A music concert performed by K. B. Sundarambal.
| Photo Credit: K.V. Srinivasan
Artistes beating parai at an awareness event in Chennai.
| Photo Credit:
K.V. Srinivasan
Think Chennai and the performing arts will immediately come to mind. There is a mind-boggling variety – from the classical to the folk to that uniquely Chennai phenomenon – Gaana. People from Chennai will carry at least one, if not all these varieties in them no matter where they go. It is no wonder that the UNESCO recognised Chennai as a creative city.
The Hindu Speaks on Carnatic Music was perhaps one of the earliest books I purchased after I began writing on the arts. It opened my eyes to the treasure trove that is The Hindu’s archives as far the fine arts are concerned, apart from practically everything else in the city. In 2003 I began a column in The Hindu titled Encore, which looked at historic events in the world of Carnatic music in the 20th century, as reported in the paper. The greatest thrill…