LudhianaLion

Any details regarding location and p&p? I really like the battah and would love to buy one. Whereabouts are you based?

Gurfateh I visited the Punjab back in October and met Dr Gurnam Singh at his home. What a great guy! Intelligent, personable and charismatic. One of the few good guys I had the fortune to meet during my stay. I asked Dr GS to order my dilruba through Gurdial Singh and Sons. They were recommended to me through this forum and indeed, it's where Dr Gurdial Singh purchases the instruments for his music department. Dr GS spoke with the shop direct and asked them to prepare an instrument for me. Basically, he put in a good word for me. He asked one of his University associates who was in Jallandhar at the time to collect it upon his return but try it out first. The dilruba is of decent quality. The workmanship cannot be described as top-quality; Punjab (and indeed India) doesn't 'do' top-quality. Don't expect a Western quality of musical instrument. Perhaps I'm too fussy but I thought the carving of the wood and staining was a little slap-dash. However, for Rs 12500, that's what you get. Having Dr GS phone up on your behalf won't get you a discount, either! In hindsight, I ought to have visited the workshop in person. I could have requested a few things to my liking and stressed the importance of quality. As I stayed in Ludhiana and had a few other things to do, I wasn't able to organise my schedule to allow for this visit. If you can, visit the shop/workshop yourself. You won't get a fibre case; only a wooden one. The case I received has an internal lining reminiscent of a 1970's curtain pattern! However, this is not important in the grand scheme of things and the dilruba reached the UK safely, ready for my children to learn to play. The airline allowed me to place the case in the hold free of charge, which was a bonus! Anyone know where I can purchase a fibre case for my dilruba, please?

A genuine thank you very much for all your answers. A great response with different ideas for me to consider. I will certainly look into sending the dilruba by FedEx (or similar) and perhaps the seller will have experience in this. I hope my appointment with Dr Gurnam Singh is confirmed. I have sent representatives to approach him and ask if he does have a preferred seller and if we can get it ordered now so that it is ready for collection by late October. Pehlvan, thanks for the link. It led me to another site which informs me that tun (or toon) wood is the preferred material for the dilruba construction. I am now better educated on what to look for and will not be a complete novice. Many thanks once again! WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh

WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh I hope someone can help me with a query I have. I'm travelling to Punjab in a few weeks. I have set up a meeting with Dr Gurnam Singh (Patiala University) and I hope to buy a dilruba while I'm in Punjab with his advice. The issue is, will I encounter many problems when bringing it back to the UK? I'm flying with Air India (I know, I know!) from London to Delhi and I have a 46kg baggage allowance. However, will I have any taxes to pay, or staff telling me it's too big to take in the hold or worse, is it likely to be manhandled and arrive broken? Does anyone have any personal experience of bringing back a dilruba or similar large, fragile instrument out of India? Also, any tips on where to buy from or the best wood? Any indication on what I would expect to pay? I've been advised to source a dilruba made from a single piece of wood rather than two separate parts. I'm afraid I have little to no knowledge on musical instruments. My young son has indicated a preference to learn a musical instrument when he learns kirtan and he has suggested he would like to learn a traditional instrument than the harmonium. I can't play any instrument and would like to take it up too - hence, the proposed meeting with Bhai Dr Gurnam Singh to speak with him and learn a little from his vast experience. Hopefully, some of my brothers and sisters can help me with their own experiences! (I'm really sorry if this topic doesn't fit in this section - mods, please feel free to move).

The article is well-written and the writer's feelings are articulated well. The first page, where Kohli describes his first visit, is a 'comedy' aid utilised by the writer in all his articles, possibly to add informality and personalise his experience. Not an element I particularly sympathise with, but that's his style. The second page is wonderfully descriptive; I find myself empathising with the writer's feelings and experiences. A very good article on the whole and one I recommend all to read.

A wedding took place at Singh Sabha Gurudwara, Somerset Road, Handsworth Wood on Sunday 10 July. The bride from a Sikh family, the groom a Hindu. So, Sikh maryada was followed to the letter there! This was followed by a fight between the Pardaan (Tari Kandola) and his goons and a rival gang. Police cars and vans filled the car park. Wonderful example to set our naujawan, don't you think? No wonder the Police don't take us seriously & the community in general look down upon us. Our present actions are not befitting of our history.

If you have any left... ludhianalion@hotmail.co Thank you!

Michael Chopra's father is an Indian Hindu, his mother is Caucasian.

I'd appreciate the email too. There are younger sisters who need to be educated.