The Gayaka Sarvabhowma Sangeeta Parishat in Vijayawada conducts the birth anniversary celebrations of Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu, the legendary guru of Carnatic music, on a grand scale every year.
This year's celebrations held for five days at Gokaraju Laila Ganga Raju Kala Vedika on the premises of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Government College of Music and Dance turned out to be special because the late Ramakrishnayya Pantulu's prime disciple, Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna, was felicitated and he enthralled the music lovers with his concert for about an hour and a half.
He was given the title `Sangeeta Sarwagna' and awarded a purse in the presence of a large number of music lovers. The function was jointly sponsored by Laila Group, Agri Gold and MAA TV. The cash award and Sanmanapatram were presented to him by Laila group chairman Gokaraju Ganga Raju and Agri Gold chairman V.R. Rao Avvas.
Dr. Balamuralikrishna thanked the sponsors and the Gayaka Sarvabhowma Sangeeta Parishat and expressed his happiness about receiving the felicitation in Vijayawada, where he started his musical career as a school-going child. His speech was as sweet as his music which followed the function. The felicitation was anchored by noted film singer and TV anchor Suneeta.
Dr. Balamuralikrishna began his concert with a couple of his own compositions in praise of Lord Ganesha and Parupalli, his guru. The gurustuthi keertana Mahaneeya was in raga Mahathi, his creation with only four notes — Sa, Ga, Pa, Ni. The elaborately rendered items were Nagumomu in Abheri and Samajavara gamana in Hindola.
The audience was awestruck by the sheen, vibrancy, depth, range and spontaneity in the voice of the doyen who recently entered the octogenarian phase of life. His characteristic kalpana swaras were breathtakingly innovative.
Annavarapu Ramaswamy, a senior co-disciple of Balamuralikrishna, and his sishya P. Nandakumar accompanied Balamurali on violins, while M.L.N. Raju and M. Haribabu supported superbly on mridangam and ghatam, respectively. There was rousing tani by these two at the close of the Hindola keertana. Towards the close of the concert Balamuralikrishna sang another gurustuthi keertana Grahaveekshanamu kanna in Kedaram and his own thillana in Kadanakutuhalam.
