G Harishankar
Encyclopedia
Shri G. Harishankar, was an Indian kanjira
player. the kanjira
being a tambourine used in the Carnatic music
of South India
. To date, he is the only Kanjira player to be awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
, the highest national recognition given to performing artists.
and C S Murugabhoopathi. He was a staff artist of the All India Radio
, Chennai
. Some of his best performances in albums were with the Sruthilaya group along with Karaikudi R Mani on the Mridangam, T V Vasan on the Ghatam
, Srirangam Kannan
on the Morsing
. He performed in several albums including Laya Chithra, Sruthilaya, Grand Finale. Both while accompanying songs, and while playing solo, he played with great control and speed in an amazing fashion. He is considered by many to be the greatest Kanjira performer to date. Multiple sources say he had albinism
, though many photos show him with dyed-dark hair. Video footage shows him with pale skin and white eyebrows.
Kanjira
The kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music as a supporting instrument for the mridangam...
player. the kanjira
Kanjira
The kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music as a supporting instrument for the mridangam...
being a tambourine used in the Carnatic music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. To date, he is the only Kanjira player to be awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
, the highest national recognition given to performing artists.
Profile
Harishankar received his initial training under his father Govinda Rao. He later learnt under Palghat Mani IyerPalghat Mani Iyer
Palghat T.S. Mani Iyer was one of the leading mridangists in the field of Carnatic music and the first mridangist to win the Sangeetha Kalanidhi andPadmabhushan awards....
and C S Murugabhoopathi. He was a staff artist of the All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. Some of his best performances in albums were with the Sruthilaya group along with Karaikudi R Mani on the Mridangam, T V Vasan on the Ghatam
Ghatam
The ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....
, Srirangam Kannan
Srirangam Kannan
Srirangam Kannan is an Indian musician and artist, known for playing the morsing. He has a degree in mathematics.-Profile:Vidwan Srirangam S. Kannan was born on 5 May 1952 in Srirangam to K Sathyamurthy and Kamalam. Growing up, he had little experience with carnatic music.When he was 19 years old...
on the Morsing
Morsing
A morsing is a wind percussion instrument, mainly used in the Carnatic music of South India and Sindh . It can be categorized under lamellophones, which is in the category of plucked idiophones...
. He performed in several albums including Laya Chithra, Sruthilaya, Grand Finale. Both while accompanying songs, and while playing solo, he played with great control and speed in an amazing fashion. He is considered by many to be the greatest Kanjira performer to date. Multiple sources say he had albinism
Albinism
Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect of an enzyme involved in the production of melanin...
, though many photos show him with dyed-dark hair. Video footage shows him with pale skin and white eyebrows.