It's been a long time since I've written anything... I'm currently living in the DDA Flats in Munirka - South Delhi. It's a large neigborhood with lots of five-story-high flats. I've been studying Hindustani singing with my guruji, Sarita Pathak, who is an amazing person as well as an amazing singer. She just performed in Chandigarh (Punjab) and I was privileged enough to accompany her to the venue. During the trip I stopped by Punjab University and interviewed a PhD student about his perspective on singing and his personal practices, etc. I met many artists at the performance that evening and have collected their contact information for interviews this week in Delhi. I'll be interviewing Ghulam Sadiq Khan and Mujahid Hussain Khan this week. Later I'll travel to Bombay, first of all to interview the eminent vocalist Mustafa Khan, and also to visit my cousin Faheem. I'll also begin attending a class next week (Feb. 2) at JNU, a university 15 min. from my flat. It's a musicology course specifically focused on Hindustani classical music, and the professor will be visiting from Bombay. I also have been visiting Delhi University, which is a 2 hour ride on the mudrika bus - the "ring" bus, since it goes all the way around the city, around Ring Road.
My family (Mom, Dad, Yasi & Tarik) visited for ten days during the end of December. We visited Agra, Jaipur, and also other towns in Uttar Pradesh where our relatives live: Meerut, Khurja and Gulaothi. One of my cousins, Mairaj Ahmed Khan, is a very accomplished skeet shooter who will be competing this week for a position on the commonwealth team... aiming for the next olympics! Insh'allah. His sister Farheen is planning to marry in March, so hopefully I'll be able to attend. Qaseem uncle, Rana aunty, and cousin Abdur Rahim went back to Saudi Arabia as well as cousins Roheena and Aleem. The boys headed back to college in Australia. Qaseem's brother Waseem has been in contact with me as well has his daughter Fariya who is very sweet. We're planning to go to Bombay together. We'll see...
