Kapali Panguni Utsavam 2024 Nadaswaram artistes not paid after 7months

Almost, seven months after the Panguni Utsavam at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, the Nadaswaram artistes who presented during the street processions have not been paid their dues. As per the invitation (photo attached below) of the Utsavam, P Vijayakumar Reddy, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the temple and Preetha Reddy sponsored these artistes at the utsavam. They have been the sponsors for several years.

A couple of years ago as well, this writer wrote a story on delayed payments. That year, it was a matter of a couple of months but this time, almost 7 months have passed but the payments have not been made. 

This section had featured a story in April this year about the pending payment. Half a year has passed since then but the payment to these traditional artistes continue to remain pending. Interestingly, the same sponsor at the same temple made immediate payment to high profile artistes who presented Kutcheries at the Navarathri Mandapam soon after the completion of the Panguni Utsavam, as part of the Vidayatri Series. 

One wonders as to why the traditional artistes performing at the sacred street processions have been given this second-hand treatment and their payment held back for so many months.

When this writer brought this to the notice of the HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu over the weekend, he promised to take care of this issue and said that he would ensure that this long pending payment would be made. 

In April, Ayyappan, hailing from Mei Thiru Gnanam, one of the artistes who presented at the street procession told this writer that all that they are asking for is to be respected as a traditional artiste “The Sambhavanai is a mark of respect to the artistes who presented before the Lord. We console ourselves that we were blessed enough to present in front of Kapaleeswarar and that feeling is unmatched.”

Another artiste, Murugavel from Sithakadu, had performed on the day of the Adi Kaara Nandi utsavam. He had told this writer in April that not receiving the Sambhavanai even after one month was saddening but they have no complaints about that “as the satisfaction for us is from the performance and happiness that we saw on the faces of the devotees.”

45 year old TPN Ramanathan also hails from Thiru Mei Gnanam and he presented on the second day at the street procession in March this year. On Tuesday morning, he told this writer that he feels very aggrieved and disappointed at the poor treatment of the artistes “Since my team members should not suffer financially, I have paid my personal money to them. Most of them are from mayavaram and around and not being given the promised Sambhavanai is very unfair. I followed up with Kapali Temple’s Mohan Dass anna for many months but he too has no answer. He keeps saying the same thing that they will receive the money but even he does not know when. What option is there for us other than to wait endlessly and hope that the Kapali Temple administration would pay us one day for our services.”

54 year old  TPJ Selvarathinam hails from Thiruvisa Nallur  (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/04/thiru-nallur-sundareswarar-temple.html) has a doctorate in music. He came along with his troupe by train from Kumbakonam spending his own money. On a rainy Tuesday morning, the day when the North East Monsoon hit Chennai, he told this writer that he feels shy and embarrassed to even be talking about the pending payment. “We came only because Asthana Vidwan Mohan Dass Anna invited us. He was keen for us to present as he wanted traditional artistes from remote towns to perform at the procession. 8 of us came from Kumbakonam. Not only did we spend our own money for the train trip, but we also had to take care of our food and all other expenses. The temple administration did not give us anything – not even water during the long two hour presentation or after", he said in a very sad tone at the way the artistes have been treated.

"As a traditional artiste who performed at the annual utsavam of such a large temple, I feel embarrassed to even ask for this money but at the same time, my mind has been continuously questioning the fact as to why a the temple administration would show such disrespect to  traditional artistes who performed during the street procession on their invitation. We feel deeply saddened that such an administration would ill-treat traditional nadaswaram artistes by making us follow up for our payment. This poor treatment meted out to us would definitely bring a bad name to this temple administration at the way they are insulting nadaswaram artistes from remote temple towns", Selvarathinam told this writer.

One does not know why the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Kapaleeswarar Temple does not want to pay the money to these artistes after putting his name as the sponsor in the utsavam Nadaswaram programme invitation. Will the HR&CE minister intervene in this as promised and ensure that the payment is made to the artistes. Else this poor treatment meted out to the Nadaswaram artistes is likely to bring a bad name to the HR & CE department.

This section will track the developments on this front.