"I want to be the slowest sitarist on the planet, Rishab Sharma says. Everyone is trying their gimmicks and playing as fast as they can but I want to provide a sense of comfort and peace when we're so busy and full of anxiety. The youngest of Ravi Shankar's sitar disciples, 27-year-old Sharma has spent the past five years transforming the ancient Indian classical instrument into a tool for wellbeing."
"My grandfather was like a third parent to me and when he died I was completely broken, Sharma says. I stopped playing sitar, I wasn't eating properly and I often didn't get out of bed. My friends suggested I go to therapy but since it was the pandemic, I couldn't get any appointments. Sharma languished for months before remembering his grandfather's enthusiasm for the sitar. He would clap along while I played and"
"The mission is to introduce every soul on the planet to the sound of the sitar, Sharma says. We toured India for three months and often had four generations of family members coming along. Now I want to spread it to western audiences and share this instrument that has helped me heal."
Rishab Sharma, a 27-year-old disciple of Ravi Shankar, has spent five years adapting the sitar into a wellbeing tool called Sitar for Mental Health. His live performances integrate group breathing exercises, meditation, intermission talking prompts and a repertoire spanning traditional ragas, Bollywood songs and popular theme tunes. The project has attracted millions of followers and streams and has drawn multigenerational Indian audiences on tour. A personal loss during the pandemic prompted a shift toward using the instrument for healing. He now aims to introduce the sitar and its calming effects to western audiences.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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