Music is an immortal art. It works wonders in its practitioners; it has the power to heal injured minds and bring down frayed tempers; it knows no language: and it can usher in peace and communal harmony..

Thanjavur Thyagabrahma Sabha has touched 75. It is a cliché that Thanjavur was the seat of culture. Yes, indeed it was. And that precisely could be why a sabha arrived there much later than in other places. Tanjoreans could have their pick when it came to kutcheris. Temples in the area were performance spaces for all musicians. Entry was free. The ambience was wonderful. The concept of organising a concert formally, with tickets to be bought must certainly have seemed strange to the people of the area. But with the migration of artistes to Madras, the latter became the new hub of cultural activity.

Thanjavur could no longer take its culture for granted. If Tanjoreans wanted to listen to a kutcheri, they had to bring musicians over to Thanjavur, pay them, and meet the cost through the sale of tickets.