In His Guru's Footsteps - Mandolin player Aravind Bhargav
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Aravind Bhargav, a Chennai-based musician is someone who is already carving out a niche for himself in the world of music. Having trained for 17 years under late Mandolin player and Padmashri recipient U Srinivas, regarded as the Mozart of Indian classical music, one can’t expect any less. The 24-year-old musician is in the capital city for a Mandolin concert which will be held at Vyloppilly Samskruthi Bhavan on Friday at 4.30 pm.
Music has been ever present in the maternal side of his family, though in different forms. While Aravind’s mother is a vocal artist, his maternal grandmother was a gifted Veena player. Skilled in Mandolin, Aravind developed a fascination towards the instrument even before he know what it was. Elaborates the instrumentalist, “It was my mother who saw my potential, later introducing me to late U Srinivas at the age of six.” Training under the Mandolin brothers U Srinivas and U Rajesh, he was able to perfect his skills and attended his first concert by 2009, at around the age of 17.
For the Mandolinist, getting the opportunity to train under a Mandolin legend, who modified the original instrument into something suited for the classical ‘Gamakas’, has always been a cherished memory. Recalling his experience, he narrates a particular incident which turned out to be a life changer, “I had just finished my class X exams and was at a major crossroads in life. Stuck in a dilemma on whether to choose a career in music or just take up commerce and pursue engineering, I decided to consult Srinivas sir. Asking me to follow my heart, he added in the end, ‘If you choose mandolin, I can guarantee you that the instrument will take you far.’ I will never forget that incident, though there are many more.” Speaking about his guru, the musician says he had magic in his fingers. Adds Aravind, “If I am able to master even a little bit of what Srinivas sir could do with the mandolin, it would be a big achievement.”
The Mandolin player has been able to make a mark for himself among upcoming musicians who have mastered the instrument, having attended concerts in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, New Delhi and many states across India. Aravind also displayed his talent in the string instrument at concerts held in Jaffna, Azerbaijan, Switzerland and Italy as well.
Having attended Kacheris across Kerala earlier, this is Aravind’s first one in the capital city. When asked about the attitude of Keralites towards music, he elaborates, “One thing which I have always noted during my concerts here is that the audience is very much knowledgeable in music and has a good sense of etiquette. For instance, I saw this very small kid at a concert who was giving tala for the music and it was just perfect! My experience here has always been humbling.”
Pointing out the speciality he finds in the musical instrument, Aravind says, “The Mandolin is an instrument which has a unique international appeal. It is more popular, through movies as well as music.”