The music aficionados of Kerala owe much to Carnatic music doyen Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, as many of the talented musicians of the State flourished under his tutelage, including its all-time favourite singer K.J. Yesudas.
Therefore, it was befitting for a memorial for Semmangudi to be built in the capital city, on the land where he once lived, and for it to be inaugurated by Mr. Yesudas, as he did on Monday.
The Semmangudi ‘Smrithi Mandiram’ was built on the premises of Thripthi Bungalow in Thycaud, where Semmangudi stayed from 1941 to 1963 when he was the ‘Aasthana Vidwan’ of the Travancore Palace as well as the Prinicipal of the Thiruvananthapuram Music Academy.
The memorial was built under the aegis of the Department of Culture. Bharat Bhavan, an institution under the department, presently functions on the bungalow premises.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by A.K. Balan, Minister for Culture, who unveiled the bust of Semmangudi at the memorial. He said the Ministry plans to carry forward the Gurukula tradition that flourished here during Semmangudi’s time. The memorial will be a research facility for music students and aficionados and will be opened to music and dance performances this month.
Traditional art forms
The Minister also said the memorial was part of the government’s initiative to revive folk and traditional art forms that were once widely enjoyed, and that well-equipped cultural centres would be set up in every district for this purpose.
Veteran musicians Parassala Ponnamal, Thiruvalla Thankamma, and Thurayil Santhamma were honoured at the ceremony, and Dr. K. Omanakkutty rendered a Smrithi Keerthanam as tribute to Semmangudi.
The function was also attended by Mayor V.K. Prashant, Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar and Cultural Secretary Rani George, among others.
