A veritable Leviathan draped in a (mountain of human flesh, brocade and expensive jewellery raised her voice of righteous indignation and with courage of conviction spoke into the AIR microphone just prior to her concert at the Tyagaraja Aradhana Festival in 1941. "I am a Devar Adiyal", she said, a courtesan dedicated to the service of God, propitiating him with the upacharas of music and dance. Th e audience of 5000, far from resenting the seemingly unparliamentary • declaration of the septugenarian crusader, responded with a deafening applause of approbation T h e crusader was none other than Bangalore Nagaratnammal.