Ghatam is one of the oldest carnatic instrument used in the percussion side. However this is made up of clay and iron ore which makes it a good solid body to play.
Round the globe, with a ghatam, the globetrotting ghatam genius "Vikku" Vinayakaram is a pioneer. He is the first Carnatic percussionist to try his hand at Western and fusion music. He is part of a new generation devoted to extending and expanding ancient Indian traditions. On the Carnatic music platform he is renowned for his crisp play and deep knowledge of rhythm.
He first became known in the West in the mid 1970s as a member of the group Shakti, which consisted of the jazz guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L. Shankar, tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, and Vikku Vinayakaram. The extraordinary speed and precision of his duets with Zakir Hussain captivated international audiences. Vinayakram is the first South Indian artist to ever receive a Grammy Award in 1991 for Best World Music Album for his participation in Mickey Hart's "Planet Drum" in which he played ghatam and morsingh.
A live performance cum instructional DVD on South Indian percussion, played and taught by India's greatest percussion maestro Vikku Vinayakram and his sons:
