G.V. Krishna Prasad of Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira in Bengaluru.
| Picture Credit score: SREENIVASA MURTHY V
Early this 12 months, in February, on the annual Spring Pageant of Music organised by Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira, Bangalore, he was unusually lacking on the entrance of the auditorium. He at all times stood there, ushering listeners in together with his attribute heat. It was a shock to see him seated within the first row, even earlier than the viewers had crammed into the auditorium. The person who had devoted his life to music for over six a long time, mentioned: “my coronary heart has change into weak, I don’t have power like earlier than.” Three months later, on Might 13, 2023, Krishna Prasad had handed away.
Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira (SRLKM) got here into existence on January 15, 1955 on Sannidhi Street in Bangalore. Vedanta Iyengar, Krishna Prasad’s father, obsessed with music, was a revered instructor and scholar. A person who believed in serving the individuals, he received the Public Service Medal from the Maharaja of Mysore in 1949.
After Vedanta Iyengar handed away, his youngsters continued to serve the reason for music. Consequently, Krishna Prasad and his two sisters, G.V. Ranganayakamma and G.V. Neela, took cost of operating the establishment established by their father. Whereas Krishna Prasad had a day job on the City Planning division and devoted all his evenings to music, his sisters taught music and carried out live shows. They spent all they earned to music.
Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira in Bengaluru.
| Picture Credit score:
SREENIVASA MURTHY V
Krishna Prasad introduced the very best artistes of Carnatic music to Bangalore. Aside from the Spring competition, SRLKM conducts a bunch of different programmes which embrace common live shows and lecdems. From Semmangudi Srinivas Iyer to Maharajapuram Santhanam and from M.S. Subbulaksmi to the current day musicians, the Establishment has hosted all of them. SRLKM instituted an award for younger musicians, Raga Laya Prabha and Sangeeta Vedanta Dhureena for senior artistes. Krishna Prasad additionally organised Tyagaraja Aradhane on January 26 yearly and invited veteran and younger artistes.
Ten years in the past, Krishna Prasad launched a music journal, Lalitha Kala Tharangini, and hoped to create a wealthy supply of knowledge for the long run generations. . And rightly so, the painstakingly well-produced journal has made its technique to the archives of essential establishments, together with the Music Academy in Chennai. “I had casually talked about to Krishna Prasad that I give up my job and hoped to spend my time in music,” remembers Anand, little realizing that Krishna Prasad would come to his dwelling the next day and make him the editor of the journal. “I’ve learnt rather a lot on this journey,” he says. Within the final ten years, the journal has produced particular editions on legendary musicians. Krishna Prasad made precious recommendations and proofread each situation earlier than it went to print. “He was very specific about high quality and expenditure hardly mattered to him,” says Anand.
“Every time I came around him and left for dwelling, he would say, ‘you could deal with the Mandira’. It rings in my ears,” says M.R. Yoganand, Krishna Prasad’s nephew, and treasurer of SRLKM.
Krishna Prasad might go to any lengths to attach individuals and music. Hope Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira continues to advertise Carnatic music.