Ashok Pathak

Pandit Ashok Pathak, son of the legendary Pt. Balaram Pathak, is undoubtedly one of the most interesting sitarists right now. Following his teaching is really an outstanding experience. Deeply rooted in tradition, always creative and poetic, Ashok Pathak still finds the way to charm us by his intense and colorful playing. The "Pathak Gharana" (style coming from the Pathak family) is, with sincerity, respected by all the artists, among which Ravi Shankar, who calls himself a "fan".

Pandit Ashok Pathak – Sitar & Surbahar Maestro and Composer

Pandit Ashok Pathak, a leading sitar player of his generation is known as the ‘Khalifa’ or ‘Torch bearer’ of the Pathak Gharana. He is the son of the illustrious sitar player Pandit Balaram Pathak (who has been an inspiration for several prominent sitar players). The musicians of the Pathak Gharana were court musicians at the Royal Palace in Kolkata and Cossimbazar, district Murshidabad West-Bengal, India.

Pathak Gharana

Among the well-known sitar Gharanas (or playing style), the Pathak Gharana is refreshing and soul touching, characterized by a long ‘Alap’, a profound mastery of the ‘Meend’ techniques and great virtuosity in ‘Jor’ and ‘Jhala’. Pt. Ashok Pathak’s style of playing is unique and too rarely heard these days. Besides playing the sitar, he is an excellent surbahar player in dhrupad style as well.

International collaborations

He has received many awards, in India and abroad. He has performed in many major festivals (Sfinks, Mundial) and toured widely in Europe, North-Africa, Qatar, China and South America. Pt. Ashok Pathak is immensely busy spreading this unique style of sitar playing. He has students in different parts of the world, has recorded many Indian classical albums and worked in several cross-culture projects (e.g. with Tunisian, Turkish and Flamenco music).

Music Meditation

Pandit Ashok Pathak has been providing Nada Yoga and Yoga Nidra meditation in Europe for 25 years. This meditation is a path of unification through sounds and mantras. It is not just some general harmonic sounds or ragas, but it is a complete science, in which specific sound formations are deployed on our specific physical and mental constitutions. It is also applied to our different state of mind. Nada Yoga & Yoga Nidra has a strong purifying and transforming influence on your total being. The harmonic sound vibrations wash the impurities in your more subtle layers of energy that work through to your physical body. This gives a refreshing energy that vibrates in your body.

Langues : Anglais, Néerlandais