Kerala - Kochi
Swati Tirunal's statue unveiled

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Swati Tirunal was a musical genius who was neglected even by Malayalis, said Kavalam Narayana Panikker, noted theatreperson and vice-chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

Talking after unveiling a statue of Maharaja Swati Tirunal on the Kerala Fine Arts Hall premises on Sunday in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Kerala Fine Arts Society, Mr. Panikker said the leading singers of Carnatic music are reluctant to sing the kritis of Swati Tirunal even now. He pointed out that even those who sing the Swati kritis are not able to preserve the originality of the songs. Most of them sing the kritis in a modified manner, he said.

Mr. Panikker said it was unfortunate that even Malayalis had failed to recognise the original music of Kerala found in the kritis of Swati Tirunal, especially in the background that Jayadeva's 'Gita Govinda,' which originates in Bihar, became the most important element in the temple worship of Kerala in the form of 'Ashtapadi.'

The former judge of Supreme Court and patron of Kerala Fine Arts Society V.R. Krishna Iyer accepted the statue of Swati Tirunal from Brigadier R.B. Nayar, who sponsored the statue. Brig. Nayar also presented a memento to the sculptor Avin Thattassery. Vocalist Mavelikara R. Prabhakara Varma offered felicitations. Kerala Fine Arts Society president V.N. Venugopal welcomed the audience and secretary T.P. Ramesh offered the vote of thanks.

The meeting also marked the beginning of the three-day long Swati Festival, organised by the Society to mark its Golden Jubilee. A Carnatic music concert by Mathangy Sathyamoorthy was held after the meeting.

On Monday, Gopika Varma will present a recital of Mohiniyattam, followed by Kuchipudi by Anupama Mohan on Tuesday.
(The Hindu - 17/04/06)