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Watch B.C. sitar virtuoso play at Mt. Everest base camp in 㽶Ƶֱspecial㽶Ƶֱ trek up famous mountain

Surrey㽶Ƶֱs Sharanjeet Singh Mand has done 㽶Ƶֱwhat others can㽶Ƶֱt even imagine,㽶Ƶֱ his proud sister says
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Surrey-based sitar player Sharanjeet Singh Mand on Mt. Everest in Nepal, in a video posted to his Facebook page.

A Surrey-based sitar virtuoso might be the first person to ever play the instrument at the base of Mt. Everest.

Last month Sharanjeet Singh Mand made the trip to Nepal with a group of 11 people, and carried his delicate sitar up the famous mountain to its base camp 㽶Ƶֱ near the top of the world, so to speak.

For Mand, the highlight of the 10-day trek was playing his sitar near the mountaintop on April 26, for a video now posted to his Facebook page.

㽶ƵֱTo be able to be there with my instrument, it was special, and I wouldn㽶Ƶֱt have felt complete without it there,㽶Ƶֱ Mand said Tuesday (May 3).

㽶ƵֱIt was windy and cold, and playing the instrument and keeping it in tune was a challenge,㽶Ƶֱ he added. 㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs a very delicate instrument, and extreme cold can damage it, so I had extra pairs of everything in case anything breaks on it. It was all good, and I㽶Ƶֱm grateful for that, and also for the sherpa for being so careful while carrying it.㽶Ƶֱ

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Mand said he and the sherpa took turns carrying the instrument up the mountain, for six to eight hours a day in low oxygen.

Now back home in Surrey, Mand lived in Newton prior to a recent move to the Ocean Park area of South Surrey.

㽶ƵֱAs a child I always had a fascination with climbing mountains and of course Mt. Everest,㽶Ƶֱ Mand explained. 㽶ƵֱHere I㽶Ƶֱve been hiking and I met people who were planing a trip there, but then COVID happened and that got delayed, but it finally happened this year. I might go again.㽶Ƶֱ

Mand has done 㽶Ƶֱwhat others can㽶Ƶֱt even imagine,㽶Ƶֱ said his proud sister, Raman.

RELATED, from 2019: .

Born and raised in India, Mand moved to Canada in 2014.

In 2019, CBC Music named him among .

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs a milestone in my life,㽶Ƶֱ Mand said at the time. 㽶ƵֱAnd it㽶Ƶֱs the first time an Indian classical musician has been on the list, and that should open so many doors for other musicians, other ethnic musicians. That is something I㽶Ƶֱm really happy about.㽶Ƶֱ

Mand has been playing sitar for more than a dozen years, and also teaches others. While in high school, someone challenged him to play the sitar at a time when he was studying science, not music.

㽶ƵֱI used to listen to opera and classical music as a young child, and I eventually asked my parents for a sitar,㽶Ƶֱ he recalled.

㽶ƵֱI fasted and didn㽶Ƶֱt eat in order for them to get me a sitar,㽶Ƶֱ Mand added. 㽶ƵֱI was doing a hunger strike 㽶Ƶֱ that is how much I wanted it. I was doing well in science and they were concerned about me playing music, so they were reluctant. But as soon as I sat with a sitar, I just felt complete. It was very beautiful for me.㽶Ƶֱ



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news for Surrey Now-Leader and Black Press Media
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