About Raaga Vihar School
At Raaga Vihar Music School, our mission is simple yet profound: to spread the joy of Carnatic music. Our vision is to inspire the next generation to carry forward this rich and soulful art form, keeping alive the traditions while nurturing fresh talent.
We offer training in Carnatic Vocal, Carnatic Keyboard, and Carnatic Whistling, open to students of all ages (typically beginning from age 5). Our teaching philosophy emphasizes not only the technical mastery of music but also the timeless values of humility, discipline, and respect — both for our elders and for the legendary composers whose works continue to resonate across centuries.
Every student receives a chance to showcase their progress and love for music at our annual day recital, where the entire Raaga Vihar community comes together to celebrate learning, growth, and artistic expression. Beyond the classroom, our students have gone on to perform at community events, bringing pride and joy to their families.
What makes Raaga Vihar special is the personalized and holistic approach to teaching. We believe a true musician grows through a deep understanding of both theory and performance. Every student at Raaga Vihar is taught not only to sing or play, but to grasp the foundational concepts — including swaras, ragas, talas, and the structure behind the compositions.
About the Founder & Teacher: Charun Thattai
Charun Thattai is the founder and principal teacher at Raaga Vihar Music School. By day, he is a Software Development Manager at Amazon Robotics, but music has been the guiding force of his life since the age of four.
Charun’s musical journey is rooted in rigorous training under highly respected gurus. He studied Carnatic vocal under Smt. Padma Sampath and later Smt. Radha Raghavan, learned Carnatic keyboard from Sri Nagaraja Rao, and perfected the rare art of Carnatic whistling under the mentorship of the legendary Whistle Wizard Sri Sivaprasad.
He strongly believes that the best way to honor his teachers is by sharing their wisdom. Founding Raaga Vihar was his way of repaying his gurus, by creating a space where children and adults alike could fall in love with Carnatic music and carry forward this tradition.
Charun’s teaching style integrates both theory and practical application, with a special focus on the great composers and their timeless works. He inspires students to not only play or sing, but to deeply connect with music as its own universal language.
His achievements as a performer are equally inspiring:
Holder of a Limca Book of Records entry for a pioneering whistling feat.
Awarded Best Instrumentalist at multiple events.
Founding member of the Indian Whistlers’ Association.
Represented India thrice at the International Whistlers’ Convention.
Featured on National Public Radio (USA) and Indian National Television.
Selected as an IndianRaga Fellow (2017), where he collaborated with fellow musicians to innovate within classical traditions.
For Charun, music is more than performance — it is a pathway to joy, discipline, and expression. Some of my best memories are seeing our shy five-year-old students blossom into confident performers on stage. Those moments remind me why I teach.
Contact Us
Get in touch for inquiries about our Carnatic music classes.