REMEMBERING SRI HARISHANKAR - THE KANJIRA MAESTRO
amritha varshini
The greatest Carnatic kanjira player who ever lived. Still to this day, musicians are in awe of what G. Harishankar was capable of with one hand. His was born on June 10, 1958 and died on February 11, 2002. G. Harishankar started on kanjira at a very young age with his father Govinda Rao, started formal mridangam training with the legend Palghat T.S. Mani Iyer and then later with C.S. Murugaboopathy. He also studied with Ramanathapuram Sri C.S. Sankarasivam. He plays kanjira right handed but mridangam left handed (it is said that he did so to prove that playing mridangam was not as hard as kanjira so he switched to playing mridangam left handed). G. Harishankar is responsible for furthering the complexity of modern kanjira playing in terms of advanced techniques for speed, power, rhythmic complexity and beauty in phrasing (left hand bending of the skin). It is said in India by many of the senior percussionists that performed with him or witnessed him play that he could top any mridangam player he was matched with in a concert during the percussion solos (thani avarthanam). G. Harishankar on several occasions even topped tabla player Zakir Hussain when they shared the stage in Malaysia and Europe. He had only a few students that carried on his secrets and techniques. Some of his best recorded playing was as a member of Sruthi Laya with Karaikudi R. Mani on mridangam, T.V. Vasan on ghatam, and Srirangam S. Kannan on morsing in the 1980s-1990s. To many in India, his death was proof that he was in fact human and not a god.
Wizard with the KANJIRA
THE HINDU - Updated: February 17, 2011 16:04 IST
Kalaimamani Harishankar spoke through the ganjira, both authoritatively and imaginatively, expressing his genius. As one lived through the audio/video clips that were presented by way of remembering Harishankar, his unsurpassed playing left one electrified. The most striking aspect was that he could reproduce the strokes played by mridangam players (using both hands), on the ganjira with the same effect. Even the reverse order of re-presentation occurred at will.
The remembrance day organised by ‘Harishankar Admirers' Circle,' at Ragasudha Hall, Chennai, began with an invocation by Kamakshi. It was followed by a welcome address by its convener, Nergunam Sankar.
Veteran Dr. T. K. Murthy and Prof. T R Subramaniyam were the guests of honour. Murthy said, “Harishankar, who belonged to a family that was rich in its musical traditions, ushered the ganjira into a special place in concerts and went on to give it an international dimension.” He recalled that Harishankar should have lived longer to contribute more and added that listening to him was a must for all musicians.
Large audience
Prof T. R. Subramaniyam said that Harishankar was rated highly among vidwans and some even feared him for the way he “cornered the applause” while on stage. He was appreciative of the fine “sense of camaraderie” shown by this Circle, which had come together as one, to remember this maestro - an eke santa grahi - and also the audience that had gathered in good number to pay their tribute.
Harishankar's style had in it a speed that was remarkable and a handling of the instrument that was as immaculate as it was deft.
Senior ghatam vidwan E. M. Subramaniyam was given the G Harishankar memorial award. In his acceptance speech, he mentioned his close association with Harishankar. He pointed out that he felt doubly honoured to receive the award.
Earlier, ghatam vidwan Dr. Karthick made his small Samarpanam to Harishankar by presenting a tillana in Hamsanandhi, set in Chathusra Rupakam (Khanda Gathi) that reflected the methods characteristic of Harishankar's. Kunnakkudy Balamuralikrishna rendered this to the accompaniment of five ganjira laya-specialists K V Gopalakrishnan, Nergunam Sankar, Anirudh Athreya, Udipi Srikanth and Harihara Sharma. The lyrics for the tillana followed the laya structure that was adapted.
The award ceremony was followed by a pallavi by Balamuralikrishna in Chathusra Jathi Triputa talam in Misranadai, in Khambodi, which had a soft yet fulfilling alapana and a tanam.
The pallavi's lyrics were in praise of Lord Muruga. Mullaivaasal Chandramouli (violin), Neyveli Narayanan (mridangam), S Karthick (ghatam) and Udipi Srikanth (ganjira) accompanied him. The complex thani was brilliantly executed by the laya vidwans.
P.B.V. Krishnamachari proposed a vote of thanks.
FEW OF HIS CLIPPS ARE GIVEN BELOW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81QMu0WNH-I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLTwkTMZaFI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbzMwy3NMMs