DUO TO DISPLAY THEIR TALENT ON INDIAN DRUMS

TWO talented mridangam players, with a combined 30 years of rigorous training, will proudly showcase their artistry in their back-to-back graduation performances at the weekend.

This milestone marks not only their dedication to the classical tradition but also the beginning of their journey as accomplished performers.

For Komalan Govender and Magendran Govender, their debut on stage or arangetram will reflect years of rigorous training and a deep understanding of the melodic beats and rhythmic patterns of the South Indian classical percussion instrument.

For their teacher Sivanathan Pillay and his Sivalaya School of Percussion, it will be a milestone as he celebrates three decades in guiding and mentoring students, furthering the reach of the mridangam in South Africa.

The presence of world-renowned violin maestro Dr Neyveli Radhakrishna of Chennai, India will add depth and complexity to the graduation events whilst presenting a rewarding challenge to the percussionists.

Komalan Govender, 47, of Westville, Durban is a specialist anaesthetist and critical care doctor. Since the age of nine, he was initially tutored by talented percussionists, his granduncle, the late Gopalan Govender, and the late Magendran Moodley.

Fourteen years ago he came under the guidance of his esteemed guru Sivanathan Pillay who honed his skills on the mridangam and deepened his connection to the classical tradition.

He said when he commenced tuition with Guru Sivanathan, the lessons were recited verbally while keeping the thalam (beat) with his hands, and only thereafter playing the lesson on themridangam.

Despite his work and study commitments, he tried his best to practice daily.

He said Guru Sivanathan had changed his understanding, appreciation and love for carnatic music.

“My guru leads by example and has instilled in us a sense of respect and discipline to this art form. His accuracy and precision in his playing and teaching is what attracted me most to his school.

I could not have asked for a better guru to guide me along this journey.

“My advice to aspirant students of the mridangam is start early and keep at it. It can betedious to practice the basic lessons. But the foundation is extremely important,” he said, adding he was grateful to his father Raj Govender Raj Govender for encouraging him to continue the musical heritage of his family.

Magendren Govender, 36, an electronics engineer from Umzinto, said he fell in love with the sound of the mridangam when he attended a prayer function at a relative’s house at the age of 13.Later, when he heard Guru Sivanathan playing the mridangam at a Bharathanatyam arangetram, he decided to take lessons from him nine years ago.

“The mridangam is more than an inanimate object. It is a living, gentle ‘beast’ that can speak in various dialects when under your command. However, a huge requirement to master this drum is constant practice, practice and more practice.

“My guru’s style of teaching helped me tremendously. He has always taught that a player must be spontaneous and to feel the moment rather than being a robotic, colourless machine, because music is about emotion,” he said.

Govender said he dedicated his accomplishment as a mridangam player to the humble folk of the small town of Umzinto, showing that “we have the ability to achieve goals when offered opportunities otherwise never brought to us”.

While he is already playing in an eastern band, he will use his formal training on the mridangam to help other local musicians improve their performances.

He was most grateful to his parents Dhanalutchmee and Komaraval Govender who supported his passion for the mridangam.

Dr Radhakrishna is an accredited "A" grade violinist and has performed across India with the cream of Carnatic musicians as well as with notable western musical groups in several countries.

He plays the rare and creative 10-string double violin which incorporates themusic ranges of a violin, viola, cello and double bass.*

*Komalan Govender’s arangetram takes place on November 29, at 3pm at the Shri Vaithianatha Easvarar Alayam in Umgeni Road, Durban.

Magendran Govender will perform at his graduation on November 30, at 2pm at the Shri VishnuTemple in Umzinto.

For more information, call Sivanathan Pillay on 0837804257.

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