There can be no words to describe the enthralling performance of a great legend of our times….I have been watching him from the first Mile Sur Mera Thumara days in 80’s and watching him live is nothing but a great blessing.
A multifaceted personality, a gifted soul, a rendition that is equivalent to the supreme souls of Indian Classical Music and he joins the connoisseurs of Carnatic world including Annamaya, Thyagabhrama, and so many other legends. The simplicity of the man in his smile, the beautiful artistic interaction with his fans…and the competitions he brings in with his accompanists is a visual treat, a divine grace and above all a soul stirring dive into the music of Carnatic songs….the bhavas, the ragas and the samskruthi….. there can be no par!....I am so glad I was able to show this great legend to my child, a budding artist and she would realize what an opportunity it was to see him singing sitting in the first few rows… an awakening experience
His first opening song of ‘Endaro Mahanubhavulu….’ ,. I felt amongst all, he was the biggest Mahan!. ‘Samajavaragamana…’ made the crowd sway in an eternal ecstacy..and ‘Akilandeswari’ evoked goddess Durga just before the duga puja celebrations week to begin..and people were waiting for him to continue…when he smiled and said ‘over’….’Muruga…. ‘was an wonderful performance having B.U.Ganesh Prasad on Violin and Tanjavur K Murugaboopathy on Mridangam…what a great percussionists he had..young talents and wonderful. Saraswathi who gave the introduction of his songs and anecdotes was not only perfect…but very gifted. His song in Hindi calling Bala Gopala…was taking us all into the world of Bridhavanam…just can feel lord krishna dancing in the corners of the fully packed high school auditorium in Norwalk, Los Angeles, CA here in USA.
The one mystical minute was when he explained his love of travelling in train between ‘Bejawada’ to ‘Madras’ now called Vijayawada and Chennai…. And the way he recited all the stations in a musical way…as a child who took this route for several years, I could be nothing but overwhelmed..shouting my town, my city, my route,…my maestro! He ended the recitation like a child who finished his first poem recitation and smiled in fact giggled with blushes….it was such a treat to watch him like a little child feeling pride and happy after every song…such a humility and happiness in an artist of his caliber is a rare phenomenon. His ‘Tilana’ was the last song in the concert and it made us feel like wanting to dance…and I could see all people around tapping their feet in a happiness….the real happiness and success of an artist is when he can get his audience spell bound and rejoice in the presence forgetting everything else around and stay glued to the seat and eyes on him all the moments.
At the age of 81 his ardent dedication and physical strength, is only possible when the soul is truly submerged in the endeavor he is doing…and it is his inner enormous love for music that is giving him that ability to manage the pressure of concerts and sitting down for 3 hours continuously ….In all ways…for us who are blessed to be alive during his times, who are privileged to get to see him and enjoy his life….it gives a greater meaning of what we called is eternity of Indian Music….a lasting memory of happiness for rest of our lives. Long live Sir,…and hope you would bless many more children around you to see this mystical performances….To me, you are an eternal bliss
And for those who were were wondering, what are the stations he mentioned between Vijaywada and Chennai , here is the list:
Vijayawada Junction
Krishna Canal Junction
Kolanukonda
Peddavadiapudi
Chiluvur
Duggirala
Kolakalur
Tenali Junction
Tsunduru
Modukuru
Nidubrolu
Machavaram
Appikatla
Bapatla
Stuartpuram
Ipurupalem
Ipurupalem Halt
Chirala
Jandrapeta
Vetapalemu
Kotta Pandilla Palli
Kadavakuduru
Chinna Ganjam
Uppugunduru
Raparla Halt
Ammanabrolu
Karavadi
Ongole
Surareddipalem
Tanguturu
Singarayakonda
Ulavapadu
Tettu
Kavali
Sri Venkateswarpalem
Bitragunta
Alluru Road
Talamanchi
Kodavaluru
Padugupadu
Nellore
Nellore South
Vedayapalem
Venkatachalam
Manubolu
Gudur Junction
Odur
Pedapariya
Nayadupeta
Doravari Chatram
Polireddipalem
Sullurupeta
Akkampet
Tada
Arambakkam
Elavur
Gummidipundi
Kavaraippettai
Ponneri
Anuppambattu
Minjur
Nandiyampakkam
Attippattu
Ennore
Kathivakkam
Wimco Nagar
V.0.C. Nagar
Tondiarpettai
A multifaceted personality, a gifted soul, a rendition that is equivalent to the supreme souls of Indian Classical Music and he joins the connoisseurs of Carnatic world including Annamaya, Thyagabhrama, and so many other legends. The simplicity of the man in his smile, the beautiful artistic interaction with his fans…and the competitions he brings in with his accompanists is a visual treat, a divine grace and above all a soul stirring dive into the music of Carnatic songs….the bhavas, the ragas and the samskruthi….. there can be no par!....I am so glad I was able to show this great legend to my child, a budding artist and she would realize what an opportunity it was to see him singing sitting in the first few rows… an awakening experience
His first opening song of ‘Endaro Mahanubhavulu….’ ,. I felt amongst all, he was the biggest Mahan!. ‘Samajavaragamana…’ made the crowd sway in an eternal ecstacy..and ‘Akilandeswari’ evoked goddess Durga just before the duga puja celebrations week to begin..and people were waiting for him to continue…when he smiled and said ‘over’….’Muruga…. ‘was an wonderful performance having B.U.Ganesh Prasad on Violin and Tanjavur K Murugaboopathy on Mridangam…what a great percussionists he had..young talents and wonderful. Saraswathi who gave the introduction of his songs and anecdotes was not only perfect…but very gifted. His song in Hindi calling Bala Gopala…was taking us all into the world of Bridhavanam…just can feel lord krishna dancing in the corners of the fully packed high school auditorium in Norwalk, Los Angeles, CA here in USA.
The one mystical minute was when he explained his love of travelling in train between ‘Bejawada’ to ‘Madras’ now called Vijayawada and Chennai…. And the way he recited all the stations in a musical way…as a child who took this route for several years, I could be nothing but overwhelmed..shouting my town, my city, my route,…my maestro! He ended the recitation like a child who finished his first poem recitation and smiled in fact giggled with blushes….it was such a treat to watch him like a little child feeling pride and happy after every song…such a humility and happiness in an artist of his caliber is a rare phenomenon. His ‘Tilana’ was the last song in the concert and it made us feel like wanting to dance…and I could see all people around tapping their feet in a happiness….the real happiness and success of an artist is when he can get his audience spell bound and rejoice in the presence forgetting everything else around and stay glued to the seat and eyes on him all the moments.
At the age of 81 his ardent dedication and physical strength, is only possible when the soul is truly submerged in the endeavor he is doing…and it is his inner enormous love for music that is giving him that ability to manage the pressure of concerts and sitting down for 3 hours continuously ….In all ways…for us who are blessed to be alive during his times, who are privileged to get to see him and enjoy his life….it gives a greater meaning of what we called is eternity of Indian Music….a lasting memory of happiness for rest of our lives. Long live Sir,…and hope you would bless many more children around you to see this mystical performances….To me, you are an eternal bliss
And for those who were were wondering, what are the stations he mentioned between Vijaywada and Chennai , here is the list:
Vijayawada Junction
Krishna Canal Junction
Kolanukonda
Peddavadiapudi
Chiluvur
Duggirala
Kolakalur
Tenali Junction
Tsunduru
Modukuru
Nidubrolu
Machavaram
Appikatla
Bapatla
Stuartpuram
Ipurupalem
Ipurupalem Halt
Chirala
Jandrapeta
Vetapalemu
Kotta Pandilla Palli
Kadavakuduru
Chinna Ganjam
Uppugunduru
Raparla Halt
Ammanabrolu
Karavadi
Ongole
Surareddipalem
Tanguturu
Singarayakonda
Ulavapadu
Tettu
Kavali
Sri Venkateswarpalem
Bitragunta
Alluru Road
Talamanchi
Kodavaluru
Padugupadu
Nellore
Nellore South
Vedayapalem
Venkatachalam
Manubolu
Gudur Junction
Odur
Pedapariya
Nayadupeta
Doravari Chatram
Polireddipalem
Sullurupeta
Akkampet
Tada
Arambakkam
Elavur
Gummidipundi
Kavaraippettai
Ponneri
Anuppambattu
Minjur
Nandiyampakkam
Attippattu
Ennore
Kathivakkam
Wimco Nagar
Tiruvottiyur
Korukkupettai Junction
Basin Bridge Junction
Chennai Central•
It took me around 7 hours always to travel this distance but surely would take more than that to get these names byheart .....and doubt it if I can ever can :-)
