Habits dies hard

HUBLI, 7^th March 2011

            It has been a common knowledge that politicians a tribe find themselves invariably insulated with cultural sensitivity. Here is one latest instance.

            The occasion on Saturday in Hubli had everything to do with the musical legend, late Gangubai Hangal. It was the inauguration of the Gurukula named after her to provide the traditional gurukula type of teaching in classical music. Had she been live, she would have been 99, one step away from the century mark.

            But under the aegis of the BJP government in Karnataka, the occasion turned out to be a political show pure and simple. On an occasion, where music and musicologists should have reigned supreme, it was the politicians who had their day to the exclusion of others.

            Many bigwigs in the realm of music, who had been invited to the function found themselves totally ignored in the political show put out by the BJP minions on the occasion, with all attention being showered on the Chief Minister, Mr. B S Yeddyurappa and his cronies in government and party.

            Among those who felt slighted as a consequence was Mrs. Kishori Amonkar, Vidhyadhar Vyas and Pandit Mani Prasad, to cite a few of the music luminaries, who had come from far and wide on invitation by the organizers.

            None of them had had any chance to speak on the occasion. As a matter of fact, Kishori Amonkar and Vidyadhar Vyas moved to get off the stage even when the Chief Minister Yeddyurappa was delivering the inaugural speech. They were all miffed over the fact that not even one of the disciples of late Gangubai was allowed on the stage, she was somehow persuaded to stay back for the function. But immediately walked out after the formality of the common felicitation of the artistes, which took place later on.The spectacle of the Chief Minister going through the same in a routine mindless manner, as has been his wont oflate, was there for all to see

            At the time of the lighting of the lamp to mark the occasion, the people’s representatives rushed to be around the Chief Minister to the exclusion of the musical dignitaries. The three musicologists could move near to be present thanks mainly to the interest taken by a BJP legislator.

            After the felicitation of the artistes, the situation turned out to be more comical to say the least. There were none of help Pundit Mani Prasad to carry the mementoes given. Vidhyadhar Vyas was seen keeping all the mementoes on his lap for quite sometime. Besides, the names of none of the musical bigwigs who had gathered on occasion found a mention in the welcome speech delivered by Mr. Jagadish Shettar, the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj who happens to be the district minister in charge.

            Incidentally, the memorial built up has been a product of another incidence of the slight of none other than Gangubai himself, when she was alive. It happened during the days of the first coalition government headed by the Mr. Dharma Singh in 2004-2206

            It was a function organized to felicitate Gangubai  organized  by the Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation. . The then Congress Chief Minister Mr. Dharam Singh, was more interested in catching the helicopter to reach Bangalore before it was dark rather than participate in the function. After the formality of the felicitation, he straight away walked out along with his entourage to catch the helicopter, leaving the aged doyenne almost speechless. Miffed as she was, Gangubai hit back by  arranging to return the memento, shawl and all that next day to the office of the Mayor in a huff.

            And the BJP then in opposition, had condemned the incident and had vowed to make up for the lapse. And the Gurukula and the renovation of the ancestral home of Gangubai Hangal have come as a consequence of the same. The habit of the politicians it seems dies hard.

            The Gurukula has come up on  five acre plot at the northern foot of the Nripatunga betta and has the facility to accommodate  students and gurus  with residential accommodation provided for both. Each house where the Guru resides, has a special room  for “riyaaz”  in the first phase of the programme on which nearly Rs. Six crores have been spent.  In the second phase, it is planned to construct am auditorium. The students can pursue  learning of the music under the different gharanas like Kirana, Gwalior, Agra and Jaipur. The students are given a stipend of Rs. 2000 per month.

            An amount of Rs One crore has been earmarked for the annual recurring expenses according to Mr. Jagadish Shettar.

            EOM    7.03.2011