Journey of an Irish percussionist to make a story about percussion

It may seem strange to many to go from Ireland to India to make a documentary film. But the percussionist Ruairi Glasheen from Cork has made such a strange journey in 2018 and 2019.

Ruairi Glasheen, a percussionist, musician, filmmaker and also a teacher, went to South India to make a documentary about Indian percussion.

The exciting part is that Glasheen chose Kanjira-a percussive sibling of mridangam or ghatam in Carnatic music, and an instrument not much noticed by everyone-as the protagonist of his documentary film.

The documentary, Hidden Drums of India, has three parts and was filmed in Bangaluru and Chennai, India.

The doc film features well-known Carnatic percussionists Anoor R Ananthakrishna Sharma and Ghatam Giridhar Udupa along with prominent kanjira players Lata Ramachar, Sunaad Anoor, Shree Sundarkumar and Harihara Sharma.

Another notable thing is that Hidden Drums of India is a sequel to Glasheen’s more popular documentary, Hidden Drums of Iran, where he featured tonbak players of the country.

It might be curious to many that he chooses rare drums like tonbak or kanjira to make his films. But he himself clarified it in an email interview. “It’s not just the rhythms that inspire me, but the story behind these age old traditions, and the musicians who are drumming new life into them,” Glasheen said.