After a considerable gap of nearly two months due to the scorching summer heat, the Swarajhari Sabha of Vijayawada resumed its activity in full swing by arranging a devotional music concert at Sri Sivaramakrishna Kshetram. The impressive devotional music concert, aptly titled `Bhakthi Sankirtana Gana Ravali’, was rendered by vidwan Pappu Sadasiva Sastri, aided by his daughter Kuchibhotla Aparna.
Sadasiva Sastri has specialized in composing and singing a large number of devotional songs of various vaggeyakaras. The concert also included regular kirtanas of the musical trinity Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri and also those of Ramadas, Narayana Teerdha and Muthaiah Bhagavatar. Sastri, born in a musical family, took his diploma in vocal music and has since; got interested in Annamacharya kirtanas and other devotional songs. He went on to establish a bhajana brindam called Sri Annamacharya Sankirtana Prachara Bhaktha Brindam which trains students in Bhakthi Sankirtanas. Sadasiva Sastri’s concert began with two poems rendered in Kalyani and Bowli. They were followed by kirtanas (rendered without manodharmam) of several vaggeyakaras with devotional fervour. Some of the most impressive items in the program were, ` Manasa Etulortune ’ (Malayamarutam), ` Jaya Jaya Nrisimha ’ (Sriranjani), ` Sakala Sandehiyai ’ (Bilahari), ` Himagiri Tanaye ’ (Suddha Dhanyasi), `Ihapara Sadhana’(Dharmavathi), `Itade Parabramhamu’ (Bhageswari), ` Jaya Jaya Vaishnavi Durge ’ (Narayana Teerdha tarangam in Arabhi) and ‘ Nagumomu galavani ’ (Madhyamavathi). Sastri received fine support by Kuchibhotla Murali Mohan and Chavali Srinivas (violins), Chavali Krishna Mohan (mridangam) and Meher Durga Srinivasa Rao (Ghatam).
