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 sa国际传媒� 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.

sa国际传媒淭o be able to be there with my instrument, it was special, and I wouldnsa国际传媒檛 have felt complete without it there,sa国际传媒� Mand said Tuesday (May 3).

sa国际传媒淚t was windy and cold, and playing the instrument and keeping it in tune was a challenge,sa国际传媒� he added. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 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 Isa国际传媒檓 grateful for that, and also for the sherpa for being so careful while carrying it.sa国际传媒�

(STORY CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO)

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.

sa国际传媒淎s a child I always had a fascination with climbing mountains and of course Mt. Everest,sa国际传媒� Mand explained. sa国际传媒淗ere Isa国际传媒檝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.sa国际传媒�

Mand has done sa国际传媒渨hat others cansa国际传媒檛 even imagine,sa国际传媒� 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 .

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a milestone in my life,sa国际传媒� Mand said at the time. sa国际传媒淎nd itsa国际传媒檚 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 Isa国际传媒檓 really happy about.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淚 used to listen to opera and classical music as a young child, and I eventually asked my parents for a sitar,sa国际传媒� he recalled.

sa国际传媒淚 fasted and didnsa国际传媒檛 eat in order for them to get me a sitar,sa国际传媒� Mand added. sa国际传媒淚 was doing a hunger strike sa国际传媒� 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.sa国际传媒�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on