Zakir Hussain, the legend known for his “dancing fingers,” has died aged 73.

Tabla master Zakir Hussain’s funeral took place in San Francisco, US, on Thursday, a few days after he died following complications from lung disease. Several musicians took part in the funeral.

Drummer Anandan Sivamani along with some other musicians paid a musical tribute to Zakir Hussain.

Zakir Hussain, the legend known for his “dancing fingers,” died on Monday at the age of 73 in a San Francisco hospital.

“He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that will be treasured by countless music lovers around the world and whose influence will reverberate for generations to come,” his family said in a statement. According to his sister Khurshid Aulia, the music legend died “very peacefully”.

Zakir Hussain is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola and daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.

The tabla master’s death marked the end of an era in the world of music.

Born on March 9, 1951 in a musically distinguished family, Zakir Hussain was the eldest son of the legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha and a child prodigy in every sense. He began his professional career at the age of 12 in Indian classical music. At the age of 18 he was already performing on international stages.

Zakir Hussain’s work was not limited to classical music. He has also worked with some of the biggest names in music across all genres, such as George Harrison, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and jazz musician Herbie Hancock.

The music legend has received four Grammy Awards in his six-decade career, including three at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards earlier this year. He was also a recipient of the Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002) and Padma Vibhushan (2023).