FLORIDA NEWS
A TRIBUTE TO THE USTAD OF ALL USTADS, ZAKIR HUSSAIN!
“As I speak to you, my tabla is literally three feet away from me. Since I was 3 days old, I have heard only the tabla tone and sound. I will play it till it has to leave me or I decide to leave and go to the next world.” So spoke the late Zakir Hussain in 2016 in one of a few interviews to Khaas Baat. The tabla maestro, also a composer, percussionist, music producer and film actor, died Dec. 15 in San Francisco.
At the ripe age of just 12, the son of the legendary Ustad Allarakha would accompany Indian classical musicians and dancers to concerts and by 18, he would go on international tours. The world music movement has been orphaned with his demise, leaving behind such wonderful collaborations as Shakti, Remember Shakti, Masters of Percussion, Planet Drum and Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland, CrossCurrents with Dave Holland and Chris Potter, in trio with Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer, and, most recently, with Herbie Hancock. A recipient of Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Ustadji has four Grammys to his credit.
And when we had asked his advice to youngsters learning tabla, Ustadji had told us, “Don’t get awed by the information that this is such an old tradition. Just approach it as a drum and try to enjoy it and be friends with it and maybe then it will reveal itself to you. As a child, I used to bang on the drum and in doing so, myself and the tabla bonded! It’s the best possible toy any child could have.”
Shankh Lahiri, director and founder of Shruti Foundation, Shruti School of Music and Wahh World Fusion Band said on behalf of the entire artist and musician community from Tampa Bay, “We are paying our deepest Shradhanjali to our legend, Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab. His contribution to music, especially Indian and world music, will remain forever. His sudden departure at the age of 73 left us with a big emptiness inside our hearts, but his joyful music and his creative genius inspire us constantly. His driving force toward being a student of life and openness brings new ideas unparalleled to our music world. Thank you, maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, for all your contributions to our lives.”
BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOLS APPROVE DIWALI HOLIDAY
Come Oct. 20, 2025, Broward County schools will be closed to recognize Diwali. In a unanimous decision last month, the Broward County School Board approved the Hindu holiday for the first time. Over 35,000 students are part of the country’s sixth largest school system, which already celebrates Christian and Jewish holidays, as well as the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
“Broward County’s approval of Diwali as a holiday is a testament to the power of advocacy and engagement at the local level,” said Suhag Shukla, executive director and co-founder of the Hindu American Foundation. “Having our festivals recognized in this way educate others about our philosophies and practices and enable Hindu families to celebrate without the tension of their children missing important class projects or tests, so a win-win in every way.”
IRCC acknowledged that it has been a long tedious process and a lot of effort to get this approval. “A huge thank you to all the community leaders, parents and board members that contributed to make this possible. Cheers to progress, unity, and embracing the beauty of our diverse cultures!”
KHAASBAAT.COM WEB SITE, EBLASTS, SPONSORSHIP AND MORE!
By NITISH S. RELE and SHEPHALI J. RELE
In this digital age, it bears no repetition that newspapers are a dying breed. A report by Northwestern University reveals that two newspapers are folded every week. As we steadily march toward our 19-year anniversary (printing monthly since August 2004 without skipping an issue), here are some thoughts for our readers.
Since the onset of Covid, Khaas Baat has been available in its entirety in PDF format at khaasbaat.com for everyone, free of charge. If you would like to receive our weekly emails, let us know at [email protected] And if you want home/office delivery, please fill out the subscription form on page two. Despite rising printing and mailing costs, we will continue to publish Khaas Baat. But we will need sponsors and your support moving forward to make that happen. Checks can be addressed to Khaas Baat, 8312 Windsor Bluff Drive, Tampa, FL 33647. Payment can also be made via PayPal to PP ID:[email protected]