To get the Padma Award as a mridangam player is special: Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam

Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam, who was honoured with the Padma Shri recently, says he has to thank his mother, vocalist TR Anandavalli, for the honour. Having lost his father before he turned three and raised in a single parent household, his road to glory has been one of grit and bravery encompassed by the determination to excel in the craft he fell in love with.

Stating that the award is a result of his travails, the mridangam exponent shares, “It is an extraordinary award given to extraordinary artistes. It is important that such an award is given while the artiste is still in the field. Last year, (mridangam exponent) Guruvayur Dorai was conferred with the award, and this year, I’ve been selected. It is a periya visesham that mridangam players have been given the Padma Shri for two consecutive years. I believe percussion artistes should be honoured more.”




The 70-year-old says he’ll play as long as he can. “I have 60 years of experience. I came to Chennai with just a mridangam — not even footwear — and pursued my dream despite my mother wanting a stable job. She had struggled, but that choice made me who I am today,” he says. “My uncle and guru Thiruvarur Krishnamurthy was a phenomenal player, but he didn’t move to Chennai. Had he done so, he might have been among the greats. One shouldn’t fear change.” Ask him about youngsters today, and he says, “Many want awards quickly, but that shouldn’t be the goal. Hard work and a deep pursuit of knowledge matter. I’ve played across the South and North with legends like Zakir Hussain, Amjad Ali Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, VG Jog, Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ajoy Chakrabarty and M Balamuralikrishna. In films, I’ve worked with Shankar–Ganesh, GK Venkatesh, MS Viswanathan and Ilaiyaraaja. Earlier, stardom was harder without technology; today, youngsters get more visibility.” Playing at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony in Barcelona was a high point in his career. “Also, getting an award from Maha Periyava Chandrasekharendra Saraswati in 1980–81 was a memorable moment. Being named Sangita Kalanidhi, the best award a Carnatic musician can receive, in 2021 was another high point,” he shares.

Taking Carnatic music to the masses...“Musicians should take the music to the masses by spreading awareness about Carnatic music and singing in Tamil. More and more vocalists should do that. As artistes, we have the responsibility to bring in more audiences. While some say it might dilute our craft, I think it depends on the way it is looked at. Only when rasikas come can we perform concerts,” he says.

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