TYEB MEHTA Bearing Weight FEATURED EVENTS

This summer, KNMA presents Clay in Resonance, a four-day workshop introducing participants to rhythm through the ghatam, a traditional South Indian percussion instrument made of clay. Played using the hands and fingers, the ghatam produces sharp, resonant, and textured sounds.

Led by percussionist Shounok Banerjee, the workshop combines intuitive learning with structured practice, encouraging participants to experience rhythm as both a mathematical system and a form of personal expression.

The workshop begins by exploring rhythm through the body, connecting breath, heartbeat, and everyday movement with foundational ghatam techniques and rhythmic syllables. Participants are then introduced to rhythmic cycles, or taal, through guided exercises and familiar musical references.

As the sessions progress, participants engage more deeply with Adhi Thalam, learning to navigate its structure through practical exercises and rhythmic compositions. The final day focuses on creative exploration, where participants bring together their learning to create and share their own rhythmic phrases and improvisations.

Open to beginners and enthusiasts alike, the workshop invites participants to listen, observe, and discover rhythm through sound, repetition, and collective engagement.

About the Artist
Shounok Banerjee is a New Delhi–based percussionist specialising in the ghatam, a traditional South Indian clay instrument. Trained under Kumbakonam Shri N. Padmanaban and Shri Giridhar Udupa, his practice spans ghatam, tabla, mridangam, and khanjira, bringing together traditional and experimental approaches to rhythm and percussion.

He is the Co-founder and Creative Director of Artmosphere, an arts and events curation platform focused on cross-genre artistic practices. His performances have been presented at institutions and festivals including the Dover Lane Music Conference, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and the Pandit Chatur Lal Festival.

While you’re here, explore KNMA’s ongoing exhibition
TYEB MEHTA Bearing Weight (with the lightness of being).