RaGa made an emphatic musical statement. It was a special concert thought up- Ra Ga Bharatam- with a short intro on bhakti in Carnatic music -befitting the occasion. On Christmas Day, 2024 Between 6-9 PM at Narada Gana Sabha, same day they always sang at the Academy, year on year, a stone’s throw or a swara shout from The Music Academy. It was a sell-out or a standout performance.
Mylapore Mamas, Mamies, uncles, aunties, annnas and akkas too were dancing in the aisles with tears in their eyes. The entire audience, filled to the brim, thankfully not to be seen at the Academy this season, for even one concert till date (until TMA was compelled to have TMK perform for a free concert in the morning of Christmas day. It was evident that TMA chose not to risk a ticketed concert. Some climbdown this) , was singing in unison.
This 83-year-old Mama (a sixty year old veteran Academy member- who chose to boycott it this year, following RaGa’s )was emotionally charged, as he said,
“Each clap today is a resounding slap on the bloated faces of the Academy officianados. It is fulfilling to me. I thank NGS who lapped up RaGa for the same day/time show, they performed year after year at the Academy. Academy may not care. But we do, as devoted rasikas.
Shame on the pussilanimous committee members with no spine. Now, I know why politicians are so greedy for the chairs. If these minions chose to play ball, sacrificing any semblance of shame for being a member of the Academy Committee, comparatively, politicians are Saints.
It was a conspiracy and nothing less, to thrust TMK down the throats of common rasikas . A singer who chose to boycott the Academy for ten long years, Academy has no shame left to expose. The order of Supreme Court on December 16, 2024 to literally snatch the MS Subbulakshmi award from the hypocritical hands of TMK seemed harsher than just injuncting him from being given the award in the first place. It was far more satisfying to me.
I don’t care if he is allowed to retain it, ultimately, as the Academy season would have ended by then without the ‘recognition’ of TMK as MSS Amma awardee. Some Poetic justice.
RaGa are popular singers. They fill halls with ease, a rarity. But, today they were heroes for standing up as Men ( when just a handful of them were man enough) . It was an electric atmosphere. Who cares what they sang or which RaGa they tucked into. Or just sat in silent prayer. The musical event was a Protest Performancce for the unknown rasikas like me.
I was fretting and fuming. Not knowing how to let my steam or vent my spleen. Put it all together, this Musical Moment was magically cathartic. Add the potion of the peevishly depraved act of The Academy – led by the President from The Hindu Group to cancel the booking for the Annual Thuklaq Conference on Jan,14,2025, within hours of the publication of the stinging OpEd penned by columnist and Thuklaq Editor S Gurumurthy in the New Indian Express on the MSS award to TMK. Some expression of intent by the conspirators who are supposed to be ‘free speech advocates’. Such hypocrisy and shame of never before seen kind!
The Hindu readers would do well to follow me to give up the habit, me, after75 long years. Yes. After 75 years, I freed myself. Yet, I expect no contrition or apologies from the conspirators. They are made of thicker not sterner skin, you know of what.
We the People or rasikas need to learn and be aware. Without US they would be nowhere. But, do we care? RaGa did. Hats of to them. The entire NGS assembly, huge by any standard, gave them a standing ovation, with copious tears, shed/drenched in Divine Bhakti, the sorely missing element in the MSS awardee, RaGa richly deserved.
My Day and this wretched Season (made wretched by The Academy) were MADE”.
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