Chowdiah Memorial Hall is a cultural centre in Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 which provides a home for musical and theatrical performances as well as competitions. Located in Malleswaram

Malleswaram

Malleswara or Malleshwaram, located in the north-west of Bangalore, derives its name from the famous Kaadu Malleswara temple. Originally a village named Mallapura, Malleswaram was developed as a suburb during the great plague of 1898, which caused many people to move out from the city center...

, it was built as a tribute to Tirumakudalu Chowdiah

Tirumakudalu Chowdiah

Tirumakudalu Chowdiah was a violin maestro from India in the Carnatic classical tradition.-Early Years:Chowdiah, was born in Tirumakudalu village on the banks of the river Kaveri near Mysore....

. It is administered by Academy of Music, an independent registered body, founded in 1961.

History

K.K. Murthy, former chairman of the BDA, came up with the idea to construct a hall in memory of the voilin maestro Chowdaiah. He chose a low-lying area, Gayatri Park Extension, as the location so that entire hall would be visible from an elevated point. The city corporation leased the land to the Academy for a period of 99-years. Funds for the project were raised from State Government

Government of Karnataka

The Government of Karnataka is a democratically elected body with the Governor as the constitutional head. The Governor who is appointed for a period of five years appoints the Chief Minister and his council of ministers...

, banks like Syndicate Bank, and donations from public.
The building, designed by S.N. Murthy, was completed on 14 November 1980 after seven years in construction with a cost of .

Architecture

The auditorium is built in the shape of a gigantic seven stringed violin, complete with the strings, keys, the bridge and the bow. It has marble foyer lit with chandeliers. This is probably the only auditorium in the world that is dedicated to the memory of a musician and shaped like a violin.

Events

The auditorium hosts a wide range of events from Carnatic and Hindustani concerts, jazz, ballets, traditional and contemporary dance performances, fashion shows, plays, jugalbandis, ghazals, all night programmes for Shivaratri, international music festivals, graduation ceremonies, school day programmes, and wedding receptions.