My father wanted me to become a wrestler... I learnt music secretly

A true maestro of the bansuri, his breath weaves magic through bamboo, enchanting audiences across the globe. From concert halls to sacred temples, his melodies flow like a river of devotion and artistry — that is Indian music director and master flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia for you.

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A recipient of many honours, including the Padma Vibhushan, Pt Chaurasia continues to inspire generations with his timeless music and boundless spirit.

TNIE caught up with him at the 10th Annual International Convention of SPIC MACAY at IIT Hyderabad, where children affectionately gathered around him on stage, drawn by an unseen magnetism.

With serene grace, he breathed life into ragas like Madhuvanthi, Bheempalasi, and Pahadi. Awestruck, everyone joined their palms in reverence. Pt Chaurasia answered with a warm smile.

"I was so nervous about performing in front of so many people! But I thoroughly enjoyed myself and also made it a point to involve attendees as I performed. There was this little girl who sang so well as I played the flute — I was overcome with emotion," he tells TNIE.

When the 86-year-old maestro is asked how he dove into the world of music when he was a little boy, he quips, "Why, am I looking old now?"

It is this quality, perhaps akin to Lord Krishna's playfulness, that complements his divine musical abilities.

But unlike Kanhaiya's carefree childhood antics of teasing gopis and stealing the butter they churned, Pt Chaurasia had to grapple with his father's tall expectations.