Our Name: The sitar is a plucked stringed instrument. It produces a very rich sound and plays a very large role in our indian music. It is predominantly used in Hindustani classical music since the Middle Ages. This instrument is used throughout the Indian subcontinent. Legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar, father of the famous Grammy winning artist Nora Jones, was one of the first musicians to introduce the Sitar into Western music. George Harrison, a member of The Beatles, began experimenting with the sitar in 1965. The two eventually met due to this common interest and became close friends which led to the sitar being played in The Beatles music in songs such as “Norwegian Wood”.
Our Food and history: Food is an important part of Indian culture, playing a role in everyday life as well as in festivals. In many families, everyday meals are usually sit-down affairs consisting of two to three main course dishes, varied accompaniments such as chutneys and pickles, rice and roti (bread), as well as desserts. Our food has its origin from North or South India.
Our Spices: Spices are an integral part of Indian food. This does not mean that Indian dishes are always hot. It does mean that they are well seasoned and aromatic. There are some hot dishes especially in the South of India, but, overall Indian dishes are skilfully prepared with the cook having a mastery over spices and how they are blended.
