The classical music of the West has influenced our musical culture, although it may not have done so in ways and on a scale easily comprehensible to us. The four broad areas in which the Western influence manifests itself are: (1) the two systems of classical music namely, Hindustani and Carnatic, (2) film and light music (sugam sangeet), (3) commercial TV advertising and (4) music education.

‘Mangalam’ in Sanskrit means auspicious, welfare, good fortune. It is common practice in the Bharatiya tradition to wish others with “Mangalaanee bhavantu” in Sanskrit, “Mangalam undaagattum in Tamizh or “Mangalmay ho” in Hindi.

Vidwan Neranki Vishnu Murthy, a first-generation percussionist, shaped his life and career with optimism and determination. Born on 23 February 1922 as the seventh child of Krishnayya and Parvatamma in Puttur, Karnataka, Murthy was orphaned at a very young age.

Malladi Ramakrishna Sastri pointed out the path and Arudra whipped me along, with corrections, suggestions, and yes, admonitions. Many other men too, authorities in their fields, led me up to a higher storey.