- “She Is The Soil” blends music, storytelling and percussion in an intimate cultural evening
- One of India’s few women ghatam players, Sumana Chandrashekar, brings the ancient clay instrument to centre stage
NE FEATURES BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MAR 7
In a city known for its vibrant arts culture, an unusual sound will soon echo from a humble clay pot. On March 12, TellTales and Aavartan School of Music will present “She Is The Soil,” an immersive performance that places the spotlight on the ghatam—one of India’s most fascinating yet lesser-known percussion instruments.
The evening, scheduled from 8 pm to 9:30 pm at Aavartan School of Music on Prahlad Nagar Road, will feature Sumana Chandrashekar, a Bengaluru-based ghatam artist, researcher and storyteller who is among the very few women performing this ancient percussion tradition today.
Accompanying the performance will be storyteller Preeti Das, with Sapan Anjaria on tabla, weaving rhythm and narrative into a shared exploration of memory, voice and the living metaphor of soil.
A pot that became music
The ghatam—literally meaning “pot”—is a traditional clay percussion instrument used primarily in Carnatic classical music. Played by striking different parts of the pot with fingers, palms and wrists, it produces a remarkable range of tonal variations and rhythms.
Musicians typically hold the pot between their thighs while seated cross-legged, creating rhythmic patterns by tapping the rim, neck and body of the instrument. The sound changes depending on where the pot is struck—much like the earth itself changes character across landscapes.
Despite its ancient roots, the ghatam has traditionally been positioned on the margins of the Carnatic concert ensemble, often accompanying the mridangam rather than taking the lead role.
Breaking the rhythm barrier
Even rarer is the sight of a woman performing the ghatam. Historically, percussion instruments in Carnatic music were dominated by men, while women were often encouraged to pursue vocal music or melodic instruments like the veena or violin.
That barrier began to shift when pioneering musician Sukanya Ramgopal—India’s first woman ghatam exponent—entered the field and trained the next generation of artists.
Among her disciples is Sumana Chandrashekar, who blends performance, research and storytelling to reimagine the instrument’s place in contemporary culture. She has performed across India at major festivals and often integrates poetry, narrative and musical exploration into her concerts.
Music, memory and the metaphor of soil
“She Is The Soil” moves beyond a conventional concert. It is conceived as an experience—a dialogue between rhythm and storytelling.
Through the heartbeat-like percussion of the ghatam, the evening explores the symbolism of clay: soil that becomes vessel, vessel that becomes instrument, and instrument that becomes voice.
The performance also celebrates the intimate connection between craft and music. The clay pots used as ghatams are traditionally shaped by skilled potters from specific soils, and each pot carries its own tonal personality—making every instrument unique.
A rare evening in an intimate space
With only a handful of women ghatam players active on the music circuit today, opportunities to hear the instrument performed live remain rare.
For Ahmedabad’s music lovers, the event promises an intimate encounter with a tradition that is at once ancient, experimental and quietly revolutionary.
Seats are limited and bookings are available on AllEvents.
