YOUNG BEACONS OF CARNATIC MUSIC FROM GOPALAPURAM

It was by sheer chance that we happened to stumble on to these child prodigies, when we came across a brochure, which mentioned the address and phone number of the ‘Little Sisters of Gopalapuram' aged 9 and 11 respectively.  We called the number immediately and spoke to Dr. Vasanthi, their mother and told her about our intention of featuring them on Chennaibest.com.

It was late in the evening when we arrived at the residence cum clinic of Dr. Vasanthi and Dr. Vidyasagaran, the proud parents of these child prodigies.  We were in for a ‘shock’ when we discovered that the ‘Little Sisters of Gopalapuram’ were not little.  18-year-old Aishwaryalakshmi has finished her first year in Medicine while Tharamrithula who is 15 years old has just finished her XII standard. 

It doesn’t take much to appreciate good music.  And appreciate we did, the wonderful rendition of ‘Jagath Janani Kalyani…’ by the Gopalapuram sisters who gave a sample of their genius specially for us.  It was indeed inspirational stuff for one’s ears at the end of a hard day’s work. 

Aashu and Thara as they are called at home laughed, when we told them that we had expected to meet young kids who would say, that their favourite television channel was Cartoon Network. For which they replied, that even though they may not be young kids, Cartoon Network was certainly one of their favourite channels.  Though they may have similar tastes and liking of young people their age from Chocolates to Ricky Martin to Star Movies, they are in a different league once the sruti begins in the Tambura and their voices synchronise.  Magical indeed!  They are certainly not young when it comes to their musical sense and sensitivity.

It is interesting to learn of their initiation into music.  Dr. Vasanthi, who is an Anaesthetist, says, “Aishwarya was having wheezing trouble, so in order to give exercise for her lungs, I encouraged her to sing.  Their Grandfather who was very much into music recognised their talent, and he was instrumental in getting them to undergo proper training. So it was literally a case of wheezing to fame.  Their first guru was and still is Vaigal Gnanaskandan, a leading exponent of Carnatic music and a disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.  The younger one followed her sister and they were very soon complimenting each other very well.  It was at that time that a few of our friends arranged for a concert in Malaysia.  The concert was such a hit, that we were booked for the next five days for the whole of our stay over there.  After that there was no looking back and they have since then performed in over 100 concerts”.

When we asked their father Dr. Vidyasagaran on how it was to be the father of such amazing child prodigies, he replied with a smile, “Great.  I have taken a lot more interest in music because of them. And am able to identify ragas when I hear them in a cassette basedon what I have heard from my daughter's singing.  The most important thing is that they have lost nothing of their childhood because of their singing nor has it affected their studies”.  Incidentally, Aishwarya has scored over 97% in her Standard XII exams. 

Says Aishwarya, about their very first concert, “Though there was nothing like stage fright or anything, we were a little bit nervous and we made a few small mistakes.  At one time, I brought in a stanza from another song, but we managed all that because our guru was encouraging us from the very first row with encouraging nods and a big smile”. Thara says, "It was never difficult for us, music just came easily to us".

Dr. Rudhran a psychiatrist has said of them, “Art though inherent in all, blossoms forth only in a few who look within and lift it out, like these children”.

The ‘Gopalapuram Sisters’ are indeed all set to conquer the world.  

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