Doctor, engineer create rare sitar-saxophone fusion
Vadodara: A boat glides through the tranquil waters of the Narmada near Malsar village on the outskirts of Dabhoi. As it moves downstream, the familiar strains of ‘Sawan Ka Mahina’ float across the river. But this is no ordinary rendition. The melody emerges through the intricate strings of a sitar
By Prashant Rupera
Vadodara: A boat glides through the tranquil waters of the Narmada near Malsar village on the outskirts of Dabhoi.
As it moves downstream, the familiar strains of ‘Sawan Ka Mahina’ float across the river.
But this is no ordinary rendition.
The melody emerges through the intricate strings of a sitar and the soulful voice of a saxophone, creating a sound that is both familiar and new.The performance, recorded on the Narmada and uploaded on YouTube, introduced audiences to “Swind” — a concept conceived by two 57-year-old Vadodara friends whose bond dates back more than three decades.Their friendship began in a class 12 tuition class.
One of them, Bharat Desai, went on to earn a doctorate and build a career as an engineer, entrepreneur, acoustician and sitar player.
The other, Dr Balkrushna Soni, became a physician, healthcare leader and self-taught saxophonist.Desai, an electronics engineer from MS University, later completed a postgraduate degree in Indian classical instrumental music and earned a doctorate for his research on enhancing the utility of the sitar in contemporary performances.
Inventor of the futuristic string instrument “BharaTar“, he has spent decades balancing technology with music.Soni is a consultant physician with over three decades of experience and the founder of a private hospital.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, his hospital was among the first private healthcare facilities in Vadodara to admit patients.
Alongside medicine, he nurtured a passion for music, teaching himself the saxophone and exploring different genres.Their shared love for music inspired an idea neither had seen attempted in a structured form.
Desai coined the term “Swind” by combining “string” and “wind” — representing the sitar and saxophone.“Swind is an entirely new concept that brings together two instruments from different musical cultures and allows them to converse while preserving their individual identities,” said Desai.Several Swind recordings have been released, with more expected later this year. “Medicine teaches you to listen carefully to people.
Music teaches you to listen carefully to sound.
Both require patience, discipline and sensitivity,” said Soni.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Vadodara | Silver Rate in Vadodara | Bank Holidays in Vadodara | Public Holidays in Vadodara | Vadodara AQI | Weather in Vadodara | Petrol Price in Vadodara | Diesel Price in Vadodara | CNG Price in Vadodara | LPG Price in VadodaraStay updated with the latest Vadodara news.
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