The 179th Aradhana of Vaggeyakara Tumu Lakshmi Narasimhadasu was celebrated at Thyagaraya Ganasabha’s mini theatre, last week by students and teachers of Andhra Mahila Sabha College of Fine Arts. This was co-sponsored by ‘Telugu Ratham’ a literary organisation and Thyagaraya Ganasabha. It featured rendition of some select compositions of the saint.
At one time Narasimhadasu’s many compositions used to be rendered in households regularly. Narasimhadasu was contemporary of Thygaraja and even said to have visited him during Thyagaraja’s final days. Narasimha Dasu originally belonged to Guntur and later went on pilgrimage to South and met Varada Ramadasu in Kanchi. With him he arrived at Bhadrachalam. He was scholar in Sanskrit and Telugu. He wrote a number of compositions on Srirama.
The content carries Vedantic philosophy and devotion to Srirama, presiding deity of Bhadrachalam, where he spent his life. In his tour of South he penned many more compositions on the presiding deities of different towns. He stayed at Veena Kuppaya’s house in Tiruvattiyur and met Thyagaraja. After listening to some of his compositions it was said he instantly wrote a number of verses in his praise. In Bhadrachalam, Narasimhadasu and Varadaramadasu were seen performing daily poojas to Srirama in the temple. Narasimhadasu weathered hardships of penury. It was said that he died by drowning in the nearby Godavari river carrying the body of his friend Varadaramadasu, who met with natural death. Selava Makika Selava Ramayya… he composed in Yadukulakambhoji was said to be his farewell song.
Now, recalling his contribution to Carnatic music, members of the music college of Andhra Mahila Sabha presented a number his songs, some in chorus, like Namosthute Raghunayaka in Naata, Narayana Srimannarayana in Yamunakalyani, Srirama Jayarama in ragamalika comprising of Varali, Abhogi, Kalyani and Sankarabharanam; Poojaluseya in Reetigowla, Aparadhinaparadhini in Mukhari and Selava Makika Selava in Yadukulakambhoji.
The lead artistes and gurus Y. Ramaprabha and Chandrabhanu rendered Srirama Jayarama and Aparadhinaparadhini ’as solo presentation. Ramaprabha presented in addition, a composition of Narasimhadasu set in choornika format. Y. Ramaprabha, principal of the music college narrated some of the events in Narasimhadasu’s life that prompted him to write relevant compositions. They rendered about a dozen compositions in all of this saint poet. It was a moving tribute to Narasimhadasu considered as true follower of Bhakta Ramadasu.
