Karnataka   

Mysore Musings

It was not too long ago when cultural czars decided to crackdown on “dilution” of traditional values.

Yuva Dasara, for instance, came under stringent criticism. “Erosion of Indian culture” screamed some. “Growing influence of western culture” averred the others.

So much so that there was no guarantee that Yuva Dasara would be held at all during the on-going festivities. In fact, a senior member of the State Cabinet Shobha Karandlaje went to the extent of announcing that she had no qualms about “curbing western influence and arresting the erosion of Indian traditions in Dasara”.

A few self-proclaimed “intellectuals” supported the view and Yuva Dasara — which has emerged as the most popular of the cultural programmes after the palace concerts — came under a cloud.

That the views of the self-appointed guardians of art, culture and tradition were not rooted in the reality of the day and did not have public support was best reflected in the sheer size of the crowd that gathered at the Maharaja’s College Grounds which was the venue for the programmes.

But what was surprising was that none of those who espoused Indian tradition in the various Dasara preparatory meetings showed up either at the palace concerts or at the Veene Seshanna Bhavan. All of them — Shobha Kaandlaje included — were instead sighted at different times enjoying the rhythm and beat of the numbers belted out by singers Vasundara Das, Shankar Mahadevan and Shivamani.

It only goes to show that the moral police brigade are no different from the rest in tastes and preferences except that they were for once exposed.

Is it necessary for the organisers to announce a big list of elected representatives while an eminent singer like K.J. Yesudas waited to begin his Carnatic music concert in front of a mammoth audience at Palace Music Festival? Can’t they (the organisers) understand the priorities at such events?

When Mr. Yesudas was all set to begin his concert, after a delay of over an hour because of too many programmes of short duration accommodated at the festival, city Bharatiya Janata Party President B.P. Manjunath, who is coordinating the festival, came to the dais and started announcing the names of elected representatives assembled at the venue to listen to the music.

It was earlier announced that Mr. Yesudas’s concert would be held after the Indian Air Force’s Air Warriors symphony orchestra, but an hour-long Bharatanatyam performance kept the audience waiting for the renowned singer’s concert.

When the singer was about to start his concert, Mr. Manjunath appeared holding a mike and went on to announce the names of elected representatives. This was not necessary as the concert had already been delayed and over 10,000 people had been waiting for a long time to listen to Mr. Yesudas’s soulful music.

Obviously, the act irritated the audience and someone in the crowd shouted: “Enough. Allow the concert to begin. The platform is not to introduce politicians.”

The concert eventually got off to a start after the hiccups.

R. KRISHNA KUMAR

SHANKAR BENNUR

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