Bengaluru, October 28: The music that emerges from this basement means much more to rasikas in Bengaluru's Chandra Layout. It is Carnatic music which was described and defined by one of India's finest musicians thus: "Karne atathi ethi Karnataka" i.e. that which pleases the ear is Carnatic music.

It is, in fact, more. It has provided countless hours of joy for Carnatic music listeners in Chandra Layout. "Going beyond listening pleasure to the ears, it has been an elevating experience," avers one young lady rasika. But to three intrepid senior citizens it goes beyond much more than mere involvement with music. For, although the three come from disparate areas, they have a common binding factor i.e their love for Carnatic music. One of them is a retired banker, another a retired public sector employee but with special interest in social service, and the third is a retired official from the intelligence bureau.

For them, it is sheer passion. This has bloomed into a culturally alive institution in Chandra Layout bearing the name Music Circle. Who says senior citizens cannot be productive? As far as these three are concerned, one can say that they have come full circle again.

The three men making musical waves as founder members of the Music Circle are: The 71 year's old retired manager of Bank of India V.S. Srinivasan who has acted in Tamil plays and is an ardent Carnatic music lover and can sing old classical Tamil film songs. There is the social worker and 66 year's old retired employee of Bharat Electronics Ltd V.L. Krishnamurhty who has served as member of various Aiyappa Samajams in Bengaluru. The last of the Triumvirate is S. Rajagopalan, aged 62 years, is a retired Group 'A' Officer of Central Government sensitive security institution. Deeply interested in Carnatic music he has acquainted himself over the years with several senior Carnatic musicians. He has the responsibility of contacting the artistes and arranging the concerts.
Founded since September 2004, the Music Circle holds Carnatic music concerts once a month in the basement of the Basaveshwara House Building Copperative Society at Chandra Layout. The organizers have taken great pains to turn this basement into a fine auditorium by creating a cozy ambience to enjoy music in a relaxed atmosphere. Listening to carnatic music in such an atmosphere is indeed a joy. The Music Circle has so far arranged a total of 34 programmes. Some of the leading artists who have performed from Tamil Nadu here include Padmabhushan T. V. Sankaranarayanan, Ms. A. Kanyakumari (Violin), Maharajapuram S. Srinivasan and Sikkil C. Gurucharan. Srinivasan, Krishnamurthy and Rajagopalan deserve generous applause for the work they do because truly they have made Carnatic music come alive through the Music Circle. More power to their passion!