JSS Sangeetha Sabha Trust In Mysore To Confer ‘Sangeetha Vidyanidhi’ Title On The Mysuru-Based Musicologist V Nanjundaswamy

It is close to four decades of cultural history and non-stop service to classical music that the JSS Sangeetha Sabha Trust in Mysore is looking back with utmost gratification, says violinist Mysore Manjunath, recollecting the vibrant music that the prestigious sabha has offered from 1983.

The violinist brothers from Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath play a vital role in the JSS Sabha’s musical proceedings.

Founded by Shivaratri Rajendra Swamiji of Suttur Mutt, the mantle of shouldering the responsibility of running its cultural wing and trust — JSS Sangeetha Sabha — was offered to his father the violin maestro (late) Mysore S Mahadevappa who followed the path etched by the Swamiji, says Manjunath.

JSS, with nearly 400 establishments under its umbrella all over the world, branches out into education, healthcare, social services, music and spirituality, collectively doing yeoman service to society.

JSS Sangeetha Sabha has been hosting world-renowned musicians, and their performances here have helped form a rich source of musical treasure to become a veritable library for people to experience, says Manjunath.

Thanks to the far-sightedness and keen interest shown by the member musicians navigating the JSS Sabha, they enthusiastically came together initially to form a committee steered by Mahadevappa’s yearning to see Mysore reverberate with music.

This year is the 27th annual national music conference celebration of the JSS Sabha from 2 to 6 December.

All 27 years have seen eminent musicians and musicologists from India and Western music (from Europe and America) entering the portals of JSS.

“We have chosen reputed musicologist, counselor, author and veena player V Nanjundaswamy as the conference president. He would also be conferred with the title ‘Sangeetha Vidyanidhi’ during the valedictory (6 December, 6pm) for his lifetime achievements in music,” says Manjunath.

“This year’s concerts includes a line-up of the renowned artistes — flute Chandan Kumar; Malladi Brothers; Jayanthi Kumaresh; Ramakrishnan Murthy; Bangalore Brothers Hariharan and Ashok. Julius Gabriel from Germany (exploring the saxophone); and Gilles Grimaitre from Switzerland would be part of the academic lec-dems in the morning sessions,” says Manjunath.

Despite his hectic concerts and tour-schedules, violin Manjunath says “his passion towards the cause of music and Mysore” helps him be part of the proceedings of the music conference under the patronage of the present Shivarati Deshikendra Swamiji, the current honorary president of the JSS Sangeetha Sabha.

“For centuries together Mysore’s reputation as the cultural capital is well-known, right from the days of the Mysore Royals who patronised music, had the best of Palace Band musicians, with celebrated Palace musicians to represent India’s melodic culture. To this day JSS Sangeetha Sabha brings in academic sessions, lec-dems & conferences and concerts as a permanent feature to showcase its artistic persona,” says Manjunath.         

Nanjundaswamy — Multifaceted Personality

The retired bank employee, septuagenarian Vidwan Nanjundaswamy, will conduct the deliberations of the conference on all five days.

Speaking with Swarajya, Nanjundaswamy expressed his deep pleasure in accepting the prestigious honour ‘Sangeetha Vidyanidhi’ to be conferred on him on 6 December. “I am grateful to JSS and Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji for selecting me for bestowing the award. The title thrusts more responsibilities on me for working towards the cause of music,” he said.

Nanjundaswamy has directed, coordinated, produced and narrated more than 100 musical features in English and Kannada in various cultural gatherings, apart from shows in All India Radio and Doordarshan. 

He is an expert in Indian yogic science. He has uploaded 2,010 videos on more than 756 subjects (on YouTube) explaining with his veena and vocal renditions.

As an Amazon scholar, he has written 27 e-books apart form 30 paperback books on music-dance-philosophy, both in English and Kannada, available on Google.

Explanations On Maharaja’s Compositions

Amongst his multitude of academic offerings, his threadbare explanations of the 94 kritis of the erstwhile Mysore Royal, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, has come in as a worthy record for posterity. 

Nanjundaswamy is credited for publishing all the 94 kritis with meaning — both in Kannada and English with nuanced explanations, background and categorisations in his 468-pages book ‘Royal Composer Shri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar’ paying tribute to Maharaja’s musical genius.

It contains word-to-word meaning with larger comprehensive study of all, with extensive information on the Maharaja’s study of sacred scriptures and mythology.  

In 21 episodes, Akashavani had broadcast a musical feature on the 94 kritis of J C Wadiyar wherein Nanjundaswamy, over several episodes, explained the kritis composed in a short span of 28 months — from August 1945 to December 1947.

“My aim is to see the kritis reach people with a background and perspective that it was conceived with from the Maharaja. This way, the persona of the last Maharaja who reigned from 1940 to 1950 is mirrored,” Nanjundaswamy explained on the radio.

Given the background of Nanjundaswamy as a regular visitor of the Palace, the accuracy of the author’s survey is established as he comes up with several petite detailing which lights up every explanation.

“While my uncle M Chaluvarayaswamy was an Asthana Vidwan of the Royal Court, my father served as the Manager of the Palace Temples for nearly 6 decades. The accuracy of information delved into is further stamped with my sources being that close to the Maharaja,” informs Nanjundaswamy.

(JSS Sangeetha Sabha Trust, 2-6 December, Navajyothi auditorium, JSS Women’s College, Saraswathipuram)