When Zakir Hussain’s tabla performance left Mangaluru spellbound

Mangaluru: Seventeen years ago, on December 16, 2007, Ustad Zakir Hussain captivated an audience in Mangaluru with his enchanting tabla performance at an open-air concert organized by Sangeet Bharati Pratishthan.

The maestro’s one-and-a-half-hour recital left the audience spellbound.

The concert, held at the Mangalore University College grounds, marked Hussain’s third visit to Mangaluru. His earlier visits were in 1960 and 1975.

During the 2007 event, Ustad Zakir Hussain was accompanied by several renowned artists, including Mangaluru’s own Ankush Nayak, who provided exceptional support to the tabla virtuoso, making it a memorable evening for all attendees.

Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away on December 15, 2024, at the age of 73 in San Francisco.