13 October 2011

Walajpet Venkataramana Bhagavatar


Sri Venkataramana Bhagavathar was the devoted chief disciple of Sadguru Sri Tyagaraja. He was instrumental in recording the numerous compositions of Tyagaraja in palm leaves for posterity. He served his Guru for  26 years and earned his appreciation and blessings which is evidenced by the kritis of Tyagaraja. One such kriti is 'Nannu palimpa' in Mohana raga which was sung in ecstasy at the time when Venkataramana Bhagavathar presented the portrait of Sri Kodanda Rama on the eve of the marriage of the daughter of Tyagaraja.

This Boswell of Tyagaraja was born on 18.2.1781 to Nannusamy of Ayyampettai of Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. He was a child born as the Grandson of Kuppaiyer who was father of Nannusamy in answer to his prayer to have a son of great music knowledge. Besides Sourashtram, his mother tongue, he learnt Sanskrit and Telugu and became a scholar. His longing for music drove him to the house of Tyagaraja in Thiruvayyaru. Initially he used to listen the music standing outside the house of Tyagaraja. Later this was noticed by Tyagaraja at the instance of his wife and asked Venkataramana whether he would like to learn the music from him. Venkataramana was very happy to join the band of Tyagaraja's disciples and started taking keen care of his Guru by rendering all the services needed for day to day life for a number of years until he settled in Walajapet for his livelihood.

Initially Venkataramana was a bit slow in grasping the lessons taught by his Guru. Noticing this Tyagaraja prayed Sri Rama and composed "Gnanamosagaradha" in Shadvidhamargini raga to bestow the knowledge of music to Venkataramana. From next day onwards Venkataramana became an expert in music and was able to record all kritis in palm leaves. He also recorded the brief biography of Tyagaraja. In later years he also composed songs in Telugu emulating his guru with his own mudra 'Ramachandrapura vara Venkataramana'. His handwriting was very beautiful like printing which is evidenced by the bound paper volume Pothana Telugu Bhagavatham which is still preserved by Madurai Sourashtra Sabha along with all the palm leaves and paper manuscripts written by Venkataramana and his son Krishnasamy Bhagavathar. Venkatarama's devotion to Tyagaraja continued even after his settlement at Walajapet. When Tyagaraja visited Walajapet, Venkataramana requested his Guru to stay with him for 12 days doing Bhajans. When he was taken through the procession on the last day, Venkataramana's disciple Mysore Sadasiva Rao composed the song ''Tyagarajaswami vedalina'' in todi raga and recorded this event.

Venkataramana attained mukthi on 15-12-1874. His descendants handed over the relics of Tyagaraja like Paduka, Tambura, etc. to Madurai Sourashtra Sabha where they are preserved. His Jayanti day celebrations are held at Ayyampettai every year where a number of his disciples and carnatic music lovers pay their homage.
Source :  website dedicated to Walajpet Venkataramana Bhagavatar

Lyrics and Audio of Sri Walajpet Venkataramana Bhagavatar :




11 October 2011

Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma


Sangita Kalanidhi Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma (Telugu: రాళ్ళపల్లి అనంతకృష్ణశర్మ) (23 January 1893 - 11 March 1979) was a noted composer of Carnatic music , vocalist and  writer.

Life

Born on 23 January 1893 at Rallapalli village in Kambadur mandal of Anantapur district, Ananta Krishna Sharma was educated in Sanskrit, Telugu and Music by his parents, Karnamadakala Krishnamacharyulu and Alamelu Mangamma.

After moving to Mysore, he sought instruction from the chief pontiff of the famous Parakala Mutt. Sharma studied Sanskrit and Prakrit languages at the Chamaraja Pathasala; and music with Chikka Rama Rao, Bidaram Krishnappa and Karigiri Rao. Later, in 1911, he married Rukminamma.
Sharma was appointed a Telugu Pundit (a scholar) by Sir Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy, Principal of the Maharaja College of Mysore in 1912 and worked until 1949. After which he joined the Sri Venkateshwara Oriental Research Centre, Tirupathi. The then executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Chelikani Anna Rao entrusted Sharma with elucidating the compositions of the great songwriter-singer-saint Tallapaka Annamacharya. These compositions (or kritis) were stored for centuries in the Tirumala temple Bhandagaram (storehouse) on copper plates. Sharma received the project after the death of  his predecessor, Veturi Prabhakara Sastry . He singularly worked on tuning the songs and helped publish seventh and eighth volumes of Annamacharya’s compositions. Sharma went on to edit nearly 300 compositions and brought out five more volumes of compositions between 1951 and 1956. He also wrote the notation for 108 compositions and 87 of them were published in the Andhra Patrika.

Sharma died on 11 March 1979 in Bangalore and was survived by three daughters and two sons. On 23 August 2008, his life-size bronze statue was installed in Tirupathi.

Major works

  • Anantha Bharathi (collection of Sanskrit works)
  • Meerabai (1913) (Telugu Khanda Kavya)
  • Taradevi (1911) (Telugu Khanda Kavya)
  • Vemana Natakopanyasamulu (1928–29)
  • Shalivahana Gathasaptashathi Saramu (1932) (translation work from the Prakrit into Telugu)
  • Saraswatalokamu (1954)
  • Chayapa Senaniya, Nrita Ratnavali (1969) (Translation into Telugu)
  • Arya (1970) (Translation of Sanskrit work of Sundara Pandya into Telugu)
Compositions and Audio: 

The official site of Sri Rallapalli Anantakrishna Sharma



 

Tanpura and talometer Softwares

07 October 2011

Sri Dum Durge Shiva Samsarge


Click here to download ' Sri Ranjani alapana and Sri Dum Durge ' - Flute recital by Arun