The Humble Kanjira
The kanjira is a small, single-headed frame drum with deep roots in folk and devotional traditions across India. Over time, it was adopted into South Indian Carnatic concert music, with its modern concert form closely associated with the great Manpoondia Pillai in the late 19th century.
Piano X Kanjira
Two South Indian Musical Heritages.
A New Conversation.
In JOURNEY, Charu Suri's piano meets the kanjira mastery of V. Selvaganesh-two South Indian musical heritages in a fresh and intimate dialogue. Together, they explore new rhythms, textures and possibilities, bridging tradition and innovation.
“Journey” is Charu Suri's first raga-based etude, and part of a broader album called RAGA ETUDES which will debut in early 2027.
As a child concert pianist, Charu performed numerous virtuosic piano etudes by composers like Liszt and Chopin and then thought, “why aren’t there any piano etudes based on Indian ragas? There’s a void here.”
In an attempt to meaningfully contribute to the void, she worked with virtuoso Kanjira master V. Selvaganesh who toured all over the world with John McLaughlin’s SHAKTI ensemble and was under the tutelage of maestro Zakir Hussain.
Charu and V. Selvaganesh are both from South India, with Carnatic music heritages and upbringing. This track spotlights a humble folk drum and a late morning raga, Charukesi, that is unique to South Indian heritage.
It is part major and part minor, and auspicious in nature, a journey in and of itself.
The track is complete with the beautiful dulcimer playing of MAX ZT, and mixed and mastered by Siddhant Bhatia.
