A strikingly red sitar, meticulously crafted by artisans in Vadodara six decades ago, has found its place in the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The sitar, commissioned in 1960 by the parents of renowned sitar artist Hasu Patel, 81, who made her debut at the age of 10, now graces one of the most renowned art museums globally, and among the most frequented in America.
A pupil of the esteemed Ustad Vilayat Khan, Patel recently bestowed her prized sitar upon the museum for meticulous preservation. Before gaining recognition in the US as a performer, educator, and composer, Patel achieved a significant milestone as the first woman to earn a music degree with a gold medal from MS University's Faculty of Performing Arts.
Crafted by Somabhai Mistry, representing the second generation of the renowned Babulal C Mistry family, the sitar stands as a testament to the family's enduring legacy in preserving the tradition of crafting Indian stringed instruments for over 150 years.
As a child, I used to frequently visit the workshop, sit at its entrance eagerly waiting to know the progress of the sitar that Somabhai was making for me," Hasu Patel, who used this instrument for more than 50 years, told media from the US.
Patel said she insisted that the sitar should be red polished so that it stands out from the other male performers. She along with her children Dr Mehool Patel and Dr Alpana Grover gifted the sitar to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.