THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When friends call Ramakrishnan ‘Chenda Raman’, it is not to make fun of him. It is an affirmation of his talent at performing the ‘Thayambaka’. On Monday, the 13-year-old performed his 201st show at Kanakakkunnu.
Ramakrishnan is reticent of his accomplishments. However, his father Harish helpfully lists down his most noted performances. ‘’He has performed at many stages. Last November he was the youngest performer at Shadkala Govinda Marar Music Festival. The festival, organised by Department of Culture and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, had greats like Mattannoor Shankarankutty Marar and Thiruvanam Kuttan Marar performing. During this Onam vacation a lot of programmes are lined up, ‘’ Harish said.
‘’Ramakrishnan’s own most memorable experience was ‘Thala Melam’. That was his 100th performance at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan. Shashi Tharoor arrived late for watching the performance. However, Ramakrishnan once again performed for Tharoor,” Harish said.
‘’We later got to know that Tharoor had received thousands of feedback letters about Ramakrishnan’s performance. Some had even placed requests like organising a performance of Sivamani and Ramakrishnan’’ Harish said.
Harish says that the masses loves Ramakrishnan’s performance because he plays chenda in Varanasi Thekkekoor style. Ramakrishnan prefers the audience at venues like Vyloppilli Bhavan to temples, as they are a lot more receptive to the performance. He can perform Chempadavattom and Triguna, which are considered to be extremely difficult rhythms.
Ramakrishnan does not remember as to what propelled him to learn playing chenda. ‘’My father told me that when I would be taken to Kathakali performances I would listen keenly to the chenda,’’ he said.
Harish, who is an advocate, recognised the interest in the little one. So when Ramakrishnan was just 4 years, he was taken to Powdikonam Surendran Asan. His arangettam was in 2007. Ramakrishan would not miss his daily chenda practice for anything sundry reason. Recently, he got a cycle for a birthday gift. However, he would use the cycle only after his evening practice.
He also plays guitar and violin. Using internet, he taught himself to play the keyboard. Apart from these, he collects coins for a hobby. On weekends, when he is not practising on chenda or the other musical instruments, he would read a book than watch a movie. Even as he sounds older than he is, the copies of children’s books at his home reminds us that he is still a child.