"The tabla is topmost on my list."
Within the shimmering realm of Indian music, tabla players are stars that gleam with an unmatched shine.
The tabla comprises two drums. The smaller drum, known as ‘dayan’ is wooden and is played with the right hand.
There is also a larger, deeper-pitched drum, ‘bayan’.
It is made of metal. Both drums have a black spot in the middle made of iron fillings, soot, and gum. It produces a bell-like sound.
Tablas are unique in orchestration and melody. Over the years, several talented musicians have taken to it and dazzled with their skill.
Paying tribute to them, DESIblitz proudly presents 10 of the best Indian tabla players.
Zakir Hussain
Born in 1951, Zakir Hussain is a renowned musician and tabla player.
In the 1970s, he collaborated with iconic talents including George Harrison, John Handy, and Van Morrison.
The famous drummer Mickey Hart invited Zakir to work on the album Planet Drum, which won a Grammy Award in 1992.
Zakir also composed the music for the Malayalam film Vanaprastham (1999).
The musician delves into using instruments as a communication method:
“I should look at my instrument as a mode of conversation, as my cell phone to communicate with the other musicians who are out there that I’m working with.”
Zakir has undeniably carved an identity for himself in front of his tabla.
Anindo Chatterjee
Known as Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, this musician is among the most talented tabla players.
Anindo has also been the director of Farrukhabad Gharana, one of six key playing styles of the North Indian tabla.
As well as solo performances, Anindo has also collaborated with sitar players including Nikhil Banerjee and Ravi Shankar.
His collaborations extend to sarod players such as Buddhadev Das Gupta and Ali Akbar Khan.
When Barack Obama visited India in 2010, Anindo performed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The tabla player received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2002.
He has firmly cemented himself as an influential master of the tabla.
Swapan Chaudhuri
Swapan Chaudhuri is a glistening name in the field of tabla.
In his career, he has accompanied Indian classical musicians on shows.
These include Vilayat Khan, Ali Akbar Khan, and Pandit Jasraj.
In 2019, Swapan received the Padma Shri – India’s fourth-highest civilian award.
Explaining how he feels when playing the tabla, Swapan says:
“I am under tabla’s control. I surrender myself because I know there is nothing I can show tabla.
“It becomes more and more like melody.
“The joy, the happiness I don’t think I used to get that before.”
Ahmed Jan
Considered a pre-eminent solo performer, Ahmed Jan ‘Thirakwa’ Khan remains one of the most famous tabla players of the 20th century.
Born in 1892, he became interested in tabla upon hearing Munir Khan.
Ahmed was also nicknamed ‘Thirakwa’ apparently due to being playful and mischievous.
This was also a nod to the way his fingers moved on the tabla.
Ahmed is also frequently termed as the ‘Mount Everest of Tabla’.
In an interview, Ahmed admitted that he always declined invitations to perform overseas as he was not comfortable with air travel.
Despite staying in one country, Ahmed Jan managed to create a legacy that inspires generations of musicians.
For that, he will always be remembered.
Tanmoy Bose
Tanmoy Bose is a splendid percussionist and tabla player.
Raised in Kolkata, he began studying music when he was seven years old.
He has collaborated extensively with other artists including Ravi Shankar and Amjad Ali Khan.
Some of his popular albums include Maestros Studio Session, Baul & Beyond and Solo Tabla.
Tanmoy discusses the importance of preserving music:
“Good music in any form will serve its purpose of preserving our heritage.
“Fusion music is a melange of sounds from different genres as it exposes the audience to different forms of music which they are not aware of.
“A musician should master the fundamental form of music he or she is working with.”
Anuradha Pal
A virtuoso of tabla, Anuradha Pal is a music composer and multi-faceted talent.
In 1996, Anuradha founded the first all-female band of Indian classical music. It was known as Stree Shakti.
Encyclopedia Britannica and the Limca Book of Records have both recognised her as the first professional female tabla player in the world.
Anuradha has brightened several music festivals on a global scale with her incandescent talent.
The musician shines a light on succeeding in a patriarchal industry such as the tabla sector of music:
“It’s an ongoing process. But my advantage is that I take things positively.
“I also try to keep evolving. The audience doesn’t want to see the same thing again and again.
“By constantly adding new things, I enjoy what I do.”
Rimpa Siva
Continuing with talented female tabla players, we come to Rimpa Siva.
At the tender age of three, Rimpa showed interest in playing the tabla.
She picked up the craft from her father and began honing her talent under his guidance.
In her distinguishable career, Rimpa has performed in over 500 concerts.
She has been nicknamed ‘Princess of Tabla’.
Rimpa Siva confesses that tabla is her main priority:
“To succeed, one has to be dedicated, determined and disciplined.
“I have to set my priorities, and for me, the tabla is topmost on my list.”
That has enabled Rimpa Siva to become one of the most acclaimed musicians who preside over tabla.
Samta Prasad
Samta Prasad was one of the most sought-after tabla players of his time.
He gave his first noteworthy performance in 1942. The venue was at the Allahabad Sangeet Sammelan.
Samta continued performing throughout India, including in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Lucknow.
His talent also transcended borders as he represented tabla in France and Russia, among other places.
Samta’s work is resplendent in many Bollywood soundtracks. He inspired music composers including RD Burman and Bappi Lahiri.
He played tabla on the soundtrack of Sholay (1975) – regarded as one of the most enduring classics of Indian cinema.
A writer on WordPress praises Samta and enthuses:
“Pandit Samta Prasad Ji’s music continues to inspire tabla players, hindustani musicians, and music lovers alike to this day.”
Shankar Ghosh
One cannot name the best Indian tabla players without including Shankar Ghosh.
In the early 1950s, Shankar trained in the instrument, mastering the craft.
As well as performing, he also taught several aspiring musicians how to perfect tabla over three decades.
Shankar also toured and collaborated with many successful artists and fellow musicians.
He was a keen disciple of Gyan Prakash Ghosh. Talking about him, Shankar said:
“I was the apple of Gyan Babu’s eye. I used to live in his house in Kolkata.
“He would call me after dinner, around midnight, and dictate compositions, which I would write with great enthusiasm.”
The ability to craft music and perform it with sheer talent is an indication of a gifted musician, which Shankar Ghosh undoubtedly was.
Keshava Kaarthikeyan
This tabla player is unique in that he professionally entered the field at a very young age.
A prodigy, Keshava Kaarthikeyan performed at the Delhi Commonwealth Games when he was only seven years old.
He took masterclasses with the aforementioned Zakir Hussain and Arup Chattopadhyay.
The musician admits: “I’m only nervous with excitement about my act and raring to go.”
Keshava adds that his grandmother Prafulla Dahanukar introduced him to the tabla:
“She introduced me to the tabla when I was barely 18 months old.”
Keshava proves that age is not a barrier when it comes to talent.
Indian tabla players have set the benchmark when it comes to music.
They are pure connoisseurs of their instruments, which shows in their amazing performances.
All of them continue to inspire music aficionados via their staggering work.
Their legacies are like no other.
So, if you’re interested in the tabla, prepare to be awestruck by these tremendous Indian tabla players.