Watch: Thavil artiste Amirthavarshini: Performing with A.R. Rahman was a wonderful experience

From playing the thavil in the temples of Mannargudi near Thanjavur as a schoolgirl to joining A.R. Rahman’s ‘Wonderment Tour’ concert in Chennai recently, Amirthavarshini Manishankar’s musical journey seems like a fairy tale. But in reality, it is also a story of conviction and perseverance — of a young girl carving a space for herself as a thavil artiste in the male‑dominated world of Carnatic percussion.