NELLORE: Language knows no barriers when devotion becomes the driving force. M Lakshmaiah, an educationist and lawyer from Bengaluru, demonstrates this through his dedication to learning, singing and popularising the Telugu compositions of saint-poet Annamacharya.
His profession may be law and education, but his heart beats for Carnatic music. He admires the Telugu classical compositions of 16th-century saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya, written in praise of Lord Venkateswara.
Lakshmaiah, founder of Prerana International School, hails from Konadasapura in east Bengaluru and has long been an admirer of Annamacharya’s compositions, popularly known as Annamayya Sankeerthanalu.
Interestingly, Lakshmaiah studied in Kannada-medium schools and had never directly accessed Telugu literature. However, he took to the complex Telugu compositions with ease and has since become a classical singer, recording 55 compositions so far.
Lakshmaiah does not remember when or how his love for classical music began. His family had no musical background, as neither his father, Muniyappa, a farmer, nor his mother, Muniyamma, a homemaker, had any exposure to traditional arts. His grandfather, Annayappa, used to take him to Harikatha performances during temple fairs, while his uncle, a dramatist, gave him roles, such as Duryodhana and Karna, in village plays.
After feeling the ‘divine call’, Lakshmaiah approached late Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, former Asthana Sangeeta Vidwan (court musician for Lord Venkateswara) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), for guidance and training.
He learnt the nuances of classical music and has performed at several concerts in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the past 15 years. Lakshmaiah has recorded compositions such as ‘Podagantimayya’, ‘Deva Nee Maya’, ‘Nama Baduku’, ‘Vinaro Bhagyamu’, ‘Kanti Shukravaramu’, ‘Himagiri Tanaye’ and ‘Vachenu Alamelu Manga’ in studios and released them on YouTube. Apart from Annamacharya’s works, he has also recorded compositions by Purandaradasa and Kaiwara Amara Narayana.
Lakshmaiah aspires to spread the glory of Lord Venkateswara across the southern states through Annamacharya’s compositions. For him, music is more than an artistic pursuit; it is a means of devotion and cultural connection.
His ambition is to demonstrate that devotion can unite people even when they speak different languages.