Century-old music college in Vizianagaram crying for attention

VISAKHAPATNAM: Whenever there is a dialogue on ‘carnatic vocal music’ or ‘classical dance’ of South India, the discussion wouldn’t culminate without a mention of Maharajah’s Government College of Music and Dance in Vizianagaram. Such is the reputation of the South India’s first music college, which gave birth to countless artistic gems. 

Drawing strength from its strong value-based foundation, the college made it to a century of name and fame. The institute which had been a Midas Touch for many famous musicians and artists, is now ailing with dearth of teaching staff, as retired teachers are not replaced with permanent teaching staff.

While the number of vacancies dilated over the time, recruitment to fill the gaps with permanent staff stalled, and the management turned to contractual teachers. Teachers of Violin, Veena, Nadaswaram, classical vocal and classical dance retired and are replaced with contractual teachers, with a meager salary of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 a month. The salary has remained the same since 2017. “It is difficult to earn our subsistence with the minimal salaries we receive. Freshers in the field don’t find it lucrative to apply for a teaching post in the college,” said K Maha Lakshmi, Gayak Assistant. 

Speaking to TNIE, Principal Anuradha Parasuram said, “Nadaswaram and Dhol classes are being taken up by one teacher each and vocal classes have two teachers, one of them being an ad hoc teacher. The college has a total of 9 permanent teachers. We have been requesting the government since many years, to make the jobs of contractual teachers permanent, with a predefined pay scale so that it paves way in creating employment opportunities in the field.”

Traditional cultural art forms are vanishing day by day and it is our collective responsibility to resuscitate them, she said. The legacy of Maharajah’s College of Music and Dance dates back to 1919, when Maharaja Pusapati Vijayarama Gajapati laid the foundation stone and turned the then town hall into a cultural hall.