Commemorating the 250th birth anniversary of the legendary composer Muthuswami Dikshitar. The Department of Music, School of Performing Arts, Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN), conducted “Guruguha Samarpanam”, a 12-hour non-stop musical homage titled Akhandam, a first such initiative by the department on Feb 24.
From morning 06:00 am to evening 06:00 pm, the campus resonated with timeless kritis (songs). A total of 70 compositions were presented over 12 continuous hours by a collective ensemble of 90 participants. The performers included students and faculty of the Department of Music headed by Prof V. Premalatha, alongside distinguished music professionals such as Dr T.V. Durai Arul Prakash, Dr Nithya, Dr Vidya, and Smt. Poornima Ravi Shankar and Dr K. Thiagarajan.
The Akhandam format, requiring unbroken musical succession, served as a collective sadhana (spiritual practice). Participants transitioned seamlessly between diverse ragas, maintaining a constant stream of melody that drew audiences from across the university.
Prof. M. Krishnan, Vice-Chancellor, appreciated the sustained effort of the participants and lauded the Department of Music for conceptualising a tribute of such scale. He felicitated the visiting music professionals and commended the students for their dedication. Prof. R. Thirumurugan, Registrar, and Prof. S. Nagarajan, Dean (Academics), acknowledged the significance of honouring a composer whose works continue to define the framework of Carnatic music.
The 12-hour musical offering was organised by Prof. V. Premalatha, Dean, School of Performing Arts, along with faculty members and students of the Department of Music, ensuring each rendition seamlessly followed the previous one.
