It isn't everyday that you get to see a woman with a sarod. But Pandita Zarine Sharma has been performing with one ever since she was 10
It isn't everyday that you get to see a woman with a sarod. But Pandita Zarine Sharma has been performing with one ever since she was 10.
And after all these years of tireless practice sessions and stellar performances, she's finally gearing up to receive the Swar Aalap Lifetime Achievement Award on Friday. She talks to CS about being a classical woman artiste in a man's world: 
Woman on top
I think what matters the most, is your performance and not your gender. I concede that many female artistes have it difficult after marriage, when they're expected to give up their vocation or maybe become less involved in it. But I've been very fortunate in this regard. My husband (sitarist Ashok Sharma) has been as supportive of my career as my father used to be. In fact, he's always accompanied me to all my concerts. It's great to know that my children and my husband's family are always in the crowd when I'm performing.
Child's play
Whatever I am today is because of my parents. I started performing with a harmonium when I was just four years old. And since I was too young to understand anything, every time my parents dressed me up in a pretty salwar kameez, I knew that I would be performing somewhere. Those were good days. I was so passionate about music that I would come home from school, wrap up my homework as soon as I could, just so that I would have time to practise my sarod. And sometimes I would play for hours at length that I parents would tell me to call it a day. I still play for hours at a stretch and thoroughly enjoy it.u00a0
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