Regulars Divided About Krishna's Sabha Shocker

After carnatic singer T M Krishna’s shock announcement about not performing during the Margazhi season, fans and peers react strongly
Regulars Divided About Krishna's Sabha Shocker

CHENNAI: Following T M Krishna’s dramatic announcement on Facebook that he would no longer perform in the December music season, rasikas flooded his page with comments of all sorts. Some of them expressed displeasure and perhaps even disappointment that they wouldn’t get to listen to him during the most happening time for Carnatic music, while others just said – ‘good riddance’.

One of the comments said, “You have saved the Sabhas from a terrible predicament. Now they don’t owe any explanation to anyone. You have the rare style of ‘giving a bit of your mind’ along with music to the rasikas. I do not know whether your decision will hurt the Sabhas or the Rasikas or you but I am sure that it will NOT be a loss for Music thanks to the large number of young talents singing through their soul.”

Such comments reflected the rasikas’ displeasure at his style of singing and his behaviour during concerts. One of the regulars at the Margazhi season and a carnatic music teacher in the city Kamali Kumar agrees and says that, the artiste is known for upsetting the format of singing. “Sometimes, he starts with a song which is supposed to be sung at the end of the concert, does an aalap in one raga and the composition in another or even prefers to sing without accompaniments. The purists might not be very pleased with such drastic alterations and they won’t miss him. But whatever said and done, he sings from the heart,” she adds.

Other rasikas welcome his announcement and feel that it is better that he avoids the clamour during the Margazhi season. Subhashini K feels it is better for his brand value if he sings after the season.

Voicing similar views is singer Shashikiran, who is also a co-founder of carnatica.com. “Let’s say, if Dhoni chooses to rest for a season, younger players would get a better chance to perform. Similarly, youngsters must grab this opportunity. Only fans who come from abroad during those 15 days alone, would lose out,” he opined.

KRISHNA SPEAK

  • This was not a sudden decision. It has been on my mind for a few years. I feel aesthetically, socially, and philosophically disconnected from the music season.
  • The Urur Olcott Kuppam festival will definitely happen in Jan 2016. I have not made any other plans as yet for other events.
  • Writing and speaking have become part of my life. And I will be singing in Chennai through the year and in other cities in India and abroad.

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