Music from the heart
It is not widely used measure to use music as a tool in helping a sick person to recover from the ailments. But, the experience of Muthu chittanda, a blind flute artist, who plays flute along with his fellow blind friends in the Heart to Heart brand for a concert for the patients in Aster Medicity Hospital Ernakulum, confirms the fact that music can help relax and console the diseased and their kin even in the saddest situation.
Muthu chittanda started learning music at the age of five when he joined SLMD deaf and dump special school at Kunnamkulam. It was there that he met his first music teacher Sreedharan. Mr. Sreedharan was the first one to notice the talent in Muthu chittanda and his father also suggested the teacher that if he could encourage Muthu, it would indeed be a great blessing for him. Mr. Sreedharan fulfilled the wish of Muthu’s father and he taught Muthu the basics of music. Since then, Muthu found solace in music and he became confident about facing the world with his inability to see. Later, he joined the Chembai Memorial Government Music College Palakkad for his bachelors in Vocals and gradually specialized in flute as he was very fond of the instrument.
Now when he plays music along with his friends in a hospital like Aster Medicity, the band is able to provide solace for those who are critically ill and their family members who are stressed out.Most often he finds the patients and their kin weeping in their sad situation and he also finds that his music is often capable of putting a smile on the faces of these people. This, for him, is the greatest satisfaction and is the best thing that he has ever experienced in his life. Muthu chittanda now remembers his father with lot of love and gratitude for encouraging his talent and for supporting his teacher in helping muthu to pursue a career in music.
He also has a group of other blind men in his band, Mr. Benny in Guitar and Jaymon in Tabala. He also remembers the Aster medicity management who devised this musical event in the hospital for the patients.
