Visually impaired musicians hampered by lack of good instruments

MANGALURU: They are visually impaired, but united they enthrall audience with their music. Members of Sri Annapoorneshwari Andhara Geetha Gayana Sangha of Sirsi in Uttar Kannada district have already presented musical programme at more than 500 places. However, they still do not have a good keyboard, rhythm pad and above all, they lack of financial support.
A team of eight members of the Sangha were in Mangaluru to showcase their talent and thereby pool money to make their all band fully equipped. However, due to lack of proper publicity, the programme organized at the NGO Hall in the city witnessed the presence of only few.
Raghavendra M Naik, who is also a visually impaired, told TOI that the troupe that was started in May 2011 has performed at various places in Uttar Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Koppala and Bengaluru. “Our group has 17 members and we have a small keyboard, one tabla and two dolaks. Our only source of income is holding orchestra. The amount collected through programmes is shared among participating members. We are not able to present programmes before larger audience as we do not have modern musical instruments, especially better keyboard, rhythm pad and other equipment. We expect donors to sponsor or lend helping hand by offering money,” said Naik, who plays dolak and table for the troupe.
Members of troupe Ramkumar, Yasmin (singers), Musthafa (keyboard), Krishnaji (table), Devendra, (dolak), John Fernandes (rhythm) hail from different parts of the state. They unite when they get a programme, he said.
“We have been honoured by several organisations. We presented over 100 programmes in Kundapur in Udupi district. We enthrall audience based on their taste, be it Hindustani, Carnatic, folk or semi classical,” Naik said.
The troupe has a bank account at the Sirsi branch of Syndicate Bank. The account number is 03032200201934 and IFSC Code is SYNB 0000303. Contact: 9449060428.