Chennai: The Madras Music Academy (MA) made headlines this week by cancelling a confirmed hall booking for the annual Thuglak readers meet scheduled on January 14, 2025. This decision has sparked controversy, particularly after political commentator and Thuglak editor S Gurumurthy criticised the academy for its choice to confer an award named after renowned Carnatic vocalist M S Subbulakshmi to controversial musician TM Krishna.
In a recent article published in the New Indian Express, Gurumurthy articulated his objections to the decision, highlighting alleged derogatory remarks made by Krishna about the late MS Subbulakshmi. He claimed that Krishna’s comments demeaned the revered musician and fundamentally disqualified him from receiving an award in her name. The article immediately garnered significant attention, prompting backlash from Krishna’s supporters and the liberal community.
My expose of Music Academy on MS award to TMK appeared in the New Indian express in the morning, at 1.40 pm the MA cancelled the booking of its hall for the Thuglak annual function on Jan 14 2025. For which MA had given permission on 20/9. See mails below pic.twitter.com/kdPfrfgdTm
— S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) October 10, 2024
Following the article’s publication, MA announced the cancellation of Thuglak’s booking, which had been established for over a decade. Gurumurthy expressed his dismay on social media, asserting that the cancellation was a politically motivated act of repression by the academy, which he termed as “liberal” and “wokeist.” “But Narada Gana Sabha has kindly rearranged its scheduled programmes to spare the Hall for us on 14 January 2025,” he posted, confirming that the event would continue at Narada Gana Sabha in Alwarpet instead.
Gurumurthy continued his tirade on social media, stating, “Thuglak has been holding its annual meet at MA for the last decade and more. MA’s action is clearly to stop Thuglak’s annual function. The reason given today is that the hall is needed for some own program. But on Sept 20, MA had said it had blocked the Hall for Thuglak meet.” He advocated that the unannounced ‘own programme’ was a mere guise for the cancellation, which he claimed was an act of intolerance against dissenting voices.
In his critique of TM Krishna, Gurumurthy drew analogies that aimed to convey the dishonor he believed was associated with awarding Krishna the M. S. Subbulakshmi Award. He likened the scenario to awarding a butcher the Bhagwan Mahaveer Award for promoting vegetarianism. “How humiliated his Jain devotees will be?” he wrote, connecting his argument to the emotional attachment of Carnatic music devotees to Subbulakshmi’s legacy.
In further controversial statements, Gurumurthy quoted Krishna’s thoughts on M. S. Subbulakshmi, labeling her as a “greatest hoax,” and other derogatory descriptions that he claimed reflect a lack of reverence towards the artist. He articulated significant discontent among Carnatic music devotees, arguing that awarding Krishna would effectively demean both the award and its intended honor to Subbulakshmi.
Political reactions to the cancellation of the hall booking surfaced quickly. BJP functionary Prof. P. Kanagasabapathy condemned the MA decision, suggesting it represented a wider pattern of intolerance. “We condemn the authorities of the Music Academy responsible for cancelling the confirmed booking of an important annual event,” he expressed in a tweet.
— S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) October 15, 2024
Amidst this unfolding drama, Shrinivasan, the grandson of MS Subbulakshmi, has moved the Madras High Court in an effort to prevent the MA from bestowing the award onto TM Krishna. The family’s discontent with the decision highlights the emotional stakes involved, given that MS Subbulakshmi holds an esteemed place in the hearts of many in Tamil Nadu and beyond.
As the controversy escalates, it appears to reflect a broader cultural conflict regarding artistic expression, award appropriateness, and the responsibilities of cultural institutions. The cancellation of the Thuglak meet at the Music Academy is not just a logistical issue; it signifies deepening rifts within the cultural landscape of Tamil Nadu, as differing ideologies clash over the legacy of revered figures like M. S. Subbulakshmi and current figures in the music world like TM Krishna.
In a twist indicative of this ideological battle, the importance of such awards and their recipients is now subject to intense scrutiny—both for the values they promote and the historical legacies they are meant to honor.
With the setting of Thuglak’s annual meet moved to Narada Gana Sabha and heightened tensions surrounding the award’s legacy, all eyes will remain on how the Madras Music Academy navigates the current controversy. The ongoing fallout from this situation illustrates the intersecting worlds of politics and culture, and how deeply personal sentiments can become public debates embroiled in issues of identity, tradition, and respect.
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