Lack of sight no hurdle to her vision

She may not have seen the colours that the world has to offer. But, 14-year-old Krutika Veeresh Janginmath has erudite knowledge of the flute that she can successfully take her listeners to a blissful world of colours. For Krutika, music is the light and colour of her life that she has never seen.

People with sight may lack vision, but Krutika Veeresh Janginmath (14) has proved that one can have vision even if they lack sight. Krutika has been visually challenged all her life, but music has always shown her light in darkness.

The teenager, who can mesmerise anyone with her flute can play almost 20 raagas. “I have learnt classical music since I was five and started playing the ‘Bansuri’ (flute) since the last three years,” says Krutika to Deccan Herald.

Krutika studies in eighth standard at V V Durbar High School in Bijapur and studies music at Panchashree Sangeet Pathshala.

“We had heard that people who are visually challenged love to hear music. Hence, we made Krutika listen to music from the time she was a baby. She used to respond well to music. Later, we enrolled her to a music school to learn classical singing,” says Krutika’s mother Padmavathi.

Speaking about her daughter’s love for flute, she said, “We had visited a funfair, and purchased a flute. Krutika used to play with it and she herself learnt to play few songs. We recognised her talent and thought that we could enroll her to ‘Bansuri classes’. She learns Bansuri from Babuji Naikakodi from Bijapur”.

“No one in our family has a classical music background. Hence, we are not able to help Krutika in her music but we give her the maximum support. She receives Rs 1,000 a month as scholarship from the Central Government. We plan to teach her music as long as she wants to learn,” says Padmavathi who proudly exclaims that her daughter has passed the Senior and Junior exam in flute by the state government in distinction.Krutika has also passed the exam conducted by the Central Government in Gandhavara Maha Vidhyalaya in Mumbai. She has got ‘Vishesh Yogyathe’ in this exam. “Krutika with her fllute accompanies her older brother Karthik who is a Tabla player in various performaces,” she adds.

Krutika who aims to be a classical singer and a flute artiste in future is a huge fan of flute artistes Hariprasad Chaurasia and Praveen Godkhindi. “I was felicitated by Godkhindi at the Navraspur Utsav held in Bijapur in March 2010. He told me that I play flute well and I should continue. Being felicitated by him was a dream come true for me,” says Krutika.

Krutika is also the recipient of ‘Pratibha Puraskar’ given by the Bijapur District Women and Child Welfare Department, ‘Kalashree’ award given by Bal Bhavan, Bijapur and Allama Prabhu Sadhbhavana Prashasthi.

Shivram Karanth Stage in Pilikula echoed with the melodious Nada Geethe recited by Krutika with her flute. Her performance at Bal Bharath Surjanotsava held in Mangalore enthralled the audience.