Mr. Ghatam Karthik . Played Ghatam for many songs like Madrasa sutthi Paarka , Nendhukitten, Innisai Alapadage and Pachai Kiligal talks in Rahmania Radio Show.
I play the Gatam, and learnt it from the one and only Vinayagaram Sir. He has given a world status for the Instrument. He and his younger brother Subhash Chandran are my Gurus. I started at the age of eight or nine. When you see the Guitar, or the Veena or the Violin, you feel like seeing a Musical Instrument, but the Gatam appears like a big pot. I had a fascination. Vinayagaram sir is marvelous, and is still going on strong. He stayed very close to my home and that was an added advantage. I still have the fascination towards the Instrument, which attracted me towards it. I used to say a High Tech friend of mine and say to him " You always have a lap-top with you, while I have a lap-pot with me". I started my classes late in the night ( on a Vaikunda Ekadasi day), when he was actually locking his school. I went and knocked at him. He was little bit annoyed. He runs a school by name Jai Ganesh Tala Vadhiya Indyalaya. That was my toy and recreation always… I learnt more, when I went to Concerts with him, and when I used to carry the instruments, as a disciple. When he used to travel with L.Shankar, Zahir Hussain, I used to be on the stage. They had a troupe by name ' Shakti". Sivamani and Rahman were also members in that. John Michael was there on the guitar. Shankar Mahadevan also joined. Shakti group has been a benchmark to all musicians who do fusion music. Whatever is melodious to the ears is good music. I get energized the moment I see Ghatam, and your brother also knows about it well. Whenever, I go to recording, and keep the Ghatam on my lap, big smile comes in my face. I am happy within myself. I know Rahman as a very great Keyboard Player. I have always admired him as a Keyboard Player. I am one of his fans, when he plays it in his free style. The opportunity came to me, when Mr. Veena Paatcha introduced me to him, and Rahman wanted to compose a song highlighting the Ghatam. The Ghatam was the only pure instrument in that song, and there was nothing else like drums etc . That was the song, " Madrasa Sutthi Paarka Poren ( MAY MADHAM)". The beauty of this is he just put me the click track. He wanted a peppy rhythm for the same . I gave him some 10 to 15 patterns, and he selected one among them. It became very apt for the song, and has become one of the hits of Rahman, and also for the Ghatam Instrument itself. Ganesh of Ganesh – Kumaresh fame played the Violin, and there was only a Guitar, a violin and a Ghatam used. The song would have been sung by Manorama Actress. Mr. Prakash, the Ace Director for Kuselan sung as a boy for that song, and still it's an evergreen hit. In The Global Rhythms troupe, we have a troupe which play Carnatic Music called " Heratbeat", which can be said as 2008-09 Carnatic Music. We play our own pieces. The Md, Mr. Srinivasa Krishnan who was impressed by our work, transcribed it with Western Notations, and all the Miami Global Symphony Orchestra played our pieces. The beauty of this is that everyone was wearing our Indian Style dress. ( All Americcans wearing Dhotis, sarees etc , and they are always tensed fearing the dresses may get removed anytime J ) Because they were playing the Sharedrum, shaking their hips and all, and for that Rahman was the chief guest of honour held in IIT, Chennai. It was a stupendous show, and Rahman really loved it. Its one of our cherished moments for Heartbeat. In fact, the photo graph is titled, " Heart Beat with Rahman". Its really wonderful to play with these guys, as they are open minded, ready for innovation, and they are great fans of Rahman. All members of Global Rhythms say, " A.R. Rahman is the KING". I haven't played for any program of Rahman in live performances. The reverse thing happened for Margazhi Thingal ( Sangamam) . The song has been composed, the shooting also finished, and the film also released. Delhi Ganesh plays the Mridangam on the song. There is an artis by name Kavithalaya Krishnan who plays the Gatam in the scene. Then Rahman realized that the picture has Ghatam , but the track didn't have the Ghatam piece. After everything got over, was the Ghatam mixed in the song. The reverse happening of Madrasa Suthhi, wherein the Ghatam was added first, while for Margazhi Thingal, the Ghatam came in the last. That was also a very classical hit of Rahman. -- regards, Vithur ARR -- The Sweet Cube always
