HYDERABAD : It was an interesting and unusual programme that we saw at the recent programme on vaggeyakara Annamacharya and his range of musical creations. The event dedicated to the saint-composer was titled Annamayya Keerthanalalo Chathushashti Kalavaibhavam.
If you are wondering why this is unusual considering that Annamacharya compositions are rendered regularly both as stand-alone events as well as part of concert repertoires, here are the reasons why. Firstly, it featured 108 compositions or keerthanas with 108 vocalists rendering the same. Hence, it was held as a daylong event with continuous singing from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Of course, it was not as if each musician sang one lyric. Rather, they were divided into groups of five or six singers each and every group was assigned five to six compositions.
Secondly, it had a very wide range of performers – from young, talented students to seasoned performers and top-grade artistes. Thirdly, the theme was unusual---it focused on the compositions which showcased the chathushashti kalalu or 64 arts that are mentioned in ancient Indian literature as the comprehensive list of arts a person can pursue and master.
This was the criterion for the choice of the 108 songs from among the approximately 32,000 compositions in Telugu and Sanskrit that Annamcharya is credited with creating.
A fine commentary on the connection between a particular art (like Kummari Kala, Parakaya Pravesham, etc.) and the lyric rendered was given by Vishnubhatla Ramakrishna before the commencement of the respective song.
Finally, it was unusual because we even saw sabha heads and music-event organisers take to the stage to perform. It was refreshing to see these people who are normally backstage or content to invite musicians to perform in events which they conduct come out and ascend the stage.
Among the participants in this fascinating programme were classical musicians Vedavati Prabhaka Rao, Seshulatha Vishwanath (who also rendered the mangalam or concluding piece), Suri Venkateswarulu, N. Krishnamohan, Tejaswini, Ramyasri, Kota Sivakumar, Devulapalli Sirisha, NC Sridevi, Kuppa Sarada and others. Accompanying the above vocalists were well-known violinists Vishnubhatala Sivani, Siva Krishna Swaroop, Dharmala Sailaja, Saibhargava, Muralidhar. The percussion support was given by popular mridangam artists like P. Jayabhakar, R. Srikanth and others.
The event was organised jointly by well-known music-sabhas like Vignana Samithi, Alivelumanga Sarvayya Charitable Trust and Sri Naadalaya. It was graced by respected musicians and patrons of the city like the Hyderabad Brothers Raghavachary, N. Krishnamohan. As Suri Venkateswarulu, President, Vignana Samithi puts it aptly: “We wanted to give a platform to as many musicians as possible just as we wanted to explore Annamacharya compositions thematically.”
