2.5 Year-Old Swarashree Sets Record Playing Tabla

At an age when children are busy learning to talk and walk, little Swarashree Hegde of India has amazed everyone with her tabla rhythms. At just 2 years and 10 months, she has set a record by reciting 12 tabla taals aloud as well as playing them. In recognition of this exceptional talent, she has found a place in the India Book of Records.

Swarashree lives in the Honnavar area of Uttara Kannada district in the Indian state of Karnataka. A video of her playing the tabla has recently spread on social media. Since the video came out, netizens have been full of praise for the child’s extraordinary talent.

Taal is a very important element of Indian classical music. Each taal has its own number of beats, rhythm and structure. Mastering these taals takes long practice and concentration. Yet before turning three, Swarashree has shown the skill to remember 12 taals, recite them aloud and play them on the tabla.

Behind the little girl’s interest in the tabla is her father, Gururaj Hegde Adukala. He is a tabla player by profession and teaches the instrument to more than 50 students. Swarashree’s mother, Shrilatha Hegde, is a professor of English literature as well as a Hindustani classical music singer. Together, the couple also run a music school in their area.

Swarashree was drawn to the instrument by watching her father teach students the tabla. Realising their daughter’s interest, her parents had two small-sized tablas made for her so that she could practise in her own way. Her musical practice began slowly from that small interest.

In this way, the love for the tabla that was born from watching her father eventually turned into an extraordinary achievement. Having entered her name in the record book by playing and reciting 12 taals at just 2 years and 10 months, Swarashree is now the pride of her family and the people of her area.