India doesn't have too many luthiers. Never mind the dictionary, a luthier is someone who makes string instruments, such as guitars.
The video above is a short film by Rajeev George Thomas on Dominic Xavier Arul, one of India’s few guitar-makers. Xavier chanced upon his lifelong passion while trying to be a musician.
“I started this as a fun hobby project during my vacation when I was in the 9th standard...” he says, but then found out that he was more “skilful in crafting guitars than in crafting music.” Now a seasoned luthier, he has taken to holding workshops to teach young people how to make guitars. Currently he teaches at St Mary’s orphanage in Bengaluru.
A former employee in the ministry of rural development, Xavier left his job in 2004 to set up his shop “Arul Guitars” in Bengaluru. He named the shop after his son who died tragically while still in his teens. Xavier says here that he wanted to make Arul guitars “immortal, so to say” in his son’s memory.
The luthier expresses his hope that India could one day be a guitar-making hub of the world. He says, “The entire guitar making industry, throughout the world, depends on Indian rosewood; sadly no one is making guitars in India.”
“We can take the skill of guitar-making and harness it to the raw materials that are available, set up a huge industry. What’s greater than employing people and enabling them to earn a great livelihood?”
And to make music the world over.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!