Surabhi Ganakala Mandira, Mysuru, had recently organised a book release ceremony and a veena concert as part of its quarterly programme  in the auditorium of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Yadavagiri. Noted music scholar and Founder-Secretary of ‘Ragadhana’, Udupi, Prof. V. Aravinda Hebbar, released the book titled ‘Karnataka Sangeethada Nalku Deepagalu’, penned by Lalitha Srinivasan.  The book is a Kannada translation of the original work, ‘Madras Quartet’ in English by Indira Menon, a disciple of legendary musician T. Brinda.

Prof. Hebbar spoke about the book and lauded the efforts of the translator and the publishers for bringing out such a valuable book to the music-lovers in Kannada.  Even though the book narrates the details of the struggles faced by the legendary women musicians, T. Brinda, M.S. Subbulakshmi, D.K. Pattammal and Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari in the male-dominated field and their achievements, it contains an authentic mention of the development of Karnatak music over the past three centuries, with special thrust on how women artistes firmly captured the limelight facing all odds.  It also documents the evolution of various music systems existed in South India even before the birth of Karnatak and Hindustani music systems.

City’s noted art patron K.V. Murthy and Dr. Sukanya Prabhakar, founder of Surabhi Ganakalamandira, were present on the stage. The programme was followed by a soothing and soulful veena concert by senior artiste, Geetha Shyamprakash of Bengaluru, accompanied by G.S.Ramanujan on mridanga and S. Manjunath on ghata.