Karnataka has been the cradle for Music-Dr Swapnil Chapekar

KALABURAGI; Dr Swapnil Chapekar, a well known Hindustani vocalist and a tutor in the Department of Music in Central University of Karnataka in Kalaburagi district has said that Karnataka was the cradle of Hindustani and Carnatic Music producing some of the best traditional music exponents to the world of Music.

Speaking at the World Music Day function organized by the Department of Music in Sharnbasva University, Dr Chapekar said that to name the few musicians the Karnataka had produced included Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Gangubai Hangal, Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur and several others.

He said that the Music occupied a prime place in the public life since the time immemorial and musicians occupied the place of prime in the courts of Kings and Emperors who ruled the country.  Pandit Tansen was one among the famous musician who occupied the place of prime in the court of Emperor Akbar and recalled an incident in which Emperor Akbar declared Pandit Tansen as the best musician in the world and how Tansen refused the title pointing out his Guru Saint  Haridas as the best in the entire world.

Dr Chapekar said Emperor Akbar surprised by the statement of Tansen was curious to see and hear the music of Saint Haridas and visited the hut in which the hermit was living and requested him to provide an opportunity to hear his rendition. Saint Haridas complied with a rendition which kept the Emperor Akbar engrossed and and admitted Saint Haridas was the best in the world and wanted to know the secret of such a beautiful rendition. The saint replied that he devoted all his songs to the God and he did not sing for any others.

Dean of the Social Science Mr T V Sivanandan in his address said that the Music had no barriers, nor boundaries and to enjoy a music one need not necessarily know the languages. Music was the one medium which united people across the world breaking the barriers of language, creed,  and colour.

Later Dr Chapekar presented a concert of Hindustani Music to the students of the Music Department. Dean of the Department of Music Prof Revayya Vastradmath presided over.