Hemen - the best sitar shop

Just a lovely story in the Guardian about Hemen, tiny Kolkata sitar shop, opened 73 years ago, and still working on the same principles. Hemendra Chandra Sen started the business, first as a repair shop, then as manufacturers, and after his death in 2010 his sons Ratan and Tapan took over. But it isn't a business - "money is important but the quality of instruments is more important", Ratan says. "We want our business to remain niche to maintain that quality. Staying low-key has worked for us so far and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t in the future. Our father has instilled in us his passion for music, which is unlikely to ever die.” George Harrison, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, and Ian Anderson (Hemen produce flutes as well, sarods, violins, and guitars too) were loyal customers...