Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has been an extremely busy man, what with the constant globe-trotting, his daughter's wedding last year and now the full-day annual show Homage to Abbaji (Ustad Alla Rakha) which is to take place tomorrow at Shanmukhananda Hall. However, talk to him about the dear departed Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and Zakirbhai has all the time in the world. He reminisces about India's greatest musical talent:

WHO: Ustad Zakir Hussain
WHAT: Reminiscing about Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
WHERE: At a Santacruz hotel

Pic/ Rane Ashish

Rhythm divine
It was Pt Bhimsen Joshi who presented me on stage for the first time. I was just six years old and had accompanied my father to the Savai Gandharv festival in Pune. Seeing me, Panditji said, 'He's your son and so he knows how to play. I'll present him on stage.'

Next thing I knew, I was on stage and Panditji was addressing the crowd and asking them to listen to this young artist, me. Since then, I've played with him innumerable times. He was full of passion and bhakti. When he sang, you could feel his attachment to divinity; there'd be a light all around him, it was a special experience to sit next to him when he sang.

The other side
Panditji and my father were very good friends; in fact, drinking buddies. He was a simple man, but he loved cars. Once he told me, that he wanted to get the Mercedes (pronounced 'Mercheeres' in his unique accent) from the US on Indian roads. He eventually imported the car and drove it around proudly.

My father and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan too loved driving and the three would often take off on long, long drives in a Studebaker. Once when there was a concert in Kolkata, the three sent others and me off in a train. We reached there and were waiting for them. Believe it or not, they drove from Mumbai to Kolkata and arrived straight at the theatre to play. I'm sure a lot of alcohol was consumed along the drive!u00a0u00a0

Musical connect
In this year's Homage to Abbaji, I wanted to pay a tribute to Panditji. I was talking to Shankar Mahadevan about it and next thing I know, I get a call from Suresh Wadkarji. Sureshji offered to put together this beautiful piece Panditji used to sing.

So at 6:30 am tomorrow, after singer Ashvini Bhide and Raees Khan's performances, Sureshji and I will join them for the special act. There are other acts like special performances by Ananya, a singer from Tanzania, who does multi-layered throat singing; a wedding band baja group called Kawa, a performance by Pedro, a Brazilian percussionist who will play a folk instrument, Khol and others. It's going to be lots of fun, and I'm really looking forward to it.