Chennai’s Kalakshetra Withdraws Permission for TM Krishna's Book Launch, Says May Fan Social Discord

Chennai: The Kalakshetra Foundation has withdrawn permission for the launch musician TM Krishna’s latest book, ‘Sebastian and Sons’, scheduled for February 2. The arts and cultural academy has sent a letter to the publishing house revoking its permission for the use of the venue.

Kalakshetra in the letter said the main reason behind its decision was based on the grounds that the content of Krishna’s book could create a controversy.

“Kalakshetra Foundation is an automonous body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Being a government organisation, it cannot allow any programme that may instigate political, cultural and social disharmony,” said the letter.

Krishna’s book highlights the making of the mridangam, which is a percussion instrument from Tamil Nadu, using cow skin.

The move comes after an article on Krishna’s book was published in ‘The Hindu’ newspaper on Thursday.

“The book review, which has appeared today in the newspaper, contains certain statements relating to the book which touch controversial issues and certainly have a lot of political overtones,” said the letter.

Kalakshetra official said they were “unaware of the controversies surrounding the subject matter of the book at the time of renting their auditorium for the book release”.

Expressing disappointment over the development, Krishna said, “It is necessary to write about the makers of the mridangam and the process that has spanned many generations. While information regarding this in the book might not be liked by a few, it is the truth and no one can deny it. A society cannot exist without understanding the truth behind anything.”

Following this, the moderator of the now-cancelled event, senior journalist Kavitha Muralidharan, said in a tweet: “So Kalakshetra foundation withdraws permission to hold the release of TM Krishna’s brilliant Sebastian And Sons because it speaks about cow skin in making of mridangams? Allowing caste hegemony to perpetuate is not disharmonious but discussing it apparently is.”

The book launch has now been moved to the Asian College of Journalism.

(With inputs from Varsha H)