Chennai, December 13: Shakti Dharshani is probably the first Sri Lankan to be a trained “luthier” or violin maker. She has acquired the necessary certification from “Violin Wise”, an institution set up by the renowned Chennai-based violinist, GJR Krishnan, son of violin maestro the Late Lalgudi Jayaraman, to train local craft persons in the rare art of violin making.
In her piece on “Violin Wise” in The New Indian Express, Deepa Chakravarthy says it is a unique institution in South Asia as violins used here are imported, given the fact that making it is a highly specialized and intricate task in which there is no local expertise.
For any accompanying artiste, the instrument is the most prized possession. It is not only dearest, but also very intimate and personal belonging. Chakravarhy approached Vidwan Lalgudi GJR Krishnan to know more about how a violin is tuned and maintained, but the conversation turned out very enriching, throwing new perspectives and insights. A historical page has been added to the journey of violin as a musical instrument in India.
“Like all musical instruments, the violin is also a sensitive instrument that needs delicate handling and constant care. On most occasions, we carry our violins to Europe and US during tours and get them repaired there. But, on one occasion, there was an urgency, and my father was forced to call a local technician.
The visiting technician was not a trained luthier, but since he had on earlier occasions made small repairs, we trusted that all will end well. However, while accessing the soundpost, he ended up damaging the f-hole. On that day, I witnessed my father in a great deal of agony,” shared GJR Krishnan (GJR).
For the benefit of the readers, the sound for any violin comes from the f-holes, but the resonance for the sound is created by the soundpost. The soundpost is the lifeline of the instrument and an unseen aspect that could be accessed only through the right f-hole.
GJR continues, “My father’s state had deeply impacted me. The unease, as a result of the incident, was constantly resurfacing for the mere fact that Chennai, the Carnatic capital did not have a professional luthier. To put an end to my own suffering and the lacuna the violin community as a whole faced, I initiated the project Violin Wise, under the umbrella of the Lalgudi Trust. The aim of the project was to create a community of craftsmen who could be trained as luthiers.”
In the West, luthier is a skilled-profession that deals with the craft of plucking, strumming and making of stringed instruments, especially the ones involving a bow. So the family of luthier instruments will include the violin, cello, double basses and even the guitars.
Through another lens, violin being a western instrument, there was no traditional hereditary community of craftsmen in India like how the Shikalgars of Miraj exist for the sitar.
Also, the acoustic violins that are used by Indian professional artistes are mostly those that are picked up from the circulation of violins left behind by the British, or gifted to them, or purchased abroad. To put it in proper perspective, the violin, which has become an integral part of Carnatic music concerts, never had a community of craftsmen who could artfully hand craft an acoustic violin.
Consequently, GJR identified a professional luthier, James Wimmer, who lives in Santa Barbara who could take the vision of the Violin Wise project forward.
Tune in to the luthiers
Now, it is natural to assume that the Violin Wise project was welcomed and it would have become an immediate success and the story ends there. On the contrary, despite the Lalgudi trust initiating the Violin Wise project identifying the lacuna in the field of violin music in India, the project didn’t take off as well as expected. After making all the arrangements, GJR’s biggest dismay was that there weren’t any takers to learn the craft.
In his words, “While I could convince a westerner to leave his shop to teach the specialised craft here, I felt disheartened that people here were showing an unwillingness to close their shop to upskill themselves. We didn’t have registrations until I dangled an irresistible carrot for those who would complete the residency.” Eventually, when the registrations came in, only a few sustained the demands of the workshop as well as the length of the programme. “Those few who sustained, during each edition of Violin Wise, learnt nuanced and specialised skills in violin repairing and restoration.
In the fifth edition of the study programme with luthier James Wimmer, we handpicked four students who could be trained in the art and craft of violin making. Today, these four luthiers are making replicas of Stradivarius violins that match world class standards.
In this way, I made a small beginning in realising my dream of contributing to the violin community in India,” he added.
The four luthiers who benefitted from the Violin Wise workshops are: Sathyanarayan, also a violinist himself and a resident of Chennai; Murali and Vinay Murali, a father-son duo from Kerala and Renjith, a carpenter, also from Kerala. To complete the story, Renjith was approached to know about his experiences attending the workshop.
“I am a carpenter by profession. Like any Keralite, I love classical music and took to learning the violin. Initially, to practise the lessons taught in the class, I borrowed a violin. But being a carpenter, I was curious. So, I made a violin for myself just by applying my carpentry skills, with no knowledge of what goes into violin making.
Feeling a sense of achievement, I took pictures of what I made and sent them to GJR Krishnan ji. After seeing my pictures, he reached out to me and asked me to meet him in Guruvayoor, where he said was performing. When I met with him backstage after the concert, he took a closer look at the violin that I made. In retrospect, I know what I had made as a violin was very amateur, but I feel he saw my enthusiasm and love for violin and insisted that I attend the workshop.
The next year when the call for registrations came, I left my hometown to attend the residency programme in Chennai. It was so fulfilling. I felt as if I found my calling,” shared Renjith.
His initial worry was if a western professional was conducting a workshop, then it would be in English and understanding would be a problem for him. But, to his surprise, James could speak in Hindi and language was no longer a barrier. “In regard to the structure, the workshop teaches on the techniques of how to use specialised tools of luthier for addressing various parts of the violin.
It begins with teaching about repairs, and then moves on to restoration and only upon showing the right skills, crafting and making of a violin is taught.” When probed on if he knew why many could not sustain the programme, he said, “The making sometimes involved using grinding tools and certain types of machinery and most couldn’t handle it. I think being a carpenter came handy for me in those times.” Through this interview, Renjith expressed his immense gratitude to the Lalgudi Trust and Lalgudi GJR Krishnan for giving him a once in a lifetime opportunity to upskill himself.
The Violin Wise initiative continues to recognise new talent for creating a community of luthiers. In 2021, Renjith migrated from Kerala to Chennai. He shared that he is always busy with repairs, restoration work and new orders from all over India. This year, he even conducted the Violin Wise workshop for the Lalgudi trust as a professional luthier. He has also empowered his wife on the art and craft of violin making, and she is now the first female violin maker in India.
The Lalgudi Trust is continuing to recognise and reward the passion and perseverance of those interested in the nuanced craft. The trust gives away a set of German tools worth USD 500 along with a professional working bench and a stipend to kick start their journey as luthier. This year the beneficiary of the trust is a Sri Lankan girl, Shakti Darshini, who was trained by Renjith on repairs and restorations. She will be taking the new knowledge across shores as a skilled-professional.
Paying Profession in the US
Violin making is a lucrative profession in the US. As of December 2024, the average annual salary for a luthier in the United States is $123,678, or $59 per hour. The top earners make around $134,000 per year, or $64 per hour.
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