The Margazhi Music season is back in the city with a bang. But this time around, ‘sabha-hopping’ isn’t as exciting, as music lovers are grappling with the issue of navigating a maze of diversions before they can land at a venue.
With Chennai Metro Rail’s phase II project work in full swing across almost all areas of the city including areas like Mylapore, Alwarpet, Royapettah and T. Nagar, it is quite a struggle to reach sabhas, say rasikas and concert organisers.
Radhika Chakravarthi, a resident of Adambakkam says, her family has been finding it pretty tough to commute through the traffic choc-a-bloc and diversions in Mylapore and T. Nagar. “For those who perform or those going to listen to concerts, it takes time to get to the venue even though they start well ahead of time,” she says.
C. R. Balaji, a resident of Mandaiveli says, while he usually makes it a point to attend one or two concerts during the season, this time he has refrained from doing so dreading the diversions and congestion in and around Mylapore. “While I have a two -wheeler and it is tough to travel this short distance even with one, we can imagine the plight of people coming for concerts in buses. The bus stops have moved to different locations. It is tiring to walk from the bus stop to the venue,” he adds.
Ranjini Kaushik, founder of SciArtsRUs who organises Margazhi Matram, a platform for disabled artists to perform in the Margazhi season, says, it has certainly become increasingly difficult for rasikas and artists to commute via the traffic diversions and go to the venue. While abled-persons itself are grappling with this issue, it is even more of a challenge for the disabled artists. “One of the artists got late for the concert because of the traffic. We fervently hope that before the next Margazhi season, the diversions are removed and rasikas can easily access the sabhas,” she said.
Hamsadwani R. Sundar says that infrastructure work has led to a reduction of about 10% – 15% of the audience at programmes. “There are other reasons for the reduction in rasikas too. After the pandemic, a section of rasikas say they prefer to stay at home and listen to concerts online. People don’t want to travel too.”
T. Devaki, chairperson of southern chapter, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), says, many people travel for the music season from places like US, UK and Singapore. “While flight prices are usually steep during the holiday season in December, this time it seems even higher than usual making it difficult for music lovers. The flights are however full and people are flying in,” she adds.
Issai Mazhalai Ramjhi, whose organisation has trained hundreds of children in Carnatic classical, says that audiences from other countries are not be found in sabhas this year. “The performing artists have all arrived since several organisations are conducting NRI festivals. They are also spending their free time attending concerts of other artists and learning. Perhaps more people are set to arrive in the next few days,” he said.
He also said that he himself had reduced going to concerts and other events as it had become expensive. “I have to find a call driver or take a cab, which is an additional expense. Due to the works on the roads the distances are longer due to diversions and cabs charge more. The cabs keep cancelling bookings due to traffic and waiting time at signals.”
However, everything is not as bleak as it seems. “Contrary to views floating in the music circuit, we find a greater interest in concerts this year. Normally the excitement builds up by mid November. This year, the start was a bit sluggish and ticket sales were initially lower than last year’s. But after December 1, sales took off very well. The overall value of tickets sold on MDnD is more than last year’s by atleast 20%,” said K. Kalyanasundaram, mdnd.in, which has been doing ticketing for many sabhas.
Published – December 28, 2024 01:02 am IST
