The home of Mysore Vasudevacharya in Agrahara in what is now New Sayaji Rao road
Aahiri Putty lays out the ‘rangoli’ before a concert to revive the home of Mysore Vasudevacharya
Vidwan R.K. Padmanabha looks on after lighting a lamp in memory of Mysore Vasudevacharya
Vidushi Baghyalakshmi Chandrashekhar tunes her ‘veena’ before the concert
T.P. Vaidyanathan, whose guru was a disciple of Mysore Vasudevacharya, watches the veena recital
Bhagyalakshmi Chandrashekhar in concert
What is everlasting, and what is ephemeral?
What is timeless, and what is temporary?
What will stay, and what will go?
The Magsaysay Award-winning singer-activist T.M. Krishna spoke eloquently on some of life’s most interesting questions two weeks ago, when he came to perform at 8th Cross, Vontikoppal.
He said journalism would last; I felt good journalism, and only a tiny speck of it, would. I said all music would always be with us; he thought good music, and only some of it, would.
And so, on we went.
Neither of us felt it necessary to factor in inanimate objects which might fall on bad times but might yet return—like a house, or more specifically, the house of a musical genius.
The singer, composer, scholar and legend Mysore Vasudevacharya, the asthana vidwan at the Palace, lived in its backyard in ‘Agrahara’, in a simple 2BHK bungalow on what is now New Sayaji Rao road.
Long years of disuse had resulted in its misuse. Few would have known looking at its dilapidated exteriors, with the standard ‘Notice’, that it was home to a Padma Bhushan.
Then this message arrived from Srinivasa Putty:
“You are probably aware that my brother Yadupati and I are trying our best to restore some dignity to the house where one of the most illustrious sons of India—Mysore Vasudevacharya—lived. We have succeeded now in bringing a semblance of an order to the house. It has taken us more than two months to bring the house to the present condition. We have a long way to go yet. The house at present has no water connection, no toilet and no electricity. It is less said the better about the activities for which the house was used by the uncultured elements and we have now succeeded in putting an end to all these. Disregarding the odds, we have made bold to organise music programmes to the extent we can.”
So, on a cool Sunday morning, with nothing but natural light and devardeepa to illuminate the proceedings, Vidushi Bhagyalakshmi Chandrashekhar presented a veena recital, accompanied on the mridangam by P.S. Sridhar and on the kanjira by Sriram Bhat.
And before they started, Vidwan R.K. Padmanabha sang a number composed by Vasudevacharya many moons ago, in the same room where we sat today.
It was magical, and as the cliche goes, the room came alive to the sounds and strains that had bounced of its walls 50 or 75 or 100 years ago.
Hopefully, the House of Music will live again.
churumuri 
Great work by the brothers,what govt should have done these gentlemen are doing in their private capacity.it gives some hope when we see only greed, corruption,bigotry around us.
PS-wben I was studying at NIE there was oneMr putty who was my batchmate,I don’t know whether he is the same gentleman.
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Kudos to the brothers. Great job. Reviving the great cultural heritage, what the Government has failed to do and neglecting as well. See Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market. They want it to collapse.
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Excellent work. Thanks Chrurumuri for sharing. Such information is ignored by the media and does not reach people.
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Kudos to the brothers who have taken up the task of restoration on to their own. It is the work of the govt. to take up such works.But where is the govt.???had it been the house of a politician or a speritual leader of their own, they would have mobilised all resources to restore and preserve. It would not be out of pace to suggest organising a fund collection through your column …….
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My brother YADUPATI PUTTY and I are very happy to read the four responses to the work taken up by us to restore some dignity to MYSORE VASUDEVACHARYA’S HOUSE. We have made a small and humble beginning and we are aware that we have miles to go. There are practical problems which we are attending to. We than every one who has appreciated the work taken up by us. It has emboldened us.
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I (YADUPATI PUTTY) pursued BE (CivilEngg.) and M.E. (Hydraulics) at NIE b/w 1978 & 1985.
I have been teaching here since 1985. My mobile no. is 9880255920.
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Thanks for the fine write-up. However, I would like to clarify that the task accomplished so far has not been done solely by we Puttys. Our guiding spirit has been Vid. Vaidyanathan and co-enthusiasts have been a few of our friends, Sri Mohana Krishna and Sri Shamanna, in particular. These people have shared the burden of the work and financial implications too. Many others have cooperated with us in the task and a lot more have provided the much needed moral support. It has all been a voluntary service for a cause, the cause of Culture, Kannada and ‘vidya’ . Its hoped more will join us in the campaign.
– Yadupathi
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I am unable to recollect the house in old Agrahara where I used to frequent during my school days of Maharaja high school and Maharaja college during the 50’s & 60’s
Glad to know that things have been revived and brought back to life
Dr.LakshmanRao
Chennai
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