Forgotten crop varieties
Among the many indigenous crop varieties on the verge of disappearing is jowar, especially the variety that goes by the name gatti tene.
Thanks to the appearance of varieties such as Maladandi, Bijapur and Mooguthi, this type of jowar is slowly disappearing.
Also, because the rottis made out of this variety of jowar are slightly hard, an entire crop variety is on the verge of disappearing. This variety is full of carbohydrates and serves as excellent fodder for cattle too. Also, it is a wind and rain resistant variety and can survive tough weather conditions. Crop loss is a rarity in this variety. This jowar has many medicinal qualities. Steps should be taken to ensure that such indigenous varieties don't vanish.
R S Patil
A directory of State's musicians
The second half of the year is a busy time for the Carnatic music fraternity of the State. Artistes and rasikas (connoisseurs) alike get busy with the packed concert schedule that coincides with the festival season. In the midst of this happy bustle, one event holds special significance - the release of the latest edition of the Directory of Karnataka Musicians.
The directory is published every two years by the Suswaralaya College of Music (SLCM), a very reputed Bangalore-based Carnatic music institution founded and run by eminent mridangam artiste 'Ganakalasri' Vidwan H S Sudhindra. Renowned musicians of Karnataka like 'Sangita Kalanidhi' Vidwan R K Srikantan have expressed their appreciation of this compilation.
What inspired him to conceive of the directory? He replies, "Somewhere in the mid-80s I got into this habit of noting down the details of all my concerts including the contact details of the other artistes. Over the years the database became so comprehensive that I was routinely approached for relevant information.
So, at the time SLCM celebrated its annual day in 2002, I decided to publish this in book form. The directory is now in its sixth edition. The data is collated, compiled and published by a committee of very dedicated Carnatic musicians headed by myself as chairman of trustees and principal of SLCM."
The directory does not spell out a hierarchy among artistes or among various sub-art forms like vocal music, violin and mridangam. The listing is strictly alphabetical. Only for the sake of convenience male and female artistes are listed separately in every category. Sudhindra explains, "Listing in the directory is by voluntary submission of the artiste's contact information. We don't charge a single rupee for listing."
The directory also gives other information including contact information of music sabhas, festivals and venues that feature Carnatic music concerts, Carnatic music schools, Carnatic music scholars, travel agencies who help musicians make travel arrangements, hotels, repairers of instruments, studios, media organisations that give coverage to Carnatic music and sound system providers.
A new category featured from this year will be that of contemporary Carnatic music composers. A total of 3036 listings are featured this year, 300 more than the fifth edition. Since the next edition will be out only in 2014, the directory includes a calendar of both 2013 and 2014.
The Directory of Karnataka Musicians is scheduled for release on November 1.