Any Indian worth their salt knows that in a Hindu household no auspicious moment, be it a religious festival or a wedding in the family, is complete without the melodious strains of the wind instrument “Shehnai”. Today, I learned that the best exponent of this royal instrument, Ustad Bismillah Khan, has departed this world to be with his maker.

Ustad (urdu for scholar or expert) Bismillah Khan was a Giant among the Indian classical musicians, one of the handful to be granted the highest honor bestowed by the President of India to a civilian, Bharat Ratna, the Gem of India. Yet the humility with which he lived his life, the austerity that he cherished and maintained until his death speaks volumes about the values he held close to his heart. He played Shehania for the love of the instrument, not as a means to wealth or glory.

Khan sahib started his career very early in life when at the age of 6 he left the home town of Bhojpur (in Bihar) to live and study with his uncle in Hindu holy city of Benares (Varanasi). As a young boy Bismillah Khan learned first hand the values of good musicianship and how good music transcended religious barriers. Just like his uncle, who despite being a muslim was the chief shehanai player of the Vishwanath temple in Benaras and was always much in demand, Bismillah Khan played for Hindu temples right until his death, while maintaining his own Shi’a religious faith.

As his virtuosity grew, within India Bismallah Khan quickly achieved fame and came to be recognized as the face of classical Indian music. Ustad Bismillah Khan is not well known in the West, but such was his virtuosity that on the eve of Indian independence he was invited to herald the dawn of Freedom at the Red Fort in New Delhi.

To us in the West, thanks to Pandit Ravi Shankar’s fame, Sitar is the one instrument we associate with Indian music. However in my mind Shehanai is the chief instrument of Indian classical music. Shehnai is essentially an instrument of dawn, to be played at the purest of hours. Growing up as a child in Mumbai, my brother and I were often woken up to the melodious strains of Shehanai. I cannot remember a single Diwali or Holi festival when the cassette recorder would not play Khan sahib’s music. Indeed it was Khan sahib’s music that kindled in my heart the flame of love for classical Indian music for which I cannot express the gratitude I feel.

Today, with the passing of Khan Sahib, the world is poorer by an incalculable measure. Those of us like me who grew up listening to his melodius tunes on cassette recorder but never did get a chance to see him live, we will forever regret this loss. Ustad Bismillah Khan was a gem that rose from the womb of Mother India and to the same womb he returns today.

Khan Sahib, we salute you for your service to your country and to the music fans all around the world. May God/Allah/Bhahma rest your soul in Peace.

RECENTLY I had some friends over and we served cabbage rice as part of dinner. Our friends loved it so much that they wanted to know how to make it. So, Lisa, here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

This is a very straight forward recipe that is easy to make and rather quick too! You can make good quantity in a short period and be ready for the 5 people who showed up suddenly at your door step. It does require you to have some ingredients in your house that you would typically not have unless of course if you are an Indian household But these ingredients are easy to find in your local Shoprite or your neighborhood Indian grocery store.

Ingredients:
One head of cabbage - Medium size - chopped into thin strands
Green chillies - two chopped finely
Ginger: One inch - chopped finely
Rice: Two cups
Turmeric powder: 1 tea spoon
Mustard seeds: 2 tea spoon
Salt - to taste
Oil: Three table spoon

Cooking the cabbage
Heat three table spoon of oil in a skillet. When the oil starts to smoke, reduce the flme and add mustard seeds to the oil, and cover with a lid. When the seeds stop popping, remove the lid and saute green chillies and ginger for about a minute. Add cabage strands and mix thoroughly. Let it cook for about 5 minutes with the covered lid on medium flame.

Add salt and turmeric and again mix thoroughly. Cover with a lid and let it steam on slow flame for about 15 minutes - mixing intermittently. After about 15 minutes, cabbage should be fully cooked. Add some lime juice to taste if you like.

Next you cook the rice.
Steam rice in a rice cooker as you traditionally would. Once the rice is cooked, add one table spoon of oil to a pan and heat it. Once the oil is smoking, add one cup of cooked cabbage and two cups of cooked rice, and turn carefully not to mash the rice.

Serve hot. There you have it. Cabbage Rice - to be had as a meal in itself or with other dishes.

If you are on your way to The Treasure Coast of Florida, you may want to check out the “The Victorian Lady” Tea room in Sebastian Florida.

The Victorian Lady, a local home that is better known for weddings and receptions, is opening up the Tea Room to tea enthusiasts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Vitorian Lady is based in the historic home which has been a hotel once and an antique shop at another time. The current owner Cindy Falco Dicorrado has used her interest in Victorian era to convert this quaint mansion into something of a curiosity. To get more details, you may visit their website at … www.thevictorianlady.net — has all the details. You can also can e-mail Cindy

More information can be found here.