Handle instruments with care, Ayaan Ali Bangash urges airlines

Popular sarod player Ayaan Ali Bangash is upset at the manhandling of instruments by airlines. The artiste was taking a flight from Pune to Delhi on Friday. He had mentioned his sarod as a fragile item. However, he saw it being transported "upside down". Ayaan, son of sarod exponent Amjad Ali Khan, told IANS: "I was in Pune for an event last evening and took the morning flight to Delhi. I had clearly stated as always at the check-in counter that my sarod is a fragile item and needs special handling.

"As I boarded, I just happened to see my sarod being taken in a regular manner on top of suitcases, that too upside down. It's sad. I hope and pray that we have rules towards special handling for musical instruments that are so precious and are a part of our cultural legacy. It's very sad to see it kept as baggage." He said mostly all airlines are compassionate towards special requests, but he hopes he never has to see an instrument kept in the manner he saw his own being kept.

Ayaan had posted on social media a photograph of the way the instrument had been kept. However, he deleted it later. "I deleted it as they (airline) sent an apology. I just request for more sensitivity towards musical instruments. All instruments -- be it old or new -- are an extension of an artiste, so I hope that we being Indians value our tradition," he added.

After his tweet, the official Twitter page of Jet Airways wrote: "Ayaan, we are very concerned to note this. Be assured that we are currently reviewing it with our ground services team and will get back to you on priority." Back in 2014, Ayaan's father's sarod was misplaced by an international airlines, but he got it back a day later.

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