Remembering Abba

On Father's Day, sitar maestro Ustad Hidayat Husain Khan writes about his father

Making music together: Ustad Vilayat Khan and Ustad Hidayat Husain Khan. Making music together: Ustad Vilayat Khan and Ustad Hidayat Husain Khan.

I have so many memories with my father. He was a man of many facets, several of which he tried to pass on to me. One of our hobbies was cooking. Our house was always full of people and he would take so much pride in cooking something special for them. We would plan recipes together with my mom and come up with new dishes.

We shared the love of cars, watches, shawls, interior design and architecture, to name a few. He was a collector of exotic cars, from a convertible Jaguar to a BMW V12. We would plan long trips together and find distant food joints, just as an excuse to enjoy the drive.

He could spend hours discussing the intricate stitching of a jamawar shawl. He taught me to appreciate the simplicity of a watch design or a Persian carpet. He believed that a good musician should have diverse interests to make his or her music interesting. He had a quirky sense of humour and would not mind cracking a joke about himself.

I have learnt so many important life lessons from him. He had so much respect for each and every person he interacted with. He would make sure that he thanked a person for the smallest gesture. If a door man opened the door for him he would thank him and acknowledge the act.

He would always say to me, “Beta, when you perform, be an Ustad regardless of who is listening to you, but when you are the listener, make sure you listen as a student, regardless of who is performing.” He taught me that humility is the key to growth. Music is not a destination but rather a journey. Here is what I would like to say as someone who has lost his father and cannot create any more memories with him. Take time out of your busy lives and spend some special moments with your loved ones. Because life, at the end, is too short for regrets.

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