Punjab: She couldn’t afford to buy her own sarangi (a stringed instrument), yet she won a gold medal at the zonal youth festival.

Punjab: Darshan Kaur, a second-year MA Vocal Music student at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya in Jalandhar, doesn’t own her own sarangi, but she won first prize in classical instrumental music at the zonal youth festival organized by Guru Nanak Dev University last month, playing this stringed instrument. Darshan Kaur started playing the instrument just four years ago and has made a name for herself by practicing only during college hours. “It was in my first year of BA at PCM SD College when my then teacher, Harpriya, suggested I try playing the sarangi. I tried it and enjoyed playing it immensely. I was able to add some professional touch to my playing because the college had hired Dhadis and some music accompanists to train the students. I couldn’t take the sarangi home for long practice sessions, and all my practice was limited to the free time I got between classes at college. My first motivation came when I received the best sarangi player award in my final year,” she shared about her journey. On the sarangi, Darshan played old Punjabi folk songs, ‘Jutti Kasuri, Pairi Na Poori’ and ‘Latthe Di Chadar’.
“For my post-graduation, I enrolled in MA Vocal Music at HMV College. I couldn’t participate in the Youth Festival in my first year of PG. Now that I am in my third semester, I have won the top prize in instrumental music at the GNDU zonal fest. I dedicate this award to my grandfather. He was a tabla player. He learned it from Ustad Pandit Ramakant. I come from a Namdhari family, which is known for its interest in music. Our day begins with soulful music played in the form of Asa Di Var or some other Gurbani music. My grandfather always wished that his future generations would also show a passion for music. It is his wish that I have tried to fulfill,” she said. Darshan also spoke about the difficulties she faces due to not being able to afford a sarangi. “The starting price of a sarangi is 9000 rupees, and if I want to learn it professionally, I would have to spend even more money, which is not possible right now. Before the Youth Festival, I used to carry the sarangi from college to my home every day and then bring it back to college. I live in Lohara.
My father or younger brother would drop me off at the Lambra bus stop. From there, I would take a bus to the Jalandhar city bus stand, keeping the sarangi on my lap. From the bus stand, I had to take an auto-rickshaw to my college. During my three-part daily journey, I couldn’t put that sacred musical instrument down on the ground. I had to handle it very carefully because it is very delicate. All of this wasn’t easy, but in the end, I reaped the rewards of all the hard work I put in to hone my skills,” she narrated her daily routine. Her father works as a die-maker. She further added, “Even when the entire college was closed on Sundays, Dussehra, and Diwali, I would still go to the campus for my rehearsals. I played the sarangi not only for my own event but also for other events where background music was required.”