The sweet music that is not heard any more at George Town

With December just around the corner, my thoughts turn to the music season. It is today essentially a south Chennai phenomenon, concentrated in Mylapore and T. Nagar, with some events taking place in the newer areas of the city such as Madipakkam. In short, the art is continuing its migration, following its fans, for that is how it came to the city. In the 17th Century, wealthy dubashes considered it de rigueur to have pipers, musicians, drummers, and dancers in their retinue. Extending patronage to them was a symbol of power and prestige. And they paid handsomely. At a time when princely patrons were on the decline, the core of the city was so powerful that it meant the hinterland where the art had earlier flourished lost its hold. The decline took time but when it did, Carnatic music vanished in the rest of Tamil Nadu, barring a couple of exceptions.

New upper class

When the dubash system waned after the winding up of the East India Company, the new upper class comprising businessmen and professionals extended patronage. They banded together to form cultural organisations, and these were the Sabhas. The Sabha was a Madras phenomenon, and it was from here that the concept spread elsewhere, including the U.S. Chennai soon held out other opportunities — teaching, composing for films, acting, singing playback, being part of recording label orchestras, and so on. George Town was the hub for much of all the artistes that settled in the city.

Today, Sabhas have dwindled across India, but Chennai is holding on. But Carnatic music is no longer heard in George Town. A walk around the area will reveal many erstwhile venues. Gokhale Hall on Armenian Street, of which there is talk of restoration once again, is perhaps the best known. But there were others, including Soundarya Mahal (now demolished), the St. Mary’s Parish Hall (on which site stands the Catholic Centre), the McConnaughy Hall in the Young Men’s Christian Association building, many temples, and the Bhajana Mandiram on Mint Street. All of them are silent. The Tamil Isai Sangam’s Raja Annamalai Manram is perhaps the sole exception, continuing with its annual series despite low audience turnout.

No maintenance

The grandest edifice among all erstwhile music venues is Pachayappa’s Hall on NSC Bose Road. It rises above the noise and chaos of George Town and a walk up the stairs reveals a beautiful wooden-floored hall, with high ceiling and good acoustics. This was where the concept of presenting academic papers on Carnatic music was born in 1887 and it was also here that the present practice of featuring concerts of young artistes for free to an invited audience began in the city. Today, the hall suffers from want of even basic maintenance.

The arts fled George Town when congestion began in the area and accessing music halls there became tough. Patrons moved to south Chennai. Ironically, today, access has made a comeback with Metro Rail, but the composition of the people of George Town has changed. Holding concerts in north Chennai makes no sense if the audience is to be drawn from south Chennai. 

Interestingly, the north Indians of George Town love the music season for a different reason. They flock to the canteens at the Sabhas in south Chennai in December and enjoy themselves thoroughly. As long as music makes people happy one way or the other, who am I to complain?

(V. Sriram is a writer and historian.)

Published - November 26, 2024 11:05 pm IST