Art that pays
Evolution may be its basic tenet, but how far are modifications permissible in an art form? How can classical music and dance be made more contemporary and relevant? In what way are the economic bearings of these art forms crucial for their survival?
These issues have remained at the centre of discussion and debate among experts of classical music and dance all over.
New interpretations and implications of this never-ending issue come up regularly. Recently, the topic was discussed again at a national seminar organised by the music department of the LN Mithila University, Darbhanga.
Musicologists, musicians and music critics from Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar gathered at the seminar held at Kalyani Bhawan.
This building too has a long cultural history. Now the venue for postgraduate classes of the Music Department, the place once happened to be a theatre hall of the royal palace of the erstwhile rulers of Darbhanga Raj. Historical texts mention that its founder, Pandit Mahesh Thakur, was a great scholar and writer.
Thakur worked for some time as the raj pandit of Bastar estate, Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), and was rewarded with the Tirhut territory for his scholarship by Akbar.
It was during the time of one of his ancestors, Narpati Thakur (1690-1708) that Lochan, the great Sanskrit scholar, poet and musicologist, wrote "Raag Tarangini" around 1685.
To keep alive the glorious heritage, Mithila and Sanskrit Universities were set up in a portion of the palace in 1972.
The Department of Music was launched there in 1984.
During the session, the participants called for job opportunities in classical music to attract youth.
There were also music performancse by various artistes after the session.
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