Tallapaka Annamacharya’s 514th vardhanti was celebrated with great devotional fervour by Vijayawada Cultural Centre in association with Viswasri Creations. Vijayawada Cultural Centre is a newly formed organisation in Mughalrajapuram area, Vijayawada (east).
The programme presented an interesting lecture demonstration by Venkat Garikapati, an erudite scholar in spiritual and musical richness found in Annamacharya kirtanas. Following the meeting Venkat Garikapati who has already published four volumes of Annamayya Sankirtanas declared that he would be bringing out a fifth volume of the kirtanas soon. He also presented a treat of nine specially selected Annamayya kirtanas set in eight ragas.
The programme was titled ‘Annamayya Navaraga Nandanam’ melodiously tuned and directed by J.Rajasekhara Sarma, who rendered the kirtanas along with Sameera Bharadwaj and M M M Praveen Kumar.
Venkat delivered a enlightening commentary for the kirtanas he selected such as Cheliya amanunuki (Savitri ragam), Etlu Manninchevo (Keeravani), Atadeerugunu (Mayamalava gowla), Neekeseravani (Misra Jog), Annita doravaipe (Kafi), Ramani nerpu (Hindola), Veedhula nella (Chakravakam) and Jiguruvanti vadu (Abheli).
Earlier, in a meeting preceding Venkat’s demonstration, L V Subramanyam, IAS, special chief secretary AP Government and chief guest of the evening, veteran journalist and Padmashri awardee Turlapati Kutumbarao, patron of Arts Golla Narayana Rao and Venkatarami Reddy, inspecter general of Stamps and Registration spoke on Annamaya’s great contribution to Telugu language and his propagation of Bhakthi, Gnana and Vairagya through his immortal compositions.
