Online & In-Studio Mridanga & Kirtan Academy with Sri Ganapathi Prabhu
Learn authentic Bengali style Khol, Manohar Shahi, Garanhati, and Hindustani classical kirtan beats from a maestro with over 20 years of devotion, sacred craftsmanship, and pedagogical experience.
location_onBengaluru • SMVT Station Hub
Live interactive classes on Zoom & In-person training inside our artisanal acoustical laboratory.
"The Mridanga is Not Just Played; It Breathes with the Singer's Soul."
Sri Ganapathi Prabhu has dedicated more than two decades to the divine art of Sri Mridanga. As both a master craftsman and a seasoned kirtaniya, he understands not just how to play the rhythm, but how the instrument breathes. He has trained temple leads, pujaris, and international devotees in authentic ISKCON Bengali kirtan styles, Hindustani accompaniment, and vocal harmonium coordination.
Every online and in-studio session is personally calibrated to your wrist posture, finger snap weight, and acoustic pitch matching, ensuring fast progress whether you are touching the khol for the first time or leading the temple Aarti.
Academy Tutorial Packages
Choose your learning path. All tiers include interactive real-time video feedback, slow-motion wrist drills, and authentic Bengali bols.
Sacred Hand Positions & Basic Thekas
Master the fundamental resonance, hand placement, and holy syllables without strain or fatigue.
- check_circleDayan & Bayaan finger placement & wrist posture
- check_circlePure pronunciation of Bols: Ta, Ti, Te, Re, Khet, Dha, Dhin
- check_circleEssential 8-beat Kaharwa taal synchronization
- check_circleHare Krishna Mahamantra foundational tempo
- check_circlePrintable notation booklet & practice loops included
Bengali Khol Style & Fast Kirtan Tihais
Unlock the ecstatic momentum of traditional Bengali temple kirtans with lightning-fast speed switches.
- check_circleGauranga Lila traditional rhythm suites
- check_circleDynamic speed transitions: Vilambit to Dvigun & Chaugun
- check_circleComplex resonant Tihais & climax pickups
- check_circleLive Kartal and Bell-metal synchronization technique
- check_circleRecorded video homework critiques directly from Prabhu
Vocal & Harmonium Dual Coordination
For senior temple kirtaniyas seeking effortless classical improvisation, Dadra, Rupak, and multi-instrument agility.
- check_circleHindustani classical kirtan: Dadra, Rupak & Tintal
- check_circleSinging lead vocals while holding intricate mridanga thekas
- check_circleHarmonium chord progression & reed pitch calibration
- check_circleAccompanying prominent world kirtan leaders smoothly
- check_circleDirect phone access for pre-festival tuning questions
Book Your Online Slot or In-Studio Workshop
Begin with a zero-cost 15-minute rhythm orientation with Sri Ganapathi Prabhu. We assess your hand grip, verify your time zone, and formulate your personalized weekly training roadmap.
Mridanga & Harmonium Repair Workshop (SMVT Bangalore)
Have an old, untuned, cracked, or dull-sounding mridanga? Bring or ship it to our Bangalore workshop. Sri Ganapathi Prabhu personally inspects, restrings with sacred pure rawhide, and tunes every Dayan and Bayaan shell to precision resonance.
Dayan & Bayaan Head Replacement & Ghab Application
Complete removal of damaged black paste (ghab) or split skins. Reapplied using artisanal Mayapur mineral paste for pure high bell ring and rumbling bass sustain.
Buffalo / Rawhide Full Restringing & Braiding
Replacement of brittle leather straps with conditioned rawhide ribbons. Hand-braided rim tension calibration for balanced dual-head tension stability.
Harmonium Reed Re-tuning & Bellow Servicing
Calibrated pitch realignment to standard A440Hz concert pitch or meditative 432Hz. Multi-fold bellow air-leak sealing, key level balance, and valve replacement.
Crack Repair & Shell Reinforcement (Clay & Fiber)
Specialized structural bonding for cracked earthen Bengali khols. For fiberglass models, epoxy joint sealing and internal acoustic dampening calibration.
How to Send Instruments from Anywhere in India
Devotees regularly courier mridangas to our workshop via Delhivery, DTDC, and SafeXpress. We provide step-by-step guidance on wrapping the clay belly in double bubble-wrap and hard outer cartons to ensure safe transit.
Preparing for Ratha Yatra, Gaura Purnima, or Vyasa Puja? Same-day express tuning and Dayan pitch tightening are available upon direct appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions: Repair & Custom Khols
Voices from the Global Kirtan Sangha
"I could never play the fast 16-beat Bengali theka without stiff wrists until Ganapathi Prabhu corrected my thumb release. Learning over Zoom from London felt as clear as being in his room."
"My grandfather's clay khol had split ghab and dull bass. I couriered it from Mumbai to SMVT Bangalore. Ganapathi Prabhu gave it back sounding like a divine temple bell. Invaluable craftsmanship!"
"The simultaneous vocal and harmonium coordination tier gave me the courage to lead Sunday Feast kirtan. Prabhu's patient devotee demeanor makes learning deeply meditative."