KOCHI: In 1959, among the participants, who took part in the Fine Art Society’s first music competition, there was a certain K J Yesudas. He ended up bagging the second prize in the men’s senior category. In 1970, Yesudas held a benefit performance for the society that brought in a whopping Rs 1 lakh. In 1971, Yesudas was named ‘Sangeetha Chakravarthi’ by Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar at this very same society venue, at Kochi.
The story doesn’t end there; the association that was thus formed, grew with each milestone crossed by the society as well as the renowned musician. “Such is the history, or rather, the story of a society that built up its edifice brick by brick,” said P S Sukumaran, the president. “The society was Yesudas’ first platform, and he always remembered that fondly. He used to come as a boy, as his link with Kochi was quite strong in those days.”
Kerala Fine Arts Society, the synonym for art and culture, has completed 60 years. As part of the celebrations, a one-of-its-kind photo exhibition is a learning experience for art enthusiasts.
“If you notice, the first income and expenditure account came up to Rs 21,613 in 1957, that included the rent, remuneration and other miscellaneous bills. In those days, it was a big amount,” said Sukumaran.
The very first danseuse to grace the stage was none other than Kamala Laxman, renowned Bharatanatyam exponent, as well as the wife of legendary cartoonist R K Laxman. That marked the first performance in the history of the society. It was followed by a magnificent vocal concert by M S Subbulakshmi.
There were all kinds of interesting incidents, “The night Guru Gopinath, the doyen of Kerala natanam, collapsed and died on the stage, is unforgettable. He was hurrying his fellow dancers, because he was feeling uncomfortable. We didn’t quite realise that,” said Sukumaran.
And the time 28 folk art performances were staged on a single day in 1972. “Participants came from places, where there were no road links, to Kochi, to perform for the few minutes allotted to them,” he said.
Talking about how times have changed, Sukumaran laments that there aren’t as many enthusiasts today. “Kochi has expanded so much, and there are so many shows happening at every nook and corner of the city. There are also the malls that seem to be keeping the people engaged. I only wish a part of them would show up for classical performances, as well,” said Sukumaran.