“We talked about Zakir Brother Just last week and now he’s no more. It is hard to believe,” says Giridhar Udupa. Son of renowned mridangam artist Ulloor Nagendra Udupa, Giridhar is also known as Ghatam Giridhar or Ghatam Udupa. When we were discussing his performance at the recently concluded Echoes of Earth festival, he talked about his musical journey.
He recalled how his dream was to play with Zakir Hussain; A dream that came true in February last year. “For more than 20 years, I have wanted a chance to perform in concert with Zakir BrotherI often dream that we perform together, but later I realize that is not the case.
“Then, when I found out that we were finally going to perform together, I just hoped that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the feeling that my dream was coming true. I had tears in my eyes whenever I thought about it, but by the day of the concert I was able to control my emotions and they made me feel comfortable on stage. Still performing with Zakir Brother It was the best thing and that concert was phenomenal.”
Giridhar Udupa with Zakir Hussain Photo Credit: Rabinandan Gowarvarjanam
“He is probably the only musician who will have sold-out shows not only in India but anywhere across the world. No one comes close enough to replicate that boast. His demise is a loss to the music world.”
Zakir was a part of the Udupa Music Festival in February this year, which was his last concert in Bengaluru. “He loved playing in Bangalore. “He always used to say that the audience here is the best,” recalls Giridhar.
Zakir has been associated with the Udupa family for a long time and Giridhar himself has developed a relationship with them over the last 20 years. “He was a wonderful man who had the gift of making anyone feel comfortable. The music world was deeply influenced by him, but he was also kind to everyone who came up to him for a photograph or an autograph, asked his name or his interests, even if it was just for a brief moment, a connection. Used to make it.”
“He made me feel comfortable on stage with him, he was a wonderful human being.”
all in the Family
Ghatam is a traditional South Indian percussion instrument, and Gridhar was blessed with an early beginning courtesy of his father. “I started learning at the age of four, thanks to my father, my guru, my guru Ulloor Nagendra Udupa. One evening, my father had organized a concert and asked me to play the ghatam. That was my first concert and I was only nine years old.
Since then, Giridhar has been performing Carnatic and Hindustani classical music, and over the years he has had the privilege of playing with some of India’s greatest musicians, from Zakir, Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Pandit Jasraj to Shankar Mahadevan and other contemporary names .
Sandhya Udupa | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Needless to say, Giridhar has a wealth of fascinating anecdotes to share about the stalwarts of Indian classical music or the global events he has been a part of, but what sets Echoes apart is the story of his eight-year-old son Samarth. The film was the first to feature Giridhar as one of the eight ghatam players on stage. “We had a stellar line-up of musicians from Bangalore, including a singer, violinist, flautist and drummer as well as musicians on bass guitar and keyboards. “It was a presentation of the classical and the traditional with a contemporary approach and classical dance,” says Giridhar.
The classical dance was Bharatnatyam performance which was performed by none other than Giridhar’s wife Sandhya Udupa. “We’ve been married for 10 years, but this is the first time we’ve got a chance to perform together,” he said with a laugh, adding, “Echoes wanted a Bharatnatyam dancer and Sandhya, whose I have a busy schedule, but I was also free. That’s how it all worked out.”
Facing your first audience can be challenging – a concert crowd, even more so than an intimate banquet. I ask Giridhar how he prepared Samarth. “I passed on what I learned from my father, who never put any pressure on me. He told me, “Enjoy whatever you are doing,” and I told Samarth the same.
“I have always felt that performing our music is a way of sharing our happiness, and “The more you share, the more you will” has long been my motto. I also told Samarth that Don’t worry about what will happen, everyone makes mistakes and that’s the last thing he should think about. Just ‘enjoy this journey, play happily’ is what I told him. Is.
Cover of Giridhar’s solo album. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
break new ground
Giridhar’s Ghatam Udupa Collective has been touring India for the past seven years and in Echoes, they presented a traditional Carnatic piece with new arrangements as track two of their first solo album. The title of the album is, my name is giridhar uduppawas released in November and consists of six tracks.
my name is giridhar uduppa It was produced by German electronic musician Sam Shackleton. “I don’t think there have been too many concerts with Ghatam and electronic music. Although there may be some fusion productions with North Indian artists, I don’t think any other South Indian percussionist has done anything with electronic music. my name is giridhar uduppa It has new age electronic music and Carnatic rhythms.
My Name Is Giridhar Udupa is streaming on all digital platforms
published – December 18, 2024 10:42 am IST
