Women’s Day special: Meet thavil artiste Amirthavarshini Manishankar, who is making a name in the male-dominated world of percussion

From playing the thavil successful the temples of Mannargudi adjacent Thanjavur arsenic a schoolgirl to joining A.R. Rahman’s ‘Wonderment Tour’ performance successful Chennai recently, Amirthavarshini Manishankar’s philharmonic travel seems similar a fairy tale. But successful reality, it is besides a communicative of condemnation and perseverance — of a young miss carving a abstraction for herself arsenic a thavil artiste successful the male‑dominated satellite of Carnatic percussion.

“I was some excited and affectional erstwhile Rahman sir asked maine to play a tani avarthanam astatine the ‘Wonderment Tour’ concert. Performing solo successful beforehand of a immense assemblage was a imagination travel true,” says Amrithavarshini. The 18‑year‑old recalls however she got the opportunity, “It felt surreal erstwhile Rahman sir began pursuing maine connected Instagram past October. A small later, his manager called to accidental that I needed to beryllium successful Chennai for 2 days successful February to beryllium portion of the concert.”

Hailing from a household of six generations of musicians, Amirthavarshini grew up listening to her father, a nagaswaram artiste, A.P. Manishankar, and violinist-mother G. Jayanthi Shankar, who often performed during rituals and festivals successful temples. A decennary ago, erstwhile she was conscionable eight, Amrithavarshini defied normal by choosing to larn the thavil — an instrumentality seldom pursued by women. “I erstwhile asked my parents wherefore determination were nary women thavil artistes. They said the instrumentality is dense and the posture required to play it is difficult. After proceeding that, I became adjacent much determined to instrumentality it up,” she says.

Though galore were sceptical astir her decision, her elder brother, Manoj Kumar — who passed distant a fewer years agone — stood firmly by her side. “I ever commune to him earlier each concert,” she says.

Amirthavarshini was the archetypal pistillate pupil of Adhichaburam A.B. Ramadhass. She aboriginal came nether the tutelage of Kovilur K.G. Kalyana Sundharam. She present continues her precocious training, peculiarly to hone her manodharma skills, nether seasoned thavil artiste Thanjavur T.R. Govindharajan.

On her guru’s advice, Amrithavarshini began playing the thavil by resting the Instrument connected her thigh alternatively of placing it connected the floor. “This is not casual fixed its value of astir 60 kg. Playing it for agelong hours requires immense stamina and often results successful symptom successful the enarthrosis and legs. At times, my fingers person bled, taking up to 10 days to heal. Before a concert, I wrapper a portion astir my fingers and use glue to unafraid the headdress that produces the sound. Thankfully, modern audio systems person made performing a small easier now, arsenic the amplified dependable output has reduced carnal strain,” she explains.

Amrithavarshini’s maiden nationalist show astatine the property of 11 was astatine the Arulmigu Muthumairamman Temple successful Haridhwarmangalam. “The temple trustee S.N.S. Narayanaswamy, had travel location to invitation my parents to the yearly panguni festival. Watching maine practice, helium asked if I would execute with them. I agreed and played a elemental avartanam.”

Amirthavarshini has accompanied starring artistes crossed genres, including violinist A. Kanyakumari, flautist Sikkil Mala Chandrasekar, drums Sivamani and vocalist Daler Mehndi.

“I secured the 3rd presumption successful the Kala Utsav contention (instrumental category), conducted by Ministry of Education successful 2020. It felt fantastic to spot my representation connected their banner erstwhile I participated again successful 2022.”

Amirthavarshini is gearing up for her adjacent philharmonic outing — this time, arsenic portion of an all-women percussion ensemble called ‘Women Who Drum’, which volition execute astatine The Mahindra Percussion Festival this play successful Bengaluru. “I americium excited to stock the signifier with established artistes astatine the festival,” she says. 

In her effort to get much women to play the thavil, Amrithavarshini has begun guiding young girls funny successful playing the instrument. “Currently, I americium focusing connected workshops alternatively than conducting regular classes, arsenic I americium pursuing degrees successful instrumentality and music. I americium besides compiling a notation publication connected korvais exclusively for thavil learners,” says Amrithavarshini.

In July 2025, she launched Yuva Thaal Tharang (YTT), an ensemble that features thavil, violin, mridangam, kanjira, ghatam and saxophone. Featuring some all-women and mixed groups, YTT has presented much than 50 concerts crossed India, making its debut astatine the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. “The purpose was to marque thavil arsenic a pb bushed instrument. The effect has been rather encouraging,” she says.

Her connection to aspiring women percussionists is wide and heartfelt: “Discipline, dedication, consistency and passionateness are essential. But supra all, you indispensable beryllium strong‑willed. The thavil should not beryllium viewed simply arsenic an instrumentality — it is simply a ineffable responsibility, a committedness to carrying guardant our tradition.”