A three-day Ghantasala Sangeeta Mahotsavam marking his 38th death anniversary was a big draw at Gurajada Kalakshetram in Visakhapatnam.
Listening to golden oldies is an emotional it opens the doorway to another time. Packed with haunting tunes that acquired a touch of immortality rendered in the golden voice of the legendary Ghantasala, it made the audience nostalgic.
That even four decades after his demise, Ghantasala continues to be a household name for cine music buffs speaks volumes for the niche he carved out for himself in the hearts of Telugu people. As the haunting tunes composed by him, along with other greats like Saluri Rajeswara Rao, Pendyala Nageswara Rao, Master Venu, Susarla Dakshina Murthy, T.V. Raju, Kodandapani, Viswanadham Rammurthy, K.V. Mahadevan and Adinarayana Rao came alive, they took the audience on a journey down memory lane.
The programme commenced on a devotional note with the invocatory Vatapi Ganapatim from the film Vinayakachaviti and the rest was truly a feast of golden oldies in its varied charms. Noted exponent of Ghantasala songs T. Saratchandra and his team belted out more than a hundred numbers with panache.
Saratchandra also conducted a workshop on the light music of Ghantasala at VUDA Children Theatre, where, he along with V. Ramadevi and E. Rammohan explained the musical nuances, techniques and intricacies of light music. He took up a couple of Ghantasala's private songs Bahudoorapu Baata Saari and Vedamla Godavari Pravahistondi for instruction. About 40 enthusiasts who participated in the workshop, presented it on the stage and won wide acclaim. Singers Revathi, Manaswini, Ramani, Ramadevi, Ch Anirudh, Lakshman Rao, Ramkumar, Naveen Kumar and T Govinda Rao sang different numbers. With Saratchandra on keyboard, T. Raja on tabla, M. Prasadara on flute, K. Shanmukha Rao on guitar and E Rammohana Rao on pads lent good orchestral support.
On this occasion film producer D. Ramanaidu was honoured with Ghantasala Smaraka Puraskaram. Ghantasala Smaraka Peetham in association with Subha Griha Projects organised the event.
