Meeting legendary Santoor artist Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, you cannot but experience a powerful and mystical presence in the room, the Padma Vibhushan recipient who a few years ago released the complete anthology of his work, is a thoroughbred Bandraite and has been a resident of the suburb since 1961.
To many, the Santoor is classified as a folk instrument, but ask living legend Shiv Kumarji, and he is quick to inform you that though many think it is, the 100 stringed Santoor is in fact a classical instrument. To date, Sharma has since recorded dozens of music albums, while his son, the dashing Rahul Sharma is keeping close competition with his dad and has recorded over 40 albums. While Shiv Kumarji has played with a host of Indian musicians, Rahul, on the other hand, makes a jugalbandi of the Santoor with western instruments making it more mystifying, playing with the likes of Richard Clayderman, Kenny G, to Egyptian Oud (an 11 string instrument) maestro Georges Kazazian and Deep Forest’s Éric Mouquet, all his compositions creating ripples among New Age connoisseurs.
Pandit Shiv Kumar has been a Bandraite even since he relocated to Mumbai from Jammu and Kashmir in 1960 and since 1961 he has been staying in Bandra. “My first house in Mumbai was on 14th road at Shanti villa” he recalls fondly adding “the 2nd house was on 15th road Ashiana, and since 1974 I have been living in Rajiv Apartments on the Zigzag road, Pali Hill. In my time, there were bungalows and very few high rise buildings. At Pali Naka, there was very less traffic, no buses at all. I also remember we used to walk from the Zigzag road and go to Linking road which nobody can believe today. I used to have chaat (savoury snacks) there. There was also a restaurant Gazebo which was very popular. Near 17th road, there were farms where people used to grow vegetables. We would walk down and buy vegetables from the farm owners. This sounds like a dream today”. (Laughs)
Shiv Kumarji recollects the days when he was recording background music at Anand studio (Dev Anand’s studio) and used to walk from his house on the Zigzag road to the studio. “Now walking on the Zigzag road is at the risk of one’s life” (smiles). The maestro along with the late Naushad Sahab, late Smt. Sushila Rani Patel and Dr. P. Madhok who lives on Pali Hill together planted small saplings on the Zigzag road which today have grown into large trees. “It’s nice to see some greenery today and the fruits of what we had done for Bandra,” say Shiv Kumarji.
During his time, Bandra did not have auto-rickshaws, it was very safe to walk on the road and also safe to drive. “Now, your driver requires great acumen to manoeuvre his car, because there is a tremendous amount of traffic from both directions on Pali hill. But Bandra still has got its own charm and beauty. I cannot think of leaving Bandra and staying in any other place in Mumbai. I am happy that there are a few changes in the last few years like promenades on Carter Road and Bandstand which is a welcome change for Bandraites.”
Rahul’s delightful tango with music and the Santoor dates back to when he was barely 13 years old. He used to accompany his father when he used to travel on tours for his shows and that got him fascinated to the Santoor. “I learnt the instrument seriously and ever since I can’t do without it”. A versatile musician in his own right, Rahul is acknowledged worldwide for composing enchanting music be it his slow pieces or music that is fit for a James Bond movie. Born and brought up in Bandra, Rahul has vivid memories of living in the Queen of the Suburbs.
Going back to his days as a college kid, he fondly recalls roads without auto rickshaws. “I remember cycling all around zigzag road and on the slopes of Pali hill and Mt Mary church towards Bandstand. Bandra has a beautiful seafront and is one of the prime areas in Mumbai. I guess Malabar hill is equally good, but Bandra still is the Queen of suburbs as it also has quaint little villages that still exist and beautiful heritage churches.”
Shuttling between his dad’s house and his own apartment in Bandstand on Kane Road (off Mt Mary’s Basilica) post his marriage to wife Barkha, Rahul’s favourite hangouts was Carter road during college days, Joggers park and now the Bandstand promenade. His love for the sea made him purchase a sea-facing apartment. This also gets him recharged to begin his day with a walk. “I simply love the sea view from my bedroom, and enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with it,” he says.
The only problem he faces in his new abode is during the Mount Mary fair when lakhs of people throng the area and it becomes inconvenient to get in and out of his building due to illegal hawkers. He also adds in no uncertain terms that “like any other area in Mumbai, traffic has increased in Bandra, but I guess that’s a major problem in Mumbai and any big city”.
While Rahul still considers Bandra to be the Queen of the Suburbs, his father does not think so. “I think it used to be the Queen of suburbs maybe 15 years ago. Now it needs to change for the better to reclaim that title. People who live here should also be ready to maintain the beauty, cleanliness and obey traffic rules. Unplanned construction work, buildings after buildings coming up without any proper infrastructure, has been responsible for the plight of the Queen of Bandra losing its charm and shine to a great extent.”
