“The decades immediately after Independence were the best for the Sabhas” – Historian Sriram V.

The Sabha itself was a product of colonial times. When the patronage of royalty and aristocracy was vital for the survival of the arts, a new city like Madras posed challenges – the ruling elite was English and had no intention to support artistes. The aristocracy, namely the dubashes or translators, provided the necessary support … Read more

“The tambura is back. But where are the players?” – Interviews in The Hindu

Gaining prominence Despite the many alternatives available today, fortunately we still get to see the tambura player on stage. In fact, the first thing many musicians do after accepting a concert date is to book their preferred tambura player. As more musicians show a renewed interest in the instrument, the tambura is experiencing a resurgence. … Read more

Tyagaraja (1767-1847) – Sruti Magazine

The period 1750-1850 was a golden era in world music, when some of the greatest musician-composers lived and enriched the field. In Europe, Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann and others lived during this period and created the symphony repertoire. It is a significant coincidence that the Carnatic Music trinity—Tyagaraja (1767-1847), Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776-1835) and Syama Sastry … Read more

Muthulakshmi Reddy – A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women’s Rights: Biography of a “reformer from the inside” by VR Devika

Muthulakshmi Reddy – A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women’s Rights is the story of a pioneer path-creator for women. She was the first girl student in Maharaja’s School for Boys in Pudukkottai, the first Indian woman surgeon from Madras Medical College, the first Indian member of the Women’s Indian Association, the first woman member of … Read more

Video | Vocal recital by Dr. K. Gayatri – Naada Inbam Festival

Dr. K.Gayatri – Vocal,Vid. Vittal Rangan – Violin,Vid. R.Shankaranarayanan – Mridangam,Vid. H.Prasanna – Ghatam.Recording of Live Concert on 22.12.2022 Thursday 6.15pm Items in YouTube Comments by courtesy Swami Nathan >>(please check the above link for any updates) 1. ​Reethigowlai (after sloka) 00:02:302. Jaganmohini dayApayOnidhE mAm pAhi.. Composer: Mishu Krishna Aiyyar 00:10:113. Madhyamavathi ​naadupai balikeru thyagaraja … Read more

“Remove the barriers imposed by the music”: A tribute to a vital artistic tradition by T.M. Krishna

A Southern music: The Karnatik story By T.M. Krishna, HarperCollins, Rs 699 If a successful and busy Karnatic singer takes time off in order to write reflections on South Indian or “Karnatic” music, the book release function is bound to be met with considerable interest. […] He pays tribute to the tambura (the tanpura) as “the life-giver, the soul … Read more