Early in the 'season', rasikas and artistes are getting into a heated debate that has not died down for a week now.
It has to do with remarks that vocalist T M Krishna made at the release of the Telugu translation of a book written many years ago by T J S George on M S Subbulakshmi - at an event in the city of Hyderabad.
Would they (rasikas/artistes) have adored and liked Subbulakshmi's songs if she had been dark skinned and dressed differently? - Krishna is supposed to have posed to the audience at the book release.
Krishna was, one assumes trying to touch on the role of caste-communities and their relationship to art and culture in this part of the country and chose to touch on the life and times of Subbulakshmi.
The comments brought forth hundreds of comments, social media notes and media reports on the issue.
Many Carnatic music artistes have been sharing their thoughts too, mostly on social media - something they rarely do when it comes to socio-political issues.
The debate is gathering steam. As are the potshots at Krishna, some saying he continues 'to seek cheap publicity' and others considering his remarks as 'tasteless'.
The issue has also encouraged some artistes to re-post arguments on how a law which banned artistes 'dedicated' to temples and exploited had led to the doom of communities which had nurtured and nourished the performing arts. And the fallout of that development in the arts world in this region.
One guesses that the TMK remarks will remain good fodder for small talk in the sabha canteens through December.
Here is the weblink to a report on the event T M Krishna was a guest at and where he made the 'MS remarks' -
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