Sabhas should give priority to Tamil songs in concerts, says Stalin

‘Whether it is bhakti music or film music or light music or pop and rock music, it should be in Tamil; this is my desire,’ says the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister inaugurating the 96th annual conference and concerts of the Music Academy

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday called upon music sabhas such as the Music Academy to give priority to Tamil music and songs in concerts.

“Tamil literature is a treasure house of thousands of Tamil songs. They should be sung in music sabhas. Whether it is bhakti music or film music or light music or pop and rock music, it should be in Tamil; this is my desire,” he said, inaugurating the 96th annual conference and concerts of the Music Academy.

Mr. Stalin said art would survive only if the language survived. “Nurturing music will not only nurture art, but also the Tamil language. All sabhas and artistes should keep this in mind,” said the Chief Minister who also honoured the Music Academy’s Sangita Kalanidhi designates vocalist Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan (2020), mridhangam player Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam (2021) and violinists Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and his sister GJR Vijayalakshmi.

Pointing out that Tamil music was ancient and rich and the Tamil literary work Silapathikaram was actually a musical epic, Mr. Stalin said the link between Tamil and music could be known by reading Thevaram, Thiruvachagam, Nalayira Divyaprabandam, Periyapuranam, and other works.

Recalling Music Academy president N. Murali’s interview that his organisation was promoting “unity in diversity” through music, the Chief Minister said the country needed the idea very much. “You should not think that the idea is confined only to political parties. It should be the idea of every individual and organisation,” he said.

Mr. Stalin also said that while he regularly read the publications of The Hindu Group, the two books that outnumbered the books he had been receiving as gifts were Maperum Tamil Kanavu, a book on DMK founder C.N. Annadurai and Therkilirunthu Oru Suryan, a book on Kalaignar, published by the group.

Mr. Stalin also placed on record his appreciation for Music Academy saying that it was no small task that it had sustained itself for 96 years. “You can start anything, but running it successfully is not easy. It remains a Vedanthangal for music lovers from all over the world. It is the first function I have attended without any tension after assuming office as Chief Minister,” he added.