HYDERABAD: Noted Vedic scholar and doyen of religious discourses, Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry passed away here on Friday evening. He was 96. He is survived by six sons and two daughters. He was born on August 22, 1925, to Dakshinamurthy and Adilakshmamma at Hassanabada village in Krosuru mandal in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Sastry was like a guide for many modern-day religious preachers. He was known as ‘Pouranika Sarvabhouma and Abhinava Vyasa’. He conducted discourses continuously for two years on Bharatam in Guntur. The ground where he conducted discourses became popular as Bharatam Grounds, recalled his disciple and religious preacher, Bachampalli Santosh Kumar Sastry. Sastry used to enthrall the audience with his oratory skills as well as subject knowledge.
Popular in Telugu states
Chandrasekhara Sastry migrated from Guntur to Hyderabad several decades ago and conducted religious discourses on Bharatam, Bhagavatham and Ramayanam in almost all the villages in two Telugu states.
Sastry was the first to start a programme ‘Dharma Sandehalu’ on DD Saptagiri channel, which later became a trendsetter for other vernacular channels, recalled former newsreader of Saptagiri channel, Shanti Swaroop.
Chandrasekhara Sastry’s commentaries on All India Radio during Bhadrachalam Sitarama Kalyanam, Tirumala Brahmostavams and Srisailam Mallikarjuna kalyanam were very popular. He specialised in vedas, puranas, tarka, meemamsa, vyakaranam and other scriptures. He read out the almanac (Panchanga Sravanam) for several years on Ugadi. He used to felicitate and encourage young people, who gave religious discourses. Sastry’s last rites will be conducted in the city on Saturday.