Personalities: Prakash Hariharan

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Remembering Mandolin Prakash

Prakash Hariharan, known as ‘Mandolin’ Prakash for his brilliance with the musical instrument, was born in Chennai in 1985. Prakash was a worthy successor to the legendary ‘Mandolin Srinivas’ and built a unique body of both classical Carnatic and non-classical music work. His musical life bears comparison to Sri U Srinivas, the child prodigy and genius of Carnatic mandolin, who left us at the young age of 45 in 2014. The news that Prakash had passed away at the young age of 35 in New Zealand shocked Carnatic rasikas, who found solace in his mandolin music. The headlines surrounding the Covid global pandemic that had started just a months earlier drowned this tragic news. Through this brief tribute post, we remember Prakash Hariharan and celebrate his joyful and vibrant musical contributions.

Early Life and Training

Prakash began his musical training at a young age, and his talent with the mandolin was obvious. He studied under Sri U.P. Raju garu, a student in the Gurukulam of the late Sri R. Subbaraju, who himself was a student of the great Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagavatar. Sri R. Subbaraju was the one who had nurtured the mandolin genius of a six-year-old U. Srinivas. Prakash further refined his Carnatic vocal ability under Smt. Padma Veeraraghavan, a disciple of the renowned Sri K.V. Narayanaswamy. Prakash’s grounding in classical Carnatic sangeetam under these luminaries yielded the distinctive and melodious vocal vibes that we experience in his mandolin recitals.

Career, Work and Musical Style

Mandolin Prakash was at ease whether he performed at a Carnatic concert, during session work for Tamizh cinema with the top music directors, or while jamming and playing fusion pieces with independent artists around the world. His noteworthy work includes the defining album, Gayaki Mandolin (2014) [2], and two volumes of The Mandolin Prakash Project[3]. You can buy a digital copy of his discography here. [1].

These works showcase not only his ability to adhere to the Carnatic raga structure but also his versatility in terms of musical arrangement. He was adept in the studio as a session musician working on instrumental cinema tracks.

“Carnatic music in general is a challenging art form. The varieties, complexities and dynamics require devoted and rigorous practice schedules.”—Prakash Hariharan [8].

The Gayaki (vocal) Mandolin defines a key contribution of Prakash to the long and sacred Carnatic tradition. Prakash’s mandolin sang, producing melodic notes and Gamakas that people remembered long after, just as the incomparable U Srinivas mastered the most complex pieces with his prodigious Mozart-esque ability and rendered them in live concerts with nonchalant ease and simplicity. What is common to U. Srinivas and Prakash is their smiling countenance during a live performance, and they forever live in our hearts as young artists of Sastriya Sangeetam.

“True Gayaki style playing goes beyond pitch modulation; it extends into phrasing, articulation, and dynamics that parallel a vocalist’s delivery.”

… Carnatic music’s soul lies in its gamakas—the oscillations, glides, and microtonal shadings that give each raga its unique identity. The Gayaki style places a premium on capturing these nuances with precision and grace.” – [7].

Prakash led multiple Carnatic-infused projects, including the Carnatic String Conservatory (CSC) [5] and YUJ Entertainment. He also launched an online academy for guitar and mandolin string music where he taught and interacted with students [4]. A specific example of the Yuj project that blends contemporary Western music while staying true to its Carnatic roots is his beautiful composition ‘Reetigowla Blues’.

Prakash’s exposition of the Reetigowla ragam within what may seem to be a western blues/jazz piece is something that any music fan can appreciate. The mandolin intro in the live version, and then the delightful interplay of the piano keyboard and the dulcet raga notes of Prakash’s mandolin at the end, uplift and transport the listener to a different world. ‘Reetigowla Blues’ made him popular among the younger audiences as well.

 

Legacy and Passing

Prakash moved to Wellington, New Zealand in 2019 to pursue a Master of Musical Arts degree at Victoria University, Wellington, where he balanced his musical sadhana with studies and interacted with local art groups. On a side note, he was also a proficient cricketer who received awards for his performances in different leagues for the Victoria University of Wellington Cricket Club.

Several tributes poured in after his untimely demise in May 2020. In an online post, the master Carnatic/Jazz guitarist Prasanna expressed his grief and noted, “He was not only a brilliant Carnatic player, but one of the most versatile and exploratory musicians and a passionate teacher, who had so much music to offer.” Tamil film music director D. Imman tweeted about the news of Prakash’s untimely demise.

Prakash’s contribution to Bharatiya Sanskriti and world music is captured in this small roadside concert in Chennai where his mandolin strings vocalize Saint Tyagaraja’s composition, Manavyalakincara, to celebrate the silver jubilee of Sri Sankaranarayanar kovil. In this composition, Sri Tyagaraja touchingly beseeches his mind to understand the ultimate reality of Sri Rama. The music of Prakash Hariharan entered our lives, gave us joy, and his pure music uplifted our minds and left us yearning for more. Om Shanti.

 References: News and Audio Archives

  1. Bandcamp—Mandolin Prakash Discography.
  2. Gayaki Mandolin (2014).
  3. The Mandolin Prakash Project, Vol. 1 & 2.
  4. Mandolin Prakash YouTube Channel.
  5. Wayback Machine Archive: Carnatic String Conservatory.
  6. Mandolin Prakash Facebook Page.
  7. KTP Radhika. When the Violin Sings: TKV Ramanujacharyulu on the Gayaki Style of Violin in Carnatic Music. 2025.
  8. Vaishali Vijaykumar. The mystique of Carnatic mandolin. 2018.
  9. IWK Bureau. Indian student dies of a heart attack in Wellington. 2020.