Lovely headline

'Kabhi mushy, kabhi dumb' is a lovely headline. I can't tell you how delighted I am with the piece. Great going.

Rashmi Vasudeva

Scholarships for vocalists

Pandit Ganapati Bhat Music Academy calls for applications from vocalists for the award of a scholarship for 2002-2004.

The scholarship amounts to Rs 1,000 a month for two years. Those interested may send a draft for Rs 150 in favour of Pt Ganapati Bhat Music Academy Hasanagi and get a form which has to be filled in and returned before December 31, 2001.

Applicants should be between 18 and 28, and should have learnt classical vocal music at least for five years from any guru of any gharana.

The scholarship is restricted to Hindustani classical vocalists. A committee of renowned artists will award the scholarship after an interview and on the basis of a live performance.

For applications: The President, Pandit Ganapati Bhat Music Academy, Hasanagi 581347, Yellapura (Uttara Kannada District), Karnataka, India Ph: 08419-52513; e-mail: gmusic@rediffmail.com

Vasant Bhat

Paarthale non-committal

I was rather surprised at the non-committal review for the music of Paarthale Paravasam. It ended abruptly too! I also request less information about the movie and the makers and more on the music per se. If the references about the previous movies of KB were more on the kind of music they had, it'd have been appropriate. Here, discussing the theme of PP in comparison to the themes of other KB movies seems out of place considering that we are reading a music review!

Karthik S

We're a bhajan group

We conduct sampradhaya bhajans (in Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, etc.,). We are a bhajan group conducting programmes for the last 35 years ago.

The theory of bhajan can be read at www.naamasankeerthanam.com, our friends' website.

We can arrange to send you our bhajan audio tapes, or come over and perform.

As you know the bhajan is a big ocean of nectar and and it has so many aspects to be studied.

We are a non-commercial bhajan group. We do not intend to charge anything as fees. Any expenses incurred in sending you the tapes or visiting your place with our bhajan group has to be met by you. Otherwise, we would like to offer our renderings only as a service to the Lord. The instrumentalists (mrudangam, dholak and harmonium players) should be paid according to the nature of the programme, i.e., whether it is a two-hour bhajan or a two-day programme like Sri Radha Kalyanam.

We have a bhajan shrine at Ullagaram, Chennai, and whatever gifts we get in terms of money or kind is utilised for its maintenance and for the pooja of Lord Panduranga.

If you are interested, contact us:

T Balaji
Sathguru Sri Gnanananda Bhajan Mandali
New No 16, Old No 38, Perumal Nagar Main Road
Ullagaram, Nanganallur P.O., Chennai 600 061
INDIA
Phone: 0091 44 224 1556

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