In a small bylane off the busy Sarjapura Road in Koramangala lies the shop of Aruna Musicals. It is in Jakkasandra, which a reasonably posh area in Bangalore. The shop is hidden from the view as it sits pretty on the second floor of a not-so-old building. There’s an online kitchen that supplies food to customers over a mobile app on the ground floor. As a result, the place smells with the aroma of many cuisines. The climb to the top is not the most comfortable one, as the stairs seem to have been built in a hurry; almost like an afterthought.

Nonetheless, the ascension to the second floor brings to you a magical place, full of myriad musical instruments and pieces of equipment. There’s a glass door that separates the outside world from this fascinating place. And standing with this juncture is AS Ganesh, the owner of the business. He stands there at the gate, smiling and stern at the same time.

We discovered Aruna Musicals by sheer luck. On a visit to Bangalore, we wished to purchase a guitar for our younger son, who was insisting on it. Searching through Amazon and Bajao, we were convinced that the best way to buy a piece would be to do so physically. Considering we are as aware of a guitar as, say, a poet is aware of the atomic structure of benzene, we needed guidance more than purchase. A cursory search on Google convinced us that Aruna Musicals is a great place to start with the quest. The reviews spoke effusively and glowingly of the owner, who was not keen to make a sell but help you pursue music. The reviews were a bit dated, but we were convinced about making the visit.

Entering the place (it’s hard to call it a shop), you are automatically drawn into a different dimension. Unlike music shops where instruments are stacked up in bright cases and shiny lights, here they are all assembled like they are part of an ongoing musical. Indeed, there are scores and scores of them, but they are not out of reach behind glass cages; here, they are all around you, wrapping you in their warmness. And right at the centre is the master of ceremonies, Mr Ganesh.

He is warm, effusive and kind. But he is also firm and stern, a fact we realised when a long-haired guitarist landed up without an appointment and asked him to make a minor tweak to his instrument, “It is not really much. It will be very easy.” The casual manner in which the lad spoke about the instrument seemed to rile up Ganesh. He somehow seemed to control his anger and expressed his inability to help him and happily guided him to another shop.

That little encounter gives an insight into Ganesh’s belief. For him, the musical instruments are not mere gears made of wood and wire, but they are connectors to the soul, a way to connect to our inner consciousness. Hence, rather than selling an instrument, he would instead have a consultation with the would-be buyer. He will discuss the nitty-gritty, understand the user, evaluate the level of knowledge, explore the different facets and then make a suggestion. Now, this suggestion could be utterly contrary to his business. For instance, he might even tell you that the piece that would suit your needs is not available with him and can be purchased from other stores. In fact, he will go a few step ahead, actively guide you to the store that might house that piece. “You have come to my place, seeking to learn music. My job is not to sell you an instrument but aid you in your learning,” he states.

We experienced this hesitancy first-hand, as he seemed worried about how we will be able to transport the guitar through our travel back to Mumbai. “Better you buy it there, I will give you references of many places that will help you equally well,” he said. His worry was genuine, what if the instrument is damaged in the transit. “I will be very saddened if the instrument is damaged even a bit. It will be tough for me to cope up. Please reconsider,” he was upfront and straight.

In a world where making a sale is the primary dictum, it is unusual to find a person like Ganesh, who seems dispassionate about the monetary side. He seems to be pretty content in this world of music, working with musicians and helping them with the art. He refers to himself as a technician, someone who aids the musician. And he has been doing it for a good part of his life.

Aruna Musicals, we came to know, has been a part of Bangalore music for many decades. Ganesh is part of a long line of generations that have been either creating music or crafting musical instruments. Aruna Musicals has a set up a factory (in joint partnership) in Kolkata, where they manufacture many instruments. The shop also sources instruments from different places like veena from Thanjavur, guitars from China and Germany or tabla from Varanasi. They also have another shop in Basavanaguddi, another locale in Bangalore. You can find many old instruments at Aruna Musicals, like the harmonium-like peti without keys. They specialise in veenas, and many musicians from across India seek their aid in buying the instrument or repairing their existing one.

Ganesh refers to his place as his den, which is not entirely incorrect. The place is indeed like a den, a place of knowledge and music. And like all the dens, this one has a monk at the helm. Oddly, climbing the two flights of stairs, you feel like a seeker of knowledge rather than a purchaser of an instrument. Living in a world of instant gratification, where purchases are made on a click and an OTP, it is refreshing to meet someone who spends equally as you do on the purchase, investing his time and knowledge.