INTERVIEW WITH GHATAM SUKANYA RAMGOPAL

How did you first decide to pick up the Ghatam?

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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 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.