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Scholar-Journalist of the week: Inspiration for playing tabla

This week’s winner, Samarbir Singh says, “Tabla connects me with god”

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The soothing sound of tabla is surely the best way to find solace in this busy world. When Samarbir Singh was just two, he began learning the instrument. At nine years now, he aspires to turn his passion into his profession. For his pursuit, he is inspired by none other than the celebrated musician, Zakir Hussain. In the following interview, the class 4 student of Apeejay School, Model Town in Jalandhar, shares more. Read on, edited excerpts from the interview.   

Please tell us about yourself.

I love to play tabla, it is the only instrument I know. Whenever I have some free time at hand, I practice it. Honestly, I am a self-taught player and have tuned into YouTube channels and other such videos to learn more about it. The only other source is going to the Gurudwara and watching others play it. So, I have learnt from observation. I used to and still do sit and notice the ‘taals’ quite often. I would say that I have about 50 percent proficiency at tabla.  

How did you begin at the instrument?

Whenever I visited the Gurudwara, I felt quite drawn to it. I felt that my fingers automatically began to move to its rhythms. So, I became curious and the drive to learn it began to take me further.

Tell us about your write-up: Inspiration for playing tabla?

It took about 1-2 hours to pen down my thoughts. The idea simply came to me due to my interest. I was confident that this write-up is what I want to share with others.

Do you write frequently? Any tips you wish to share?

Yes. Often I make it a point to write a few paragraphs in a day. If you see the write-up I have sent, it has very simple words and thoughts. That is what I practice and would advise to others. 

Mrini Devnani is a Principal Correspondent and Marketing Coordinator at Newsroom. She covers student achievements, conducts interviews, and contributes content to the website. Previously, she served as a Correspondent specialising in Edu-tech for the India Today Group. Her skill areas extend to Social Media and Digital Marketing. For any inquiries or correspondence, you can reach out to her at [email protected].

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