A sandhya for sur: Music for a good cause

Bengaluru: On December 19, Bengalureans quietly filed into the Jnana Jyoti Auditorium for the annual sur Sandhya concert. The concert, which takes place each year, featuring prominent musicians from across the country, raises money for a number of charitable causes, donating funds to hospitals and deserving NGOs based here in Bengaluru. Earlier in the week, as the organisers set up for the show, one man was employed to clean the toilets. As the concert ended, he crept up to the donation box that had been placed there for the audience and put in it a soiled Rs 50 note. "What more can I ask for?" said Sandhya S. Kumar, who has been involved with the sur Sandhya since it began in 2001.

For the last 15 years, people like former BBMP Commissioner Mr. Siddaiah, Sheshadri Mokshagundam and a host of others come together to put this show together. Bangalore University, with which Jnana Jyoti Auditorium is affiliated, also steps up to support the show. No stone is left unturned when it comes to ensuring quality, no matter how difficult raising funds can be - musicians are paid in full and the lighting and sound are top-notch. "There are so many people who contribute, in so many different ways," Sandhya says, over and over. "Our lighting is done by Girish, from Shantala Sound Systems, who to this day, insists that I pay him whatever I can. He has never told me what his actual charges are," she said. She resonates gratitude, for, as she interjects as often as she can, "None of this would have happened without them. My family has been a constant support - my husband S.T. Ramesh and my daughter have been my pillars of strength."

Sandhya sounds almost awestruck as she says, "The auditorium is full every year. And this is without publicity." The annual event has not found itself in the media's spotlight even once in the last 15-odd years. The concert's many supporters have refrained from entering the limelight themselves.

"Also, I can't really afford to get publicity. Whatever little is done happens through friends!"

Nevertheless, Sandhya, by her own admission, says "200% goes into giving a good programme, which is never ticketed, because I want people to be there." Back in 2001, Sandhya, who was a compere for the state government and a documentary film-maker as well, learned, through a newspaper article, that Manna Dey lived here in Bengaluru. That set the proverbial ball rolling, for she set out the same day to track him down and ask him to perform in the very first edition of Sur Sandhya. "When he heard that it was for a cause, he cut his performance fee by half. He was so cooperative," she said.

Mr. Sheshadri Mokshagundam, who has been involved with the Sur Sandhya series for over a decade, found himself drawn to it because of his passion for Hindi music. "I like to compere these concerts, because I have a lot of knowledge about this kind of music," he said. "I met Sandhya because of that and I was very impressed with the way she picks up organisations that are in need of funds and puts a message into the show as well. Shabbir, who is the chief of the orchestra does a fantastic job as well, we make sure that all the music is as close to the original as possible."

Although mobilising funds is a gargantuan task, people have always come forward to help, Sandhya explained.

"I put out a donation box, which is always full by the end of the show. There are a number of philanthropists who help out as well, because we are very transparent about the way we do things. And my two purposes are served - we raise funds for organisations that need them and people can enjoy an evening of very good music!"