Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain met his demise on December 15 at the age of 73 in a San Francisco hospital. Hussain, who was in the hospital for two weeks, was in the ICU after his condition worsened. He passed away due the complications that arose from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung condition.

Today, it is impossible to think of the maestro with any other instrument than the tabla. The percussion instrument has become synonymous with the legend and is seen as his extension. However, there were times when Zakir Hussain dreamt differently for himself. Enamoured with rock and roll, Hussain wanted to play the drums. The artist had a change of heart after he had a conversation with The Beatles’ lead guitarist, George Harrison. During a tour with sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, Harrison invited Hussain to join him at Trident Studios in London. The invitation was extended to record ‘Living in the Material World’.  It was the follow-up to Harrison’s celebrated solo album ‘All Things Must Pass.’

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During his interview with The National, Hussain credited Harrison for his career as a percussionist. Recounting, he said, “I remember I asked George, ‘Why aren’t you playing the sitar on this album’? I took it a step further and said, ‘Why don’t you play the sitar on stage?'” Harrison responded, “I don’t want to insult my teachers by playing the sitar badly on stage. It is not my instrument, and I haven’t grown up with it. But I can take that music, and I can transpose it on my guitar, which I have more control over, and offer my reverence and respect to the art form.”

According to reports, Tabla maestro #ZakirHussain passed away at the age of 73 in the US on Sunday, December 15. The musician was hospitalised in the US due to serious health concerns, with an update shared on social media.#RIP #LatestNews #TheStatesman pic.twitter.com/rHnSFWqTC1

— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) December 15, 2024

When Hussain revealed his interest in rock drumming to Harrison, The Beatles star’s words showed him the mirror. “George looked at me and said, ‘You are here because you have something unique to offer. If you want to play drums, that’s fine. But then you will join the 5,000 other drummers who are waiting in line to play with me, and you will have to work your way up to get here.’” Looking at it in retrospect, Hussain said, “That was the day I dropped the idea of wanting to be a rock drummer and focused on making my instrument speak all the languages of rhythm that exist on this planet. I can’t thank George enough for straightening me out.”

As the conversation progressed, Hussain iterated on the dynamism of music and the importance of adaptability.  “When you are on a journey, you don’t know what’s out there. So, you have to mould yourself to whatever is going on and go with the ebb and flow. When you are relaxed and open up, the music comes out with thoughts of the moment, and you are able to converse and interact with players from all genres.”

For context, in 1973, George Harrison released ‘Living in the Material World,’ a musical rendition of the artist’s interaction with spiritual introspection. The album fused the power of music and blended the East and the West, creating a celebration of music. Hussain’s tabla added a layer of depth and dynamism to Harrison’s rock style.

Moreover, in another interview with Simi Garewal, Zakir Hussain revealed his former interest in rocking jeans and taking the rock and roll music scene. While he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, Ustad Alla Rakha, the growing influence of Western music grew on him. “I wanted to wear jeans, I wanted to be a rock and roll star. I wanted to make a million dollars.”

Also Read: Zakir Hussain, legendary tabla maestro, passes away at 73

He added, “I walked around the streets of Bombay with a boombox on my shoulder, listening to Doors and Beatles and what not. I thought that was the way to go, make a lot of money and be famous very quickly.” However, things weren’t as glossy. “But when I got there, there was a whole different world altogether. I was living on 25 dollars a week, making one vegetable curry pot, heating it up every day and eating it with bread. Very tough times.”

Looking at the times, Hussain revealed how traditional music was as a second to modernised Western music. However, as fate played out, he went on to play to his strengths and emerge as the legendary musical maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain.