‘Music therapy helps bring down illnesses’

Retired Rangayana artiste Mime Ramesh

Mysuru: “If people have to identify an artiste in the cultural world, then he must understand the pains and pressures of the society and only then he will get that kind of recognition,” said retired Rangayana artiste Mime Ramesh.

He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Nrutya mattu Sangeethotsava’ (Dance and Music Festival) organised by Dakshina Kannada Doctors’ Cultural Association at Jaganmohan Palace here yesterday and said that through dance and music, a person’s mental confidence can be increased and quality of life improved.

If the patients are given music therapy, nearly 30 percent of the illnesses will come down which the experts themselves have agreed. Hence, the patients must be given music therapy as much as possible, he said.

TV programmes are misleading today’s youth and especially reality shows and TV serials are the major ones causing these problems. This also has a huge impact on influencing children’s minds. I came from an ordinary family. My father was influenced by Leftist ideology and because of this, I developed interest in theatre, he said.

All those who score 90 percent marks and above want to become doctors and engineers, but what about other professions? Hence, the mindset of the youth must come out of the illusions of these two professions. This is possible only through theatre, he said. More than 300 talented doctors from Dakshina Kannada are residing Mysuru. They all came together sometime ago and formed the Dakshina Kannada Doctors’ Cultural Association in order to build a meaningful, beautiful society. This resulted in encouragement of arts, he said lauding the efforts of the Association.

“When I had completed my Diploma my friends and relatives pressurised me to join work and even promised jobs. But I steadfastly refused to fall for the pressures and concentrated on Yakshagana and through Rangayana, I was able to earn name and fame through Mime at the international level,” he said.