The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Compromise on some comforts for nation, says Chidambaram

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Compromise on some comforts for nation, says Chidambaram

Special Correspondent

Bharat Kalachar Awards presented

— Photo: R. Ragu

Honour: Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram and Mrs.Y. G. Parthasarathy, chairman, Bharat Kalachar, with some of the awardees in Chennai on Friday.

CHENNAI: A galaxy of talents merging the old order in music and dance with the new was conferred Bharat Kalachar Awards 2008 on Friday.

The ceremony organised at the YGP auditorium at Bharat Kalachar in the city saw the stalwarts and doyens, some of them octogenarians who pursued their skills with single-minded devotion, share dais with a new generation of artistes, many of whom have excelled as well in the performing arts as they have expertly managed careers as diverse as medicine, chartered accountancy and business administration.

Giving away the awards, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram urged society to compromise on some of their comforts in the larger interests of national security. Against the grim backdrop of the recent Mumbai terrorist strikes, he wished to remind the people that submitting to stringent screening was in no way an affront to one’s dignity.

Mr. Chidambaram said unity and maturity from its people could help India put behind the traumatic incidents and resume the march to glory.

The Minister said India was blessed with a cultural legacy that gave her a special place on the world stage. He singled out the eighth century to illustrate the fact that the Alwar saints had composed about 4,000 songs that were not only musically immortal but were remarkable in the exquisite usage of the Tamil language.

The Minister said times were fast emerging when artistes could pursue their passion with the confidence of making a decent living. This was largely because of dedicated institutions like the Bharat Kalachar, the technology explosion that made it both possible to digitally archive performances and rapidly propagate them to the rasikas and the loyal patronage of the ubiquitous Indian diaspora.

Singer K. J. Yesudas, who was honoured with the “Viswa Kala Bharathi” Award, bemoaned the acts of omission and commission that had landed mankind in a situation of heightened security screening.

Mr. Yesudas also urged the audience to spare a moment of silent prayer both as tribute to the civilians and security personnel who lost their lives in the Mumbai carnage and to hope against a visitation of a similar horror in future. Mrs.Y.G.Parthasarathy, chairman, Bharat Kalachar, had rich praise for Srinidhi Chidambaram for having lit up the “Karthigai” evening with a stellar Margam presentation “Vainava Tamizh,” a visual exposition of Alwar literature –on the same occasion that Nalini Chidambaram had performed the auspicious ceremony of lighting the lamp on the proceedings. Mr. Chidambaram, she noted, was engaged in “spreading the glow of security across the country.”

The Gnana Kala Bharathi awards were presented to R.K.Shrikantan for outstanding service to Carnatic music and Bharathanatyam veteran Kalanidhi Narayanan.

Actor Manorama received the “Natya Kaladhar” award amid loud cheers and a background score of music from one of several yesteryear films that gained her the epithet “Pombela Sivaji.”

Parasala B. Ponnammal was honoured with the “Acharya Kala Bharathi” title for her contributions as a guru to scores of shishyas of Carnatic music. Mudhra Bhaskar was given the “Kala Seva Bharathi” award for contributions to fine arts and “Crazy” Mohan the “Nadaga Kala Bharathi” award for making a mark in cinema and theatre.

The Yuva Kala Bharathi awardees were S. Saketaraman, Sumithra Vasudev, Trichur Brothers Srikrishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan, and Vasudha Ravi (vocal), B. Ananthakrishnan and Amritha Murali (violin), K.S. Ramana and Nirmal Narayan (mridangam), M. Dhanamjayan (mridangam for Bharathanatyam), B. Shreesundarkumar (kanjira), Jyotsna Jagannathan and Divya Shivasundar (Bharathanatyam), and K. N. Sajilal (all rounder contributions to Bharathanatyam, Nattuvangam and choreography).

Earlier, Mr. Chidambaram launched a DVD of Utsav Music’s “Kalasaadhana-The Dhananjayans” by handing over the first set to Y.Gee.Mahendra, secretary, Bharat Kalachar.

Ms. Chidambaram released a souvenir to mark the 22nd “Margazhi Mahotsav” by handing over the first copy to Yesudas. Sudha Mahendra, joint secretary and Madhuvanti Arun, cultural consultant, Bharat Kalachar spoke.

Bank of India is co-hosting the Margazhi Mahotsav (December 12-January 15).

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