Amrita Virtual Academy

These sessions are open to current and new Tabla students, and all AVA Members. It's okay if you haven't started playing yet—this session is a great way to get started!

In these recorded sessions, one by one, students had the chance to demonstrate what they are currently learning and receive live feedback and tips from the instructor, Brahmachari Harikesh. This was followed by a question and answer session.

Ten years ago, there were only about ten westerners and a few children participating in the tabla classes held twice a week at Amritapuri. In 2017, Amma called Brahmachari Harikesh, one of the experienced tabla players at the ashram, and instructed him to begin expanding the tabla classes. Soon after that, eighty brahmacharinis registered for the classes under Amma's prompting. Then due to Amma's encouragement, almost all the children living in Amritapuri also asked to have classes. Many international residents and visitors also decided to learn tabla.

A big event took place in the main hall on the holiday, Vijayadashami, in September of that year. While Amma was giving darshan, about 100 of the tabla students, who had been attending classes for just over two months, gave a group performance. The synchronicity was truly magical, and this led to regular tabla performances in front of Amma on festivals.