INTERVIEW WITH GHATAM
SUKANYA RAMGOPAL
How did you first decide to pick up the Ghatam?
I was fond of percussion from my childhood. I used to
accompany my sister’s vocal on table as my instrument. I
learnt vocal along with my sister. Then I learnt Violin from
Sri. T.H.Gurumurthy, brother of Sri. Vikku Vinayakram
Sir. Even though I went for violin class, my attention was
towards mridangam classes happening in the opposite room.
One fine day, I went to the mridangam class and requested
Sri.T.R.Hariharasharma Sir (father of Sri. Vikku Sir) to teach
me. He immediately accepted me as his student. With 3 years
of rigorous practice and classes I started playing for small
concerts. I used to go with Vikku Sir to listen to his concerts. I
was mesmerised by his playing and requested him to teach me
ghatam. But he refused and told me that it's difficult to produce
sound on a mud pot. But his father advised him “Ghatam
doesn’t know who is playing on it whether a boy or girl. She
proved herself a good mridangam player in a short time. If we
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teach her ghatam, it’s a pride for our institution Sri Jayaganesh
Thala Vadya Vidyalaya. Let us teach her”. At that time Vikku
Sir went to USA to teach in Berkeley University. Sharma Sir
challenged his son that he would train me on ghatam when he
was at USA. He gave me several practice sessions and taught
the fingering techniques and with hard work I was able to play
well. After his return from USA, Vikku sir was surprised to
watch me playing ghatam so well and he took me as his student.
This is how my ghatam musical journey started.
You’ve been trained under the Grammy award winning and vidhwan Vikku ji.
Tell us about your learning from him.
I am always a very special student for Vikku sir. He has been
my greatest inspiration. Even now when I watch him play, I
am mesmerised. During my training years with him, I would
almost always be at the school. Except my school / college
hours, most other times I would be in the school – learning