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 含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淭o be able to be there with my instrument, it was special, and I wouldn含羞草研究社檛 have felt complete without it there,含羞草研究社� Mand said Tuesday (May 3).

含羞草研究社淚t was windy and cold, and playing the instrument and keeping it in tune was a challenge,含羞草研究社� he added. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檓 grateful for that, and also for the sherpa for being so careful while carrying it.含羞草研究社�

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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.

含羞草研究社淎s a child I always had a fascination with climbing mountains and of course Mt. Everest,含羞草研究社� Mand explained. 含羞草研究社淗ere I含羞草研究社檝e 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.含羞草研究社�

Mand has done 含羞草研究社渨hat others can含羞草研究社檛 even imagine,含羞草研究社� 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 .

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a milestone in my life,含羞草研究社� Mand said at the time. 含羞草研究社淎nd it含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檓 really happy about.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淚 used to listen to opera and classical music as a young child, and I eventually asked my parents for a sitar,含羞草研究社� he recalled.

含羞草研究社淚 fasted and didn含羞草研究社檛 eat in order for them to get me a sitar,含羞草研究社� Mand added. 含羞草研究社淚 was doing a hunger strike 含羞草研究社� 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.含羞草研究社�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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