Sri G.Harishankar played his first concert when he was five years old in Padhala Ponniamman temple, Chennai, for devotional songs of T. L. Maharajan, son of Tiruchy Loganathan. Then he later started playing regularly in Carnatic concerts.

Tanjore Sri Krishnamurthy Rao was the one who introduced Sri G.Harishankar to Smt. M.L.Vasanthakumari. From then on Smt. M.L.Vasanthakumari regularly had Sri Harishankar for khanjira in most of her concerts. The turning point came when Sri Palghat Mani Iyer himself tutored Sri Harishankar in Rishi valley school, where Sri Palghat Mani Iyer spent his last years. This was possible due to Smt.M.L.Vasanthakumari’s strong recommendation.

Sri Palghat Mani Iyer himself used to play Khanjira. Sri Palghat Mani Iyer was very happy about Sri Harishankar’s talent of playing Khanjira, understanding the intricacies of Laya and modifying the rhythmic patterns in to various other forms without spoiling its aesthetics. Sri Palghat Mani Iyer gave Sri Harishankar several tips & guidance towards modulation and refinement in the playing and also gave references as to how Sri Dakshinamurthy Pillai & Sri Palani Subramanya Pillai used to play the Khanjira. Sri Harishankar was mould to become a rare star shining in the art of Khanjira.

Sri Harishankar revolutionized the art of playing Khanjira. He is a rare phenomenon as far as Khanjira playing is concerned. He improvised the presentation to such great levels that anybody who took to Khanjira after him, tried to either follow, imitate or mimic his style and technique, in some or the other aspect. Sri Harishankar sir's playing became the benchmark for the next generation Khanjira artists.

Sri Harishankar was a unique in many ways. Firstly, he learned the Khanjira first and then the Mridangam, unlike his predecessors who were either Thavil Vidwans or Mridangam Vidwans who then took up to Khanjira. There was an extra-ordinary aspect in this too. He used to play the Khanjira in right hand and Mridangam in the left hand. The point we have to note is that his Mridangam playing tecnique did not favor his Khanjira playing. From this we can understand that the Khanjira playing techniques can be developed individually without having the technical knowledge of Mridangam playing. But knowing Mridangam helps a great deal in the presentation and blending of Khanjira with Mridangam and represent patterns that have similarities.

Sri G. Harishankar is the ideal for Modern Khanjira & its Playing Technique. One thing is for sure. Anybody can take up his style and continue playing for many years. But reaching his standards is simply impossible. It is a dream for many people to try and play in his style, and play what all he played on this simple looking one headed frame drum. But this is a Himalayan task.

Sri Harishankar’s playing technique is the best technique to play the Khanjira . He literally played anything and everything on the Khanjira with this technique. He has played some unimaginable phrases on the Khanjira. His amazing speed & clarity enthralled both the musicians and the listeners. Many a times, people could not figure out what happened and he would have completed the rendition within a flash. His playing was remarkable and astounding.

Sri G. Harishankar was like camphor when it came to calculations. He could understand any calculation that was played on the spot and could replay it immediately. He not only did this but also made variations within those compositions, within the available time. He also was a master at playing any given korvai in trishra. He reproduced the korvai played on stage in many speeds on the spot. Otherwise, he mostly played korvai s set by senior artists.

The most attractive point in his performance is to play the reverse of a pattern. This was never done before. It is sheer genius that he did this with absolute confidence and ease. He left the musicians and listeners spellbound with this feature of playing in the ending of a korvai reverse. He often did this in the Korraippu. Korraippu is like a question answer session. Many a time, he used to reverse the whole question and give it back as an answer. Any Khanjira or ghatam artists prior to him did not do this fete. This gained popularity and not the audiences but the artists also started to watch out for this in the ‘Thani Avarthanam’.

His fillers were literally fireworks. He waited for empty spots and fill in with such intensity and clarity that it used create a spur of excitement.

Sri G.Harishankar performed alongside artists like Palakkad Mani Iyer, Valangaiman Shanmugasundaram Pillai, Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Smt.D.K.Pattamal, Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi, Smt. M.L.Vasanthakumari, Maharajapuram Santhanam, Sri A.K.C.Natarajan, Dr.S. Ramanthan, Sri S.Kalyanaraman, Prof. T.R.Subramanyam, Sri T.M.Thyagarajan, Dr. N. Ramani, Prof. T. N. Krishnan, Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman, Sri M.S.Gopalakrishnan, Dr. T.K. Murthy, Mavelikkara Sri Velukutty Nair, Sri Palghat R. Raghu, Prof. T.V. Gopalakrishnan, Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Sri Vellore Ramabhadran, Prof. Trichy Shankaran, Guru Sri Karaikudi R. Mani, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Prof. Yella Venkateshwara Rao, Sri T.V. Shankaranarayanan, Trichur V.Ramachandran, Madurai Sri T.N. Seshagopalan, Dr. Kadri Gopalnath, Kum. A. Kanyakumari, Sri Aridwaramangalam A.K. Palanivel (Thavil), Sri Chitravina Ravikiran, Sri Ganesh & Sri Kumaresh, Sri U.Srinivas and many others. Sri G.Harishankar collaborated with Hindusthani stalwarts & international artists like Pandith Ravishankar (Sitar), Pandith Kishan Maharaj (Tabla), Pandith Arjun Sejwal (Pakhawaj), UStad Alla Rakha (Tabla), Pandith Birju Maharaj (Kathak), John Mclaughin, Ustad Zakir Hussien (Tabla) & many others. Sri G. Harishankar was a prime member of the first Carnatic Percussion Ensemble ‘Sruti Laya’ constituted by Guru Karaikudi R. Mani. The combination of Guru Karaikudi R.Mani & Sri G.Harishankar was one of the thunderous, popular & most followed by class & mass. Sri G. Harishankar's first abroad tour was with Sri M. Chandrasekaran & his Smt. Bharathi accompanied by Sri Guruvayoor Dorai. Sri G. Harishankar played many 'double-khanjira' concerts along with Sri Mayavaram Somu.

Sri G.Harishankar worked as a staff artist of the All India Radio, Chennai. To date, Sri G.Harishankar is the only Khanjira player to be awarded with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2001), the highest national recognition given to performing artists. He was also awarded the Kalaimamani award from the government of Tamil Nadu.

Sri G. Harishankar was a rare phenomenon that happened to Khanjira. Though some things can be taught, they can be achieved only by god’s blessings & rigorous practice. Sri G. Harishankar had both in him. The unbelievable phrases & flashes he played were not fluke; rather it was God’s gift to him.

Sri G. Harishankar is the Icon of Modern Khanjira and the mark he has made in the world of percussion is remarkable & untouchable. Sri G.Harishankar passed away on February 11 th 2002 due to a critical Bronchitis infection in his lungs. But he is very much alive in millions of hearts by his amazing playing.

This is the ‘Legacy of the Genius’ Sri G.Harishankar.