Music Festivals of India

It's now Sri Rama Navami Music Festival season all over Southern India.  The month-long annual festival which started on 26th March 2018, has added musical charm to the onset of spring season.

The noble tradition of celebrating Sri Rama navami (Lord Rama's birthday which falls on Chaitra Shukla Navami) with classical music was initiated by none other than Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysuru.

He was a great patron of music who nourished great musicians like Mysuru T. Chowdaiah (violin) and Mysuru Vasudevachar, the great 20th century composer who composed great kritis like Broche vaare varura.

Common men too have never lagged behind in taking the lead in celebrating Rama navami music.  Saint Tyagaraja was their inspiration who dedicated all his compositions and music for the praise of Lord Rama.

Late S.V. Narayanaswamy Rao (right-top in pic) was a humble employee of HAL who started organizing Ramanavami music at his tender age of 14!  Due to his dedicated and relentless efforts, Sri Ramanavami Music in Bengaluru today is celebrating its 80th anniversary. It has provided platform for five generations of musicians in showcasing their talent and enthralling music lovers. Noted singer Yesudas has been performing in annual Carnatic classical concerts (south Indian classical  music) here continuously for more than 50 years!

Tansen Sangeet Samroh, is celebrated every year during December, to honour the memory of Tansen (1493-1586) who was born as Ramtanu Misra.  He was a prominent Indian Classical Musician and was one of the navaratnas in the court of Akbar, the great. 

The event is being organized in Gwalior near the tomb of Tansen by Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Academy and the Government of Madhya Pradesh, since 1950. The 4-day long 'national music festival' attracts prominent musicians from all over the world!

Tyagaraja Aradhana is celebrated during January, every year to pay homage to the musical saint Tyagaraja (1767-1847).

This event is held near the samadhi of Saint Tygaraja in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu  on the banks of the river Cauvery.  Musicians and devotees  from all over the country come here, sit on either side of the samadhi and sing pancharatna kritis of the musical saint.  The event is being organized by the saint's devotees since 1905.

The Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav is an annual Indian music festival held during December every year in Pune since 1953.  Sawai Gandharva was the 

Guru of Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi, probably the greatest vocalist from Kirana gharana.  The festival was started by Bhimsen Joshi himself in honour of his Guru. After the death of  Bhimsen Joshi (2011), the festival was renamed including his name too.

Margazhi Music Festival is held during Dec-Jan every year in Chennai.  This great tradition was  started during 1927 by a group

of music lovers, who later on established the Madras Music Academy.  This music festival is said to be the largest of its kind in the entire world.  Every year concerts from veterans and budding artists are arranged by various music Sabhas all over Chennai.  The number of such concerts during every season reportedly crosses 2000! 

Hariballabh Sangeet Sammelan is probably the oldest music 

festival in the world.  This sammelan which has a history of 143 years is celebrated during December every year in Jalandhar, Punjab to commemorate the memory of the late musical Saint Hariballabh, an exponent of Hindustani Music. This festival attracts musicians from the neighboring Pakistan too for performance.  Government of India has recognized this event as a 'National Music Festival'.

Love for classical music in our country is not just confined to major cities.  These celebrations are evenly spread all over India in its smaller towns and villages too.

India's greatest contribution to the world of culture is its classical music.  Indian classical music consists of two forms, Hindustani and the Carnatic (south Indian) music.  The hallmark of both these forms of music is their uniqueness in  presentations by way of improvisation and spontaneity. It is heartening to note that in all these major festivals, classical artists from all parts of India and even from other parts of the world are invited to perform, thereby recognizing our cultural unity.

With passage of time, love for classical music is also taking a hit.  

Our youth are carried away by the instant kick provided by film 

music and pop music!  

But the advent of younger classical artists and their popularity is 

providing the silver lining. Support from the corporate world, media and even the Governments is also helping the cause in no small measure.  Let us hope that our GeNext retains its zeal in taking this great tradition forward.

Long live our classical music!

Long live India!!

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