A meeting of the committee was called for on September 16 but it could not be held. T. T. Vasu who heads the Academy put out a notice saying it had to be postponed.

The reason given was that an observer from the local registrar's office, was not present. This is one of the conditions laid down by the court.

The registrar's office also claimed it had not received the court's order. But many people on the Academy's committee, who seem to be keen to chart out the season's programme, feel that the 'opposite' camp is putting up as many hurdles as it can.

And they also suspect that T. T. Vasu is now partnering 'Nalli' Kuppuswami Chetti. Chetti is a well known silks businessman in Chennai and also an arts promoter. He has also taken the Academy to court in one of the three legal cases that the Academy faces in its platinum jubilee year.

The wrangles are delaying the preparations for the festival at a time when many rasikas have begun to doubt if the festival will be held at the Academy this season. But a committee member who claims 17 members of the 22 are on one side while the Vasu-Chetti team seem to have a total of just five, says that another meeting will be called for next week, to chart out the festival schedule.

He said that the music competitions, the Spirit of Youth Festival, the academic conference, the endowments and the concerts will be held "at any cost" since the court expressly allowed for it.

But the Chetti group is said to claim that only the December festival can be held and that the other events cannot be decided by the committee.

All this indicates to the cheap politics that some members who manage the Academy are playing just now. Dirty linen is being washed in public.

Even Vasu's close allies are shocked at his behaviour. They were the ones who supported him even at a time when his leadership was weak and his management was in tatters. All this led to a collapse of the administration of one of the country's well known arts institutions.

Prestige and tradition alone has kept the Academy alive these past years. Rasikas and its members have taken cursory interest its affairs and this has encouraged the committees to have a ball of their own.

But the meeting room clashes, the gossip and the intense media coverage has dragged the Academy into the mud.

Behind-the-scene moves continue, we are told. There was a move to get a Special Officer from the state appointed to run the affairs of the Academy, assisted by some members.

That would have brought in a bureaucratic style into the Academy and allowed a group to harden its grip on the Academy.

For now, that move seems to have fizzled out. Both sides are at war. The knives are not out yet. But the blood is boiling. The power game has not ended.

A few dedicated people though want to ensure one thing - that the December festival here will be held as it always has, this year too. Come what may.

If you have any comments to post, please do so. Mail us at editor@kutcheribuzz.com. However, since some issues are still before the court, it is sub judice to comment on those.

Also check out High Court allows Music Academy to hold December festival