Meet Anuradha Pal, First Female Tabla Maestro In The World

Anuradha Pal is a tabla maestro and philanthropist and ensures that women and children who want to flourish as an artist get the opportunities they deserve. She did not grow up in a house of artists but with supportive parents who inspired her to achieve the title of a tabla maestro at the age of 16 and make history by being the first woman to become one.

Anuradha Pal believes that giving back to society is a duty of everyone and she earnestly tries to help women and children in getting a platform to share their talents and succeed instead of being subjected to any sort of discrimination. Pal spoke to SheThePeople about her journey so far and how life panned out for her.

Anuradha Pal, First Female Tabla Maestro In The World

Who was your first teacher?

"My first teachers were my parents Ila & Devinder Pal who inculcated a love for culture, science, history, music, heritage & art with their own shining examples. Thanks to their exposure, I got to listen to great masters like Ustad Vilayat Khansaheb, Pt. Jasraji, Kishori Amonkarji, since I was an infant."

How did you end up choosing Tabla?

"My grandmother Sarojben Vyas was a patron of the arts & several musicians who visited her home, noticed my rhythmic flair and suggested that I Iearn Tabla along with classical vocals, to get a firm foundation of Raga and Tala. Hence  I started learning both when I was 6 years old. At age 9, I started giving Tabla solo performances on Doordarshan and All India Radio and accompanying Vocalists and instrumentalists when I was just 13/ 14 years old."

"At age 11, a key defining factor that shaped my destiny was my urging my Gurus- Tabla Legends Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain to be ‘exacting and inculcate discipline and high standards, that would make me the best’. This spirit instilled in me the prowess that definitively shaped my future and permeated in all my collaborations or jugalbandis with the young and veterans of music as well as in my solo performances. With a lot of self-study, introspection and several hours of daily riyaaz (practice), I learnt the 6 gharanas of Tabla & Carnatic Taal Shastra. This firm foundation in Hindustani & Carnatic music has helped me to innovate and create an interactive ‘Tablas Sing Stories’ and 3 bands - Stree Shakti (India’s first all-female band), Recharge (World Fusion band) and SuFoRe (Sufi & Folk combined with classical music)."

How did it feel the first time you played it?

"Tabla is a very physically demanding instrument and initially, I was discouraged by everyone as it is male dominant & patriarchal field. My parents inculcated discipline, dedication and forbearance and with a lot of patience, practise and focused work, I honed my skills to be hailed as the world’s first female professional Tabla maestro by the Limca Book of Records & Encyclopedia Britannica."

How has been the journey like being the world's first female professional tabla maestro?

"Not coming from a musician family & being a female in a male-dominated field and society without any godfather, meant I was against a stone wall. I was determined to be strong, disciplined, courageous, creative and committed to my goal of convincing the sceptics of the quality and depth of my talent. As they say 'Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.'"

Did you hear any discouraging words or any gender stereotypes thrown at you?

"Catalyzed by my own struggles, I founded India’s first ever all-female Hindustani Carnatic percussion-based, instrumental-vocal music band called Anuradha Pal’s Stree Shakti in 1996. For over 25 years, Stree Shakti has provided a valuable supportive platform through international concerts & tours to deserving Women Artists from the folk and classical genres, thus ensuring continuity and encouragement for female Artists, something unknown earlier.

To increase the respect for Tabla, I created a new approach and concept of storytelling from the Epics - 'Ramayan', 'Krishna Leelas' and 'Ardha Narishvara' which is highly popular as ‘Anuradha’s Tablas sings stories’, thus expanding the Vistas of Rhythmic exploration using Voice, poetry & instruments. I also collaborated with painting, poetry, Jazz, African, Latin, Flamenco, New Age and other world music genres and compose music in film scores, documentaries and music albums.

I am excited about the wealth of opportunities & interesting collaborations with Indian, Jazz, African, Latin, Flamenco and world musicians, as well as leveraging my experience to provide a much-needed impetus to our music and culture, partnering with important institutions and government bodies. With the active alignment of several senior and respected musicians, I am providing thought leadership and strategic framework in this regard."

How was it performing with other legendary musicians and artists?

"I have been performing since I was just 9 years old. Every concert gives a different reward. Let me elaborate on a few deep experiences that I have had. When I first played with my Guru, Ustad Zakir Hussain, I was only 15 years old. I learnt how to be quick-witted and think on my feet – all this while on the stage with him!  I have a lump in my throat when I relive the thrill of getting a huge roar of appreciation & encore from 4 lakh fans at the world-famous Woodstock festival in 2008, where I had the honour of representing India with my Fusion band ‘Recharge’ & released our CD internationally! On another occasion, I experienced Lord Vitthal dancing in front of my closed eyes, while I was meditatively accompanying Pt. Jasraj ji singing soulful bhajans, inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Pandharpur Vitthal Temple. I also recall, how I learnt to cajole and impress the dismissive, patriarchal audience into supporting me when I accompanied Ustad Sultan Khan in Rajasthan at the age of 16!"

Anuradha Pal with Pandit Ravi Shankar

"I vividly recollect how I learnt to create and present relatable Rhythmic stories on Tabla when I was suddenly pushed onto stage to perform for my rock-loving college friends, thus merging the lines between classical and cool! Over years of introspection and experimentation, this has transformed into contemporary stories in the award-winning ‘Anuradha’s Tabla's sing stories’. "

"Another incident was when I performed in an all-night open-air-concert at the Mahakaleshwar Temple Ujjain with Pt Vishwamohan Bhatt, Pt. Ronu Majumdar & Pt. Tarun Bhattacharya. I had a spiritual experience of birds dropping leaves as if to bless me when I started playing the Tabla!"

What does Tabla mean to you?

"'Tabla is my love, my life…’ it is my oxygen and elixir, that gives me joy and inner peace. Many people need a distraction or something to pass time. I have never needed either.. because Tabla was my toy as a child and has remained my best friend, in the most difficult, painful phases of my life. My name Anu-ra-dha ends with the most important syllable of the Tabla, so I guess I was born for it."

When did you start philanthropy and is there a story behind it?

"Empathy, compassion and giving back to society were values inculcated & practised by my amazing parents by regularly donating towards education and upliftment of disadvantaged communities, women and children. This tradition has been upheld by me & my dearest husband Shyam Sharma with our regular donations to the Indian army, women & the disadvantaged."

"Through my all-female band, Anuradha Pal’s Stree Shakti, and as a Brand Ambassador of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, I have been advocating the cause of female empowerment, inclusion, opportunity, equality & dignity for several decades. Hence APCF instituted the Padmashri M. T. Vyas Stree Shakti award in 2020 to encourage young girls towards Indian Music/ Dance & social service. APCF has already awarded several young women from M.P, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra etc, encouraging them for their service to Music, dance & society, sustainable environment & slum."

What is your message for the younger women aspiring to break the stereotypes?

"While I have faced a lot of challenges, nepotism and discrimination, I have not let even painful, personal tragedies come in the way of professional commitment & even topped M.A in music. I have been invited to teach Tabla at Ivy League universities like Harvard, MIT, New England conservatory etc. Further armed with the practical experience of performing over 5000 concerts in 30 countries, I created special, easy training modules to train online & offline students at the Anuradha Pal Cultural Academy (APCA). "

"While I am a President awardee of the First Ladies award 2017 & a winner of 108 awards. I continue to be a humble student, consistently demonstrating unflinching dedication towards musical excellence, empowerment of women & society, Nationalism, teamwork, positivity, determination and uncompromising morals & values against all odds, thus inspiring the youth to realise their potential with ethics, hard work & dedication to good causes and our great nation."

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