USTAD Ripudaman Singh Plaha

My road map to learning the Santoor.

My Tabla Guru, Ustad Ripudhamman Singh Plaha, left this world to rest at the lotus feet of Satguru Ji in May 2016, at the age of 83. Having emigrated from Kenya in the 1960s, Ustad Ji was a jovial and gentle soul, whose love for life brought smiles and relaxation to everyone around him. I owe everything to my beloved Ustad Ji, who not only taught me Tabla and classical music but also paved the way for me to reach my peak as a Santoor player under the guidance of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. He treated me like his son, and for nearly eight years, he lovingly mentored me through my school days.

It was through a Tabla solo I performed in the presence of Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji that I was given the opportunity to travel to Bombay to study Santoor with Guruji. Satguru Ji imparted his profound knowledge of Indian Classical Music, teaching me the nuances of Swar and Taal. He was not only my Guru but also my patron, possessing a vast understanding of bandishes and rare Talas.

I have always been an avid collector of music from great maestros, such as Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Alla Rakha, Pandit Samta Prasad, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, and legends of the past like Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, and many more. However, it was not until Ustad Ji’s son, Davinder Singh Plaha, urgently invited me to his house that I first encountered the Santoor. He played an LP of Shiv Ji’s music, and after listening, I silently prayed to Satguru Ji, asking him to make this great Santoor maestro my Guru.

A few months later, Satguru Ji visited me, and after my Tabla solo, he asked me to listen to a special recording—the same LP of Guruji that I had heard earlier. Satguru Ji had also visited my father, who had recently had an accident. At the hospital, Satguru Ji asked my father to give his son to him, and without hesitation, my father agreed, giving me Satguru Ji’s divine blessings.

Both of my parents were musically inclined and had learned vocal music from esteemed Ustads. My father, in particular, was my inspiration, hoping that I would become a Gandharv. In 1968, we emigrated from Tanzania to the U.K., and on the same day we bought our new house, my father took me to Southall Broadway, where we purchased a record player and a collection of LPs from great musicians such as Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, and Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.

Ustad Ji’s father was a prominent vocalist from the Gwalior Gharana, and his uncle, Ustad Uddam Singh, was also a renowned musician. Ustad Ji learned Tabla from Ustad Jaswant Singh, who had studied under Ustad Malang. Later, Ustad Ji became a disciple of the legendary Ustad Alla Rakha.

I am deeply fortunate and eternally grateful to all my Gurus for their guidance, blessings, and for shaping my musical journey.