John B. Higgins (also titled Higgins Bhagavathar to recognise his proficiency in classical Carnatic music) was an American who created Carnatic music history in India. Who or what attracted him to the field, was it a visit to a temple, or another American, or an Indian historian?

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this page talks around the attraction, without giving a precise answer to your questions: Jon Higgins was perhaps the best-known American performer of Indian classical music. His interest in South Indian music began when he first saw Balasaraswati and found himself entranced by the musical accompaniment as well as the dance. Higgins was a versatile musician who had studied under John Cage, performed in a chamber music group, formed his own vocal jazz ensemble and starred in an opera. 'I felt myself torn between the traditional Western music and the avant-garde,' he explained. 'When I was introduced to Indian music, I fell into it like a duck into a pond.' His university, Wesleyan, was already a center for the study of Indian music, and Higgins was able to study Carnatic music under Balasaraswati's brother, T. Ranganathan, before writing his master's thesis on South Indian drumming. Seeking the source of this music, Higgins came to Madras on a Fulbright grant in 1964, where he learned Carnatic music from Bala's brothers and other musicians close to the family. His Indian audience gave him the ultimate accolade when they accorded him the same honorific they give to their best musicians - Bhagavatar. Higgins' splendid voice was silenced by a fatal auto accident in 1985, when he was only 45 years old, but he inspired a generation of Americans, many of whom continue his work. www.indiangyan.com/clinton/arts_festivals.htm Jan 20 03, 8:16 AM