Amjad Ali Khan seeks protection of national monuments

Washington, Sep 17 (IANS) Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan wants new rules framed to protect India’s top national monuments like the Taj Mahal and prevent another sad episode like the Babri Masjid demolition.

Describing the 1992 demolition of the 16th century structure as “a blot on India’s fair name”, he said as the nation celebrates 60 years of independence one should dispassionately analyse the gains and losses and also mourn what has been lost.


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More than just a mosque, Babri was a national monument, said Khan in an interview with IANS suggesting a change in Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rules so that it may focus attention on the country’s ten or so most important heritage sites.

The saddest thing was that the current rule treating all old structures on an equal footing led to harassment of people in the name of even lesser monuments, while the true heritage sites like the Taj Mahal were endangered.

Khan, who will be giving a concert in New York next week as part of the “Incredible India@60” celebration organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said “no doubt India has achieved a lot, but at the same time we have lost a great deal.”

“Our traditional values and culture, for one are getting swept away by the powerful wave of westernisation and we are losing our identity. Security of life is threatened at times and the judiciary’s independence eroded,” he said.

Yet “India is still the most tolerant nation with a feeling of humility and respect for elders an inherent expression of our belief in the power of blessings,” he said lamenting the gradual loss of Indian tradition of feet touching. “We believe in blessings. This helps.”

Dubbing high profile public schools as five-star institutions that were turning out highly inept products, Khan said having lost something in 60 years, he was only worried about loss of India’s culture and civilisation. English ruled the roost with students discouraged to follow India’s own culture and greet teachers with folded hands, he said. “Schools are only making money and producing robots.”

They may turn out 100 percent technically perfect products, but one can’t achieve much without blessings, Khan said suggesting that a no books period may be introduced in school to teach the basic concept of old values and a faith in humanity.

His own education started at home without a book as he learnt the art of sarod at the feet of masters in the old ‘gurukul’ tradition of service before he went to a formal school where he felt very uncomfortable without any knowledge of English.

Khan admitted, “school gave me courage to face the world” but said he was worried “we are losing humanity and education is becoming a symbol of arrogance.” There were many other aspects of life too where reform was needed, he said, suggesting judiciary was becoming a mockery as witnesses were purchased with impunity.

Committed to the legacy of seven generations of raga culture, Khan said he went round the world spreading the message of unity and love to all humankind. He was proud that his sons Ayaan and Amaan had kept up the family tradition even as they experimented with a totally different concept of fusion witnessed in their recordings “Truth” and “Reincarnation”.

Seeking a revival of Indian culture on the electronic media, he lamented that television channels committed to entertainment were blindly aping the West and classical music could be heard on only state owned Doordarshan despite the availability of very talented classical musicians.

The channels offered no constructive programme, Khan said, suggesting they should be Indianised to foster a sense of nationhood with anchors donning the dresses of every state to reflect the rich cultural diversity of the country.

With wife Subhalakshmi, a great exponent of the Indian classical dance, Bharatnatyam, belonging to a faith other than his own, the Khans feel connected with every religion. “We want peace in the world. While each country has its own faiths, let’s not forget that we are all children of one god,” the maestro said.

Khan and sons were in Washington last week for ‘The Changing Lives Concert’ to further the cause of people with developmental disabilities worldwide.

“I am proud to be playing for such a noble cause,” remarked Khan as he took the stage at the concert organised by the Centre for Social Change International (CSCI), a non-profit organisation, based in Maryland.

CSC International currently works with India Centre for Social Change (ICSC) in India to promote better health and education of children and adults that have mental retardation or other disabilities with programmes initiated in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and the Andaman islands.

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