<p>Tucked away on Mallikarjuna Temple Road in Basavanagudi, Veena Works has been selling and repairing string instruments for more than 70 years.</p>.<p>Owner V Raju says business is steady, despite the advent of newer instruments. He gets orders from many parts of Bengaluru, and even from the US and UK.</p>.<p>A modest store manned by three people, it was started by V Ramamurthy in July 1951 as a harmonium repair store.</p>.<p>Later, his son V Krishnan started making veenas, and that became the shop’s USP. Krishnan mainly used rosewood and jackfruit tree wood.<br />Veena maestro Mysore V Doreswamy Iyengar bought veenas and got them serviced here.</p>.<p>Musicians such as Jayanthi Kumaresh, Prashanth Iyengar and Geetha Ramananda are among his famous clients.<br />“Thanks to Indian artistes performing abroad, we get orders from the Indian diaspora... In my father’s time, he would sell five-six veenas a month. I sell 15-20,” says Raju.<br />Raju had completed Class 10 when he started helping his father Krishnan.</p>.<p>He joined the store full-time after completing a diploma in mechanical engineering. He is now 51.<br />Raju is an expert at repairing the fretboard, which calls for an expert ear. Besides the normal veenas, he also makes the Tanjore veena and the detachable veena.</p>.<p>He plays the instrument too, having learned it formally for four years.<br />Raju has won two awards for his contribution to music. The business saw a slowdown during the pandemic, but has recovered now.</p>.<p>Ranganna, an old-time customer, endorses Raju’s work. “He repaired my one-piece akhanda veena to how it was 10 years ago,” he says.</p>.<p><em>Veena Works, No 32, Mallikarjuna Temple St, NR Colony, Basavanagudi. Contact: 98457 44693</em></p>
<p>Tucked away on Mallikarjuna Temple Road in Basavanagudi, Veena Works has been selling and repairing string instruments for more than 70 years.</p>.<p>Owner V Raju says business is steady, despite the advent of newer instruments. He gets orders from many parts of Bengaluru, and even from the US and UK.</p>.<p>A modest store manned by three people, it was started by V Ramamurthy in July 1951 as a harmonium repair store.</p>.<p>Later, his son V Krishnan started making veenas, and that became the shop’s USP. Krishnan mainly used rosewood and jackfruit tree wood.<br />Veena maestro Mysore V Doreswamy Iyengar bought veenas and got them serviced here.</p>.<p>Musicians such as Jayanthi Kumaresh, Prashanth Iyengar and Geetha Ramananda are among his famous clients.<br />“Thanks to Indian artistes performing abroad, we get orders from the Indian diaspora... In my father’s time, he would sell five-six veenas a month. I sell 15-20,” says Raju.<br />Raju had completed Class 10 when he started helping his father Krishnan.</p>.<p>He joined the store full-time after completing a diploma in mechanical engineering. He is now 51.<br />Raju is an expert at repairing the fretboard, which calls for an expert ear. Besides the normal veenas, he also makes the Tanjore veena and the detachable veena.</p>.<p>He plays the instrument too, having learned it formally for four years.<br />Raju has won two awards for his contribution to music. The business saw a slowdown during the pandemic, but has recovered now.</p>.<p>Ranganna, an old-time customer, endorses Raju’s work. “He repaired my one-piece akhanda veena to how it was 10 years ago,” he says.</p>.<p><em>Veena Works, No 32, Mallikarjuna Temple St, NR Colony, Basavanagudi. Contact: 98457 44693</em></p>