Simply Tabla!

Tabla

/ˈtablə,ˈtʌblə/

noun

noun: tabla; plural noun: tablas

a pair of small hand drums used in Indian music, one of which is slightly larger than the other and is played using pressure from the heel of the hand to vary the pitch.

Just like a lonely soul attains contentedness once it finds its perfect partner, a singing voice finds complete gratification when it finds its true accompanist. Talking of one such person, I remember a very suave tabla player I have personally known called Saawan Kakeri. He can't be searched on Google or Facebook; such is his level of ignorance (read bliss). I had come across this man of art during a voluntary work with a non-profit organization that tries to promote Indian classical music amongst the youth. Saawan ji aged 30-something is very simple person in his ways. Happy with what he does, he seemed happier when children responded to his "Tin Taal". There’s a certain magic that those beats create!!!

I haven’t learnt music all that well to be able to decode the mysteries in the sound of tabla, but I sure found out that a tabla when well-accompanied with the singing voice in a certain performance only makes the listening experience complete(exceptions may sure be considered). Before going on this tour of music in the villages of Andhra Pradesh, I always thought that a tabla player, a Tanpura player and a Harmonium player along with the lead vocalist are a fixed team and they all perform together at all times, I guess then I was ignorant of the logic that music is the universal language and any vocalist can co-ordinate with any Tabla player and other accompanying artists with practice put well in place.

A Tabla player is addressed to as an accompanist during any vocal performances. But when they go solo on the stage, they are the lead performers. Another philosophy of life thus stands justified here, every living person in this world has his own role to play, none is less and none is more… just like the performers on a dais.

Happy Birthday Alla Rakha Ji! 

Learn a music instrument. Add to world peace!

Love.Peace!

Nirupama