Vijayawada: 'Swarajhuri' annual celebrations conclude

Vijayawada (NTR district): The three-day 35th annual celebrations of 'Swarajhuri' concluded at Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham (Ramakoti) here on Sunday.

The organisers presented Chintalapati Rajyalakshmi Award to Dwaram Durga Prasada Rao, noted violin player and also the recipient of Central Sangeet Nataka Academy award. Durga Prasad is a resident of Vizianagaram. Normally the violin will have four strings but the speciality of Durga Prasad is that he plays on seven strings.

'Padmasree' Dandamudi Sumati Rammohan Rao presided over the award function and Chintalapati Lakshmi Narayana was the chief guest. After the award function, Dwaram Durga Prasad presented a violin concert on his 'Sapta Tantri violin'. This concert was supported by BVS Prasad on Mridangam and S Hanumantha Rao on Ghatam.

On the second day, Kommajyosula Alekha impressed with her fine vocal concert. Alekha was supported with veena by her grandmother K Udaya Lakshmi and mridangam by her father K Sadguru Charan.

Alekha commenced the vocal concert with Varnam in Shanmukhapriya ragam and continued the concert with the compositions of Balamurali's 'Swaminatha' in nata raga, Deekahitar kriti 'Vinanaasa' in varali ragam, Thygarajaswamy keerthana 'Rangapura vihara' in Brindavana saranga ragam. She concluded the concert with Swathitirunal 'Thillana' in Dhanyasi raga. Alekha spread the musical flavour to the entire auditorium for about two-and-a-half hours and captured the audience.

The three days annual celebrations were efficiently organised by Modumudi Sudhakar, the secretary of Swarajhuri.