Ranganayaki Ammal - To the beat of her own drum

Even today, women percussionists are almost unheard of. Heavily stereotyped to be a ‘man’ thing, it didn’t seem to stop Ranganayaki Ammal, all of 17 when she first performed at the All India Congress Session in Madras in 1926, with an all-male group of players. As most girls from South Indian families, Ranganayaki too was trained in classical dance and music as a child. Drums of all kinds however, were the domain of young boys in their initiation into Carnatic music. Always drawn to percussion, and with an innate sense of musical rhythm, she gravitated towards the Mridangam. Dispelling the usual misogyny around women percussionists probably came with its challenges, but Ranganayaki, with her mastery of mathematically complex rhythms, thrived and enthralled. The ‘Ranganayaki Ammal Award’ was announced by CM of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi, to honour mridangam artists who have come after her. An award that, as of now, has been given to very few women.

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