The 'lead* article in this Summer Bumper is the report on a seminar on the problems of mutual appreciation in regard to the Hindustani and Camatic systems of music (7-11). The seminar was held as part of the celebration of the birth anniversary of Panchakshari Gawai.

The News & Notes section also contains reports of significance on additional events which took place in India and abroad. It includes as well comments on five-star and people's festivals and the relevance, or rather the irrelevance, of the personal attributes of artists in the public perception of their standing as composers, musicians or whatever.

The central feature (29-39) this time is devoted to a report on expressions of concern about the State and Fate of the Kerala Kalamandalam and a profile of and interview with Kalamandalam Gopi, the well-known Kathakali artist who retired as Principal of Kalamandalam at the end of May. The constructive probe undertaken by Sruai into the achievements and the problematic future of Kalamandalam has reportedly been welcomed by supporters and well-wishers of the institution.

Besides these, there are articles on Arun Khopkar and his Bharatanatyam-founded film Sanchari (41-42); fine arts and foreign students (43-44); and ancient musical instruments of China (45-46). A chart on the raga-s of Mela-s 25 to 28 is the special offering of S. Rajam & his associates this time. This is one in a series which will eventually cover all the 72 mela raga-s and their equivalents in the asampoorna paddhati of Dikshitar.

The cover photo shows a pacha with muti. Reproduced from A Guide To Kathakali by David Bolland.