Celebrating 250 years of Saint Thyagarajaswamy

Department of Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh held a two-day festival to mark the 250th birthday of Saint Thyagarajaswamy on Thursday and Friday at Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Music and Dance College. The festival commenced with the “Pancharatna Keerthana ganam” by eminent musicians like Pemmaraju Surya Rao, Malladi Suribabu, CVP Sastry, Parupalli Subbaraya Phalgun, Sasidhar, NCh Bucheyacharyulu, Govindarajan, Popuri Gowrinath, Lakshmi Narasamma, Kalyani.

The gana started with the keerthana “Sri Ganapathini Sevimparade” in Sourastra ragam. Later the singers rendered the Pancharatna keerthanalu “Jagadanandakaraka” (Nata ragam), “Duduku gala” (Gowla ragam), “Sadhinchene Oo Manasa” (Arabhi ragam), “Kana kana ruchira” (Varali ragam) and “Endaro mahanubhavulu” (Sri ragam). The audience enjoyed the presentations of the eminent musicians on one stage.

The main part of the programme was the vocal concert of well known classical musician and famous playback singer Anuradha Sriram and Sriram Parasuram which commenced with the “Brochevarevarura” Keerthana in Sriranjani ragam. With melodious voice and expressional voice the singers captured the auditorium right from the start of the concert.

The concert continued with the keerthanas of Saint Thyagarajaswamy like Tera teeyaga rada in Goulipantu ragam, Yeti janmamidira in Varali ragam, Makelavicharam in Ravichandrika ragam, Samajavaragamana in Hindola ragam. The audience appreciated the alapana and swarakalpana of the singers.

In a brief meeting Dr Pappu Venugopala Rao spoke about the necessity to promote our classical music art forum. Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad said that the Andhra Pradesh government is giving importance to develop the Indian culture. Many programmes have already been organised during Krishna Pushkarams and Navaratri festival. Plans are under active consideration to promote all art forums. Director, cultural affairs Dr D Vijay Bhaskar and Malladi Suribabu ware also present in the meeting.