Response to After them who? cover story published in Outlook sept 25, 2006

I'm a student of Indian Classical Music, doing my research on music as a medium of communication. But I'm really shocked after reading 'Ageing Maestros: After them who?' cover story of Outlook, September 25,2006.

Outlook has to look in and throw light on potentiality and inner strength of Indian Classical Music. There itself is an answer for the covered story.

From the beginning of the Vedic period till today, music has under gone many changes. These changes do not disturb the aim of music. From the time of Tansen to the period of the living legend Bhimsen, Indian Classical Music has witnessed Beginning, medieval, Renaissance, Modern, Post Modern periods that is repeating in a regular interval of time. In the Present times, music found explosive exposure to such an extent that there is no proper measuring tool to separate quality from quantity.

I have great love, affection and respect towards all living legends of Indian Classical Music. But at the same time I feel disappointed to say that they have been given over exposure by the media.

There are huneds of talented Second Generation successors across India. But sad thing is that they do not have any godfathers. The over popularity of the great masters shadowed the excellency of the next generation artists in their late 50s, even after 30 to 40 years of their musical saga. There are also examples of many artists being suffered from frustration and depression because of this. But all these things are not dealt with media.

It is a major mistake of the modern media that they do not go in deapth for searching real talents. Real Talent is not always expossive but it is impulsive. It is the duty and responsibility of the media to dig it out. But the business-oriented policy of the modern media has given more importance to the Public Relation and Advertisement. The impact is that art and culture, which related to sensitivity and creation, started being treated as commodities. There is a possibility of a mediocre production or artist who could reach to any height over taking the real.

This is what is happening today. The editorial team sitting in AC chambers of Metros make their decisions without any in deapth study and pass judgment on the basis of the mere opinion of very few so called self boosted think tanks.

I've gone through the disgusting lines, " there are, of course, star chilen and star disciples, but in many cases, there talent does not live up to the publicity blitzkrieg surrounding them". On what basis the stardom is measured? Again I have to question and the ethics and responsibility of the media.

The present story is a negative depicture of the prejudiced pen culture. It is my sincere request to the writer, whoever he /she may be, to just study deeply and reveal what the real story is.

Majority of the brilliant generation next stars in India have kept themselves away from the modern impressionism and are being expressing themselves with their real disciples in remote corners of India, without talking much!

Even Today the Gurukula Parampara of teaching exists and revered in India.

Gadag in Karnataka is a noted place as far as the history of Indian Music is concerned. . Puttaraaj Gawai, successor of great legend Gaanyogi Panchakshara Gawai has been successfully running the Gurukul, started by his great master.

Another maestro late Padmavibhushan .Basavaraj Rajguru from Dharwad, who is also a worthy disciple of Panchakshara Gawai trained array of disciples.

.Ganapati Bhat, Hasanagi, successor of Basavaraj Rajguru is a successful torchbearer of the path shown by his mentor. He, who also learnt under C R Vyas, is running a free Gurukul in his village Hasanagi, situated in North Karnataka.

Vidushi Veena Sahasrabudde, Ustad Mashkur Ali Khan, .Jagdish Prasad, Nathrao Neralkar, Ustad Dagars, Alka Deo Marulkar, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande etc., such prolific enthralling performers also have proved themselves as worthy Gurus.

Raja Rama Varma, Great Grandson of Carnatic maestro Swathi Thirunal of Trivenum, Sripad Hegde,Uday Bhavalkar, Shounak Abhisheki, Jayathirth Mevundi, Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, Shashank Maktedar, Mubarak Ali Khan, Kalapini Komkali,

Piyu Sarkhel, Nagabhushan Hegde and many more young talents require proper exposure to prove'After them Who?'

Even today in Dharwad, one can find the living tradition of legendary Sitar maestro Ustad Rahimat Khan. There are seven brothers, Ustad Bale Khan being the senior most, represent the 6th generation of the Ustad.

So parampara still exists and revered even today at the inner most parts of India. Need not worry about the succession of the parampara. But it is the need of the hour to think and write how to not mislead the public and republic.