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Ghatam beats bring divinity of music

KATHMANDU, JAN 18 - Like all, Bobby Gurung also had a childhood passion. But unlike most he still follows it. Even when it meant travelling thousands of kilometres and spending an entire four months away from home, Bobby didn’t lose interest in what he loved as a child.
"I’d always loved to listen to Ghatam being played," says Bobby, who now is an adept player of Ghatam himself. "And I can only thank God that I’m where I’m," he adds, speaking at a live concert in the capital today.
But even more remarkable is the fact how he was inspired to learn this ancient form of music. Having seen the Grammy winner Pandit Vikku Vinayakram at a live concert in August last year, he was inspired to follow the pandit all the way to his school in Chennai.
And after months of extensive coaching from the pandit himself, he returned to Nepal with his hard-earned expertise in November. He is currently employed at the Moksha Hardic Centre in Kathmandu.
The playing of Ghatam or clay pots is a form of performing arts that originated in central and south India. "Presently there are two types of Ghatam in use–the Madrasi and the Manmadhuri ghatams," explains Bobby. The former is a pot made from normal clay while the latter is made of a special mixture of several different elements.
The concert itself started with a Guru Bandanam, where Bobby sang of the importance of Teachers. Combining mainstream Sanskrit poems with Ghatam music, the song was indeed a true tribute to all teachers.
In other numbers, Bobby tried to combine Nepali music with South Indian rhythms of the Ghatam. Equally inspiring and objective in content as his first performance, these songs were also masterpieces in their own rights. Speaking at the programme, the first secretary of the Indian Embassy Sanjaya Verma stressed the need to inspire and encourage young people to take on new endeavours.Posted on: 2004-01-19 03:56

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