News Tamil Nadu

“He Called Women Of Your House Prostitutes, Stop Glorifying Him”: Ranjani-Gayatri Give Stinging Response To The Hindu’s N. Ram Simping For EVR

March 22, 2024
The Commune

The recent days have been turbulent for the Carnatic music community, with both artists and enthusiasts facing a storm of controversy. The Madras Music Academy’s decision to honor left-leaning vocalist TM Krishna with the Sangita Kalanidhi award stirred up significant debate. In response, vocal duo Ranjani-Gayatri expressed their dissent by opting to withdraw from the upcoming conference, which is scheduled to be led by Krishna later this year.

Several notable musicians and artists joined the vocalist duo in their boycott. This includes Vedic scholar Dushyanth Sridhar, Harikatha exponent Smt. Vishakha Hari, vocalists Trichur Brothers, and Chitraveena Ravikiran, who decided to return his 2017 Sangita Kalanidhi award. Additionally, other prominent artists such as Palghat Mani Iyer’s family have also chosen to return the award in solidarity.

Following this, Music Academy President N. Murali wrote a letter to the sisters, expressing his disapproval. The intimidating letter to the sisters stated that their letter was “replete with unwarranted and slanderous assertions and insinuations verging on defamation, and its vicious tone against a respected senior fellow-musician.” 

The Hindu’s N Ram (whose brother is the President of the Music Academy), wrote a scathing post on his social media handle to the sisters. He said, “Commend the firm and fitting response from The Music Academy and its President to the bigoted, casteist objections by a small coterie of set-up Carnatic musicians who can’t stomach the choice of an eminent, widely acclaimed, erudite, and articulate musician for the highest accolade in Carnatic music. If T. M. Krishna doesn’t deserve the Sangita Kalanidhi honour, then who does? And what explains Ranjani-Gayatri’s wild and scurrilous attack — charged with venom and demonstrable falsehoods — on Periyar Ramasamy (1879-1973), the father of the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu and a champion of women’s equality and rights? Who put them up to this?”

He also shared a few links to articles on the Sangita Kalanidhi Awards reported by The Hindu. 

In response to N Ram, the sisters wrote, 

“1. Please isolate venom & demonstrate falsehoods in our ‘notorious’ note to the Music Academy

2. Either you r part of the Periyar packaging factory or an ignorant believer

He called for killing of Brahmins, called the women of your house Prostitutes. Stop glorifying him”

Vedic scholar Dushyanth Sridhar also came out in support of the sisters in this regard, yet again. He wrote, “Sri Rama & Srimad Ramayanam is the very essence of #Bharata. I am ready to debate with references from works (both in #Tamil & #Sanskrit) of preceptors & composers (in #CarnaticMusic) and how they have venerated Sri Rama. The irony is Mr. 

@nramind & EVR share the name of Sri Rama in their names and have never understood the ethos of this country. Kudos to @ranjanigayatri”

Earlier, TN BJP president K Annamalai and ADMK’s spokesperson voiced out their support for the vocalist sisters and all those who decided to boycott the conference. 

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