Vizag Features

June 2007
18th June, 2007
 

Remembering the Violin Wizard - Dr. Dwaram Venkata Swamy Naidu :
 
Padma Shree Dwaram Venkata Swamy Naidu

Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu (8 November 1893 to d. 25 November 1964) was the most important Carnatic Violinist of the 20th century. He was born in November (Deepavali day), in Bangalore, India and was raised in Vishakapatnam. He was appointed Professor of violin in the Maharaja's Music College in Vijayanagaram, at the young age of 26, and became its principal in 1936. He was the first one to start the violin solo concerts. His first solo concert was given in Vellore in 1938. He played at the National Physical Laboratory auditorium, New Delhi in 1952, to raise funds for the Blind Relief Association. Yehudi Menuhin, a world renowned violinist, was greatly impressed when he heard Dwaram play at Justice P.V. Rajamannar's house. Dr.Dwaram was for his extremely well developed soft bowing technique combined with a firm fingering technique. 

He was probably the first to show that violin can be used to play Carnatic music. He cautioned his disciples against missing practice even for a day. "If you don't practice for one day, you will notice your mistakes, if you don't practice for two days the audience would notice your mistakes!!". He often used to say, "Music is an audible tapas." Sri Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu Memorial Trust was established in Chennai. Statues of this great musician have been erected in Visakhapatnam and Chennai.

Awards (To name a very few out of the several Prestigious awards presented to Dr. Dwaram Venkata Swamy Naidu garu) :

  • Madras Music Academy presented him with Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1941
  • He received Sangeet Natak Academi Award in Fine Arts in 1953
  • Padma Shree Award was conferred on him in 1957
  • Indian Postal Department has released a commemorative stamp on his birth centenary in 1993
  • Raja-Lakshmi Award for the year 1992 by Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation, Chennai was awarded to Dwaram Venkata Swamy Naidu Memorial Trust.
 

7th June, 2007
Praja Spandana on old central jail issue
by C.S.Rao, President, Praja Spandana

C.S.Rao, President - Praja Spandana The A.P. Government's move to convert the old central jail site of about 30 acres into commercial complex and a concrete jungle to detriment of people's health and welfare was opposed tooth and nail as far back as October 2003. The subsequent elections both A.P State Assembly LS and promises rained by the contesting candidates and after the elections the role of the MLA Late. Dronamraju Satyanaraya, Sri. Konatala Ramakrishna, now commercial Tax Minister, Sri. P.S.N Raju, Chairman, VUDA was very positive and encouraging till Jan 2005.

The present government also took a u-turn and went back on their promises to the innocent and gullible voters of Visakhapatnam and started toeing the same line of their preceding Telugu Desam Government and announced their plan of commercialisation.

Having no other option, Praja Spandana approached the A.P. State High Court in Jan 2005. After hearing our plea to develop the jail site into a world-class park to combat growing of air pollution and its impact on the public health, the High Court passed a "Status Quo" order as on 24.02.2005. Subsequently the High Court heard both sides and completed its part hearing it to the A.P. Government to pass an order incorporating the demand for a park as agreed by the A.P Govt. in its affidavit. Since then the matter has been kept pending with the A.P Govt. In the mean while the former commissioner, VMC, without regard to the Status Quo order of High Court took road-widening works around the central jail on some pretext. Praja spandana oppose such violation of court order and contempt proceedings. We do not know how in these circumstances, the VMC completed its road widening and blacktopping work around the jail site opening it to all sorts of bad elements to fell old valuable they worth a few crores of rupees and steel them in the broad day light without the fear of anybody / police/ VMC. Too many of our complaints and appeals to the court, MLA's/ MP's / Principal Secretary High Court etc., there was studied silence.

In the mean while, the A.P Govt., hastened to settle and compensation issue raised by the Simhachalam Devesthanam Trust Board member a year ago. A.P. Govt., acquired 100 acres of land in Adivivaram from Simhachalam Devasthanam to shift the old central prison next to the RTC Complex to decongest the area and to construct a modern prison as if god cannot wait, the A.P. Govt., issued a G.O. about a year ago allotting land in Madhurawada, in lieu of the land acquired to the Simhachalam Devasthanam. This inordinate delay in cleaning the very first PIZ (WP 3032 of 2005) of the Praja Spandana even after 3 years and the Government's haste in compensation of land to the temple raised serious doubts in the public mind.

Therefore taking note of this World Environment Day, we the people of Visakhapatnam appeal to the A.P. Court to issue the G.O. to the satisfaction of the petitioner and the public immediately. It may be remembered that A.P. Govt., committed to develop a park in 20 acres of land in the old central jail.
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