It was only apt that the sole Carnatic performance at the 12th edition of Jodhpur RIFF in Rajasthan last week (October 13) was allotted to legendary ghatam proponent Vikku Vinayakram. On a warm Sunday night at Mehrangarh Fort’s huge, open-air Old Zenana Courtyard, one of the most feted percussionists in the world took his place on the stage, but only after his family.
Clearly it was they who came first at this performance for Vikku, and that was the draw at RIFF. Parampara , which takes its name from his son and percussionist Mahesh’s new album, featured Mahesh, his son Guruprasad, his adolescent daughter Gurupriya, along with V Selvaganesh’s son Swaminathan on kanjira , with tabla and violin accompaniments.
The Vinayakram family at RIFF
With all the other artistes on stage, Mahesh formally invited the patriarch to take his place behind a pair of ghatams . The seated crowd — possibly the largest gathered at the festival thus far, at nearly a thousand – listened as Vikku spoke interchangeably in Tamil and English, beaming with pride. In a prior interview, the boundary-breaking instrumentalist had shared that he felt unquestionably elated about performing with his grandchildren, calling it a “blessing” while adding that “not everybody gets such an opportunity”.
A rousing evening
The audience at the Old Zenana Courtyard comprised foreign tourists, seasoned Indian classical music lovers, families seeking an experience of culture, and the occasional young bunch. Everyone remained glued to their seats for the hour-long performance, probably because the Vinayakrams knew how to blend devotional strains (courtesy of songs like ‘Guru Mahima’ by Guruprasad and ‘Swaying Murali’ by Gurupriya), seemingly incalculable rhythmic patterns, jugalbandis and more.
Bhajans were high on the list for most folk and classical artistes performing at RIFF, but because the Vinayakrams presented it as Carnatic music, there was something refreshing about it. People laughed and cheered on Vikku every time he spoke between songs, and he even got the audience to join in at different points. Among the first was teaching them to clap in a 7 ½ taala , with help from Swaminathan. The audience was more than happy, quickly learning beat cycles. From thereon, Swaminathan was equally involved in the performance, taking everyone on an auditory trip where he mimicked trains moving at different paces.
TH Vikku Vinayakram
By the end of the performance, as is tradition at RIFF, Rajasthani folk musicians were invited for a spontaneous jam with the Vinayakrams. “What we’ll play, we don’t know, that only the Gods know,” Vikku said as he introduced the last segment. Never one to decline a sonic handshake – whether it is with jazz fusion guitarist John McLaughlin or electronic artistes and now Rajasthani artistes – Vikku and his family took on a different level of jugalbandis that amazed Jodhpur RIFF, making it the festival highlight for many. The Shakti co-founder is still at his best, even if he had to occasionally concede to the speed of the khartal , much to the audience’s delight.
For generations, old and new
Even as a septuagenarian, Vikku brings a level of energy that stems from his devotion to music. When asked about his advice to younger generations, especially his grandchildren, he says, “This art is Saraswathi, it is special. To get this art is a gift, a spiritual gift.” The next step, according to the ghatam artiste, is to take your art as seriously as possible through practice, rehearsal and riyaz . “It is really important that one should prepare for a music concert/performance accordingly. A one-hour live concert is equal to 10 hours of riyaz . One must play more concerts so that one gets practical experience,” he explains.
While Swaminathan is already a well-established artiste carrying on V Selvaganesh’s love for the kanjira , it remains to be seen if Guruprasad and Gurupriya will follow in the footsteps. “Nobody can predict the future, so it is all about the new generation. How they spend their time, what their (and their parents’) interests about the art are.” At RIFF, Mahesh made sure his children didn’t suffer any onstage jitters, providing them with all the cues to follow.
And it is performances like the one at RIFF that are good examples for the next generation, adds Vikku. “They facilitate encouragement and inspire the children to take the music forward, as professionals,” he signs off.
