Sangita Kalanidhi Award

Prelims (GS - I) – Current events of national and international importance.

Mains (GS - I) – Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.

Why in News?

Rudrapatna Krishnamurthy Shriramkumar has been chosen for this year’s Sangita Kalanidhi Award by the Music Academy, Chennai.

• Sangita Kalanidhi, which translates as ‘Treasure of Music and Art’, is the highest honour in Carnatic music.
• It is awarded annually by the Madras Music Academy, one of the oldest academies of Carnatic music in India.
• Established in – 1928.
• The Music Academy was established in 1928, following a decision taken at the Indian National Congress session in Chennai in December 1927 to promote Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam.
• Rewards – The award comprising a gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).
• Since 2005, the Sangita Kalanidhi also receives the MS Subbulakshmi Award instituted by The Hindu.

The lawyer, freedom fighter, and artiste E Krishna Aiyar was trying at the time to revive Bharatanatyam, which had suffered from the stigma of association with devadasis.

• Carnatic music – Carnatic music is a classical music tradition of South Indian states such as South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and southern Odisha.
• It emphasizes vocal music and compositions, with a focus on intricate melodies, rhythms, and improvisations based on ragas and talas.
• Origin – Carnatic music has roots in ancient Hindu traditions and scriptures, particularly the Samaveda.
• It is considered one of the two main classical music traditions of India, the other being Hindustani music.
• Instrumented used – The violin, mridangam, tambura, ghatam, and veena.
• Carnatic music uses the Melakarta system, a system of 72 parent ragas (janaka ragas) to classify ragas.

Reference

The Indian Express | Sangita Kalanidhi award