Western, Carnatic bands hold sway at Mysuru Palace

Mysuru: Western/English and Classical police bands of Mysuru, have 152 years of history and have been pride of Mysuru for their unique concerts. They offered special treat to people with their mesmerizing music at their concert hosted as part of Dasara cultural programmes in front of illuminated Mysuru Palace on Thursday evening.

As many as 30 members from Western/English police band led by band master D Manjunath, and 16 members of Carnatic band led by its master Krishnamurthy performed the concert. They presented tunes of 13 songs, with over 10 musical instruments including clarinet, trumpet, flute, euphonium, keyboard , cymbal, guitar, jaw set, drum, side drum.

According to Mr M Lakshminarayan, Huzoor secretary of erstwhile royal family at Mysuru Palace, the band was earlier called 'Palace Band' and formed in 1868 by His Highness Sri Chamaraja Wadiyar. It had 150 musicians including those of British and Indian origin and it was led by band leader J M D'Fries. After 1970 'Palace Band' was handed over to police department and since then it has been called 'Police Band', he said.

Now those who have passed western music exam (of Trinity College of England), held in Bengaluru and have acquired a few grades are recruited by police department as musicians for western band. And those who have passed Vidhwath exam in Carnatic music held by Karnataka secondary education exam board are recruited by police department as musicians for Carnatic police band.

They practice every day from 10 am to 12 pm and 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm. And they had started preparing for this Dasara concert from August itself, according to English police band master Manjunath.

Western and Carnatic police band from Mysuru are chosen to perform at glass house of Rajbhavan of Governor of the State, joint sessions at Vidhansouda in Bengaluru, and at many major special occasions. And they even perform at major functions of erstwhile royal family of Mysuru, at Mysuru Palace. And every year they perform during Private darbar of scion of erstwhile Mysuru royal family too.

But this year, since royal family is celebrating Dasara in a simple way the police band is not performing in it. It has a unique place in Dasara jumbo savari procession. While the Carnatic music band is carried in Aane gaadi (elephant card-a tableaux), the English band performs national anthem when the floral tribute is offered by Chief Minister to Goddess Chamundeswari housed in golden howdah carried by an elephant, and they also participate in the procession too.

And the unique concert of these police bands held as part of Dasara cultural programmes in front of illuminated Mysuru Palace is always considered a special treat. Usually, at least 30 police band teams from across the State participate in the mass police band concert held as part of Dasara cultural programmes every year. But English and Carnatic police bands from Mysuru always have special role in this concert, as they perform the main concert by presenting songs.

And this year due to Covid-19, police bands from other districts did not participate in the concert. And English and western police bands of Mysuru performed concert on Thursday evening.

English band began the concert with 'Kayo Sri Gowri' the former Mysore State anthem.

During the concert they presented songs including 'Final count down', 'Serenade', 'Beethoven's (Piano solo), 'Jai ho' (from the Hindi movie 'Slum Dog Millionaire'), 'Believer', 'Lay on love'.

And Carnatic band performed 'Sri Maha Ganapathim' song composed by Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar,

Aadishankaracharya's 'Aigiri Nandini', Sri Purandaradasa's 'Bhagyada Lakshmi Baaramma', 'Sri Chamundeswari' song from the Kannada movie Sri Krishnadevaraya composed by K Prabhakara Shasthri, 'Kanakanave Sharade' song from the Kannada movie 'Aaptha Mithra' composed by Sri Kaviraj. Also both bands performed fusion music 'Notu swara' composed by Muththaiah Bhagavathar.