Mysore/Mysuru: The titular head of the erstwhile Mysore Royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar declared that henceforth, Indian Musicology Day will be celebrated on May 9 in the State every year.

He was speaking at the Indian Musicology Day celebrations organised jointly by Brahmavidya, Mysuru, Rasarishi Research Centre, Swamy Rama Sadhana Dhama (SRSD), Chennapatna and Veena Visweswaran International Foundation, USA, marking the birth anniversary of musicologist Padma Shri Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. R. Sathyanarayana, at Sri Nadabrahma Sangeetha Sabha on JLB Road here yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Yaduveer Wadiyar said that Dr. R. Sathyanarayana has contributed a lot for Indian Musicology as well as to other fields. It is delightful to note that the declaration of May 9 as Indian Musicology Day was made on the day he is being remembered, he added.

Noting that the erstwhile Royal family member Vijayadevi had once described Mysuru’s atmosphere as music filled atmosphere, Yaduveer said that according to Vijayadevi, Mysuru was the centre for South Indian Music in those days.

Maintaining that over a century ago, the times then was called as Mysuru’s golden era because of the clout in music and allied arts that Mysuru had, he called for making efforts to make Mysuru once again as the epicentre  of South Indian Music.

Yaduveer also released Veena Maestro Dr. R. Visweswaran’s book ‘Objectivities and Subjectivities in Music’ and Dr. G. Rangaraj’s work ‘Gondalagala Gudu,’ a collection of stories.

Dr. Vijayshankar Shukla, Director, IGNCA, Varanasi, was conferred ‘Shastrasoori Prashasti’ while Dr. Srikantam Nagendra Shastry (Musicology)  and Dr. S.R. Narasimhamurthy (Agama-Srividye) were conferred with ‘Samsmarana Prashasti’ on the occasion.

Vocalist Dr. R.S. Nandakumar, Natyaguru Jyoti Pattabhiram, Dr. Radhika Nandakumar, Mohan Deshraj Urs, Mirle Karthik, Dr. G. Rangaraj, HMT Lingaraj Urs and others were present.

The programme also featured a vocal concert by Kanchana Sisters — Vidu. Kanchana S. Shriranjani and Vidu. Kanchana S. Shruthiranjani — as part of the three-day Music and Dance Fest organised to mark the occasion.

Today (May 10), singer Sriharsha and troupe will give a Karnatak Music Concert at 6 pm; Dr. Radhika Nandakumar and her students will present Bharatanatyam at 7 pm; Jyoti Pattabhiram’s  students will present Bharatanatyam from 7.45 pm to 9 pm.

Tomorrow (May 11) will be celebrated as ‘Vaggeya Visweswari Day’ featuring music concerts by  Dr. K. Varadarangan at 6 pm and Veena Virtuoso Dr. Visweswaran from 7 pm to 8.30 pm.