The 150th death anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar falls this year. To mark the occasion, we offer in this issue two articles in tandem which assay Dikshitar Contribution to Carnatic music (33-35) and an illustrated companion piece captioned On A Pilgrim's Tour With Dikshitar (36-39). Complementary to these is guest writer P.K. Doraiswamy's Opinion Column, The Imaging Of A Raga (41-42). This issue has several other highlights: A provocative editorial on Carnatic music's future (23). An essay.on what a music academy should be doing (20).

An assessment of the techniques of Carnatic violinists (57-59) and another instalment of Who Was Oho In Carnatic Violin (60). Thre e informative and interesting pieces on dance: an interview with Sucheta Chapekar focussing on her experiment in presenting Bharatanatyam to Hindustani music (43-46); a report on Chandralekha's Angika (51-54); and an article on Professor V. Subramaniam of Canada who composes dance-dramas with Buddhist themes (47-49).

Because this issue appears during the music and dance season in Madras, we have included brief articles on the artistes who will preside over the conferences of the Music Academy, the TamilTsai Sangam and the Indian Fine Arts Society respectively. And then, of course, there is the News &: Notes section, bulging this time with a number of informative and insightful reports on: the importance of the earnest efforts of Spic-Macay; the Bangalore Gayana Samaja's Conference; the Sharad Chandrika Festival; attacks on revered composers by Balachander and Subbudu; India Festivals in France and the USA; marathon music recitals; and more topics. SRUTI critiques in this issue focus on violinist M.S. Gopalakrishnan (71-72) and Bharatanatyam dancer Sucheta Chapekar (73). The usual features include Anami's column, Sruti Scholastics and Reviews. Also Vintage Tales making a reappearance after quite some months.

SRUTI's list of the top 22 Carnauc musicians of 1985 (18-19) is bound to arouse discussion. Don't miss it! Then Sarathy's Laffamalika (76-77) should make you roar with laughter. If it doesn't, have your doctor check your humours.