The Sixth String of Vilayat Khan

by Namita Devidayal

Vilayat Khan had just returned from a trip to England, and had brought back Cadbury’s Bournville drinking chocolate. He was very excited to introduce his son to this delicious drink. He stirred up two steaming mugs in the kitchen and brought them out to the porch along with two quilts. He wrapped one around the boy and the other around himself, and they sat there, in silence, holding their mugs. It was freezing. In front of them was the dark silouhette of pine trees fringing the hills. ‘Beta, you know this feeling you are experiencing right now? This whole picture of us sitting here—the inky trees all around us, the sky a lighter shade of black, the cold you are feeling outside, the warmth and comfort you feel inside, this utterly gorgeous moment . . . You have to learn to transcribe all these feelings and this beauty into your music. It is not about the notes but what goes on behind those notes. This is why a musician’s son will always be different from one who comes to learn music. These are things that cannot be taught, they have to be experienced. Every experience must translate into your music. That’s all there is for you to remember. You, my firstborn, will play like a king one day.’