilege to play the jumbush, a Turkish instrument, for Shri Mataji. She was very pleased and spoke to me while we were carrying Her on the palanquin. To carry Mother from Her car to the stage and back on that palanquin was one of our delights at Easter Pujas in Istanbul.

This repeated itself in both years. Shri Mataji told me to go to the academy and learn sarod three times, but I did not do what She said. My job and my worldly responsibilities prevented me, but after the third time in 1999 my wife Bistra supported me and I took an incredible leave of three months and stayed in Nagpur from January 2000 to the closing of Nagpur Academy in March after the passing away of our dear Baba Mama. When I first arrived, Baba Mama suggested that I learn the sitar, but my mind was already set on sarod.

‘I will play the sarod because Mother said so,’ I said to him.

‘If that is what She said you should do so,’ he replied.

When I started to learn, I realised why they say the sarod is the most difficult instrument, and it was only Shri Mataji’s command that kept my faith alive that at some point I would be able to play it. Now when I look back I realise more what an important step it was to take the challenge and I cannot imagine how my life would be without my sarod.

Selim Ergen


Posted

in

, ,

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *