Bengaluru The oldest running sabha in the country is set to welcome musicians and music connoisseurs to its refurbished and renovated premises. The Bangalore Gayana Samaja has been renovated at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore. It will be inaugurated on January 15.
“In eight months, we renovated the old building on K.R. Road, which was constructed in 1962, with the help of Central and State funds, public donations and internal resources. Old architectural details, such as the columns and beams, have been retained. The building will be inaugurated by Union Minister Ananth Kumar,” said M.R.V. Prasad, president, Bangalore Gayana Samaja. The new premises boosts of an upgraded 600-seat auditorium with improved acoustics.
In recent years, many artistes and fans have been demanding upgradation of the audio system, creation of parking space and installation of air-conditioners.
Sabha authorities were contemplating replacing the old building with a swanky four-storey structure. However, this could not be taken up due to lack of funds. “We were also advised by structural engineer B.V. Vishweshwar that the columns and beams of the old structure were strong and a makeover would suffice,” added Mr. Prasad.
The refurbishment
The entire 8,000 sq ft building has been re-plastered. In the new design by architect K.M. Adarsh, the structure gets a traditional porch-like entrance with extensions on both sides, space for a canteen, buffet and a multi-purpose exhibition hall. It has a new stage, flooring & roofing, and LED lighting. Speakers have been placed outside the auditorium too.
“We have installed six CCTV cameras. The new roofing will bring down the temperature by two degrees. With Namma Metro underground work almost over, we will get more space for parking,” said Mr. Prasad.
The institution has a record of running non-stop for 111 years at various venues in the city and also houses the TAG Digital Listening Archive providing 6,000 hours of catalogued music in its library.
The Gayana Samaja has been selected as the research centre for music by Tumkur University.
