Mridangam’s most loved vidwan

A 30-minute production by director Rajiv Menon explores mridangam artist Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman’s life beyond the stage – his simplicity, rigorous practice sessions and his dedication to music, all peppered with the vidwan ’s ready wit. 

Rajiv Menon, who along with Prakriti Foundation, also produced this documentary, pointed out that he had wanted to showcase a more personal side of this legendary percussionist. “I had spent a lot of time with Mr. Sivaraman, going over to his house where he served me filter coffee. I watched him teach his students and realised that he was quite jovial. 

Behind this serious figure, he is an amicable man. Our earlier interviews were conducted in Queen’s English but I wanted to show a more intimate side of his. I couldn’t have done that if Mr. Sivaraman hadn’t opened up his heart, mind and home to me,” he said. Having picked up the instrument at the age of 5, Mr. Sivaraman said that a life of a mridangam artist was all about discipline and devotion. 

“I learnt this discipline from my father and my gurus. And, I teach this t

o my students too. My life is always revolving around art,” he said. The documentary also touched upon the fact that Carnatic music, to a large extent, still remains a stronghold of the Brahmin community. 

To this, Mr. Sivaraman replied, “I am beyond caste and creed. That is one of the reasons why my students come from different communities. In fact, I also started teaching the son of a mridangam maker called Johnson. One day, I’d like to see Johnson’s child shine as bright as Umayalapuram Sivaraman.” 

Rajiv said it was this omnipresence of music in Mr. Sivaraman’s life that he wanted to capture. “I was aware that Mr. Sivaraman completed his legal studies. But for me, as a sangeeth rasika , I wanted to know how he gets the sound of the naad am perfectly. Mr. Sivaraman once told me that if he had to continue with the legal profession, he wanted to be the best lawyer and work in the Supreme Court. 

So, I asked him if he was the best mridangam player? He replied, ‘That’s what people tell me,’” concluded Rajiv.