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 Classical Dancers Pay Tribute to Dr Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna November 2016 A music legend and an immortal in his music, Dr Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna is an inspiration to the old and the young, to intellectuals and the common man. Classical dancers pay their respects to him and share their views and moments spent with him  Native name మంగళంపల్లి బాలమురళీకృష్ణ Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna Born 6 July 1930; Sankaraguptam, East Godavari District, Madras Presidency, British India (now part of Andhra Pradesh, India). Reached the Divine: 22 November 2016 (aged 86); Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India Balamurali Krishna was born in Sankaraguptam, East Godavari District, Madras Presidency (now a part of Andhra Pradesh state).[6] His father was a well known musician and his mother was a veena player. Balamuralikrishna's mother died when he was an infant and he was raised by his father. Observing his interest in music, his father put him under the tutelage of Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu, a direct descendant of the shishya parampara of Tyagaraja.[7] Under his guidance, the young Balamuralikrishna learned Carnatic music. At the age of eight, he gave his first full-fledged concert at a Thyagaraja Aradhana in Vijayawada. Musunuri Suryanarayana Murty Bhagavatar, a Harikatha performer, saw the musical talent in him and gave the prefix "Bala" (lit. child) to the young Balamuralikrishna.[8] Balamuralikrishna thus began his musical career at a very young age. By the age of fifteen he had mastered all the 72 melakartha ragas and had composed krithis in the same. The Janaka Raga Manjari was published in 1952 and recorded as Raagaanga Ravali in a nine-volume series by the Sangeeta Recording Company.[9] Not merely content with his fame as a Carnatic vocalist, very soon started playing the kanjira, mridangam, viola and violin. He also accompanied various musicians in violin and is also noted to give solo viola concerts. Balamuralikrishna has over 400 compositions to his credit and is one of the very few people to have composed in all the 72 Melakarta Ragas and has created several ragas, with 4 notes and 3 notes and also has invented a new Tala system. His compositions encompass every facet in Carnatic Music that includes Varnas, Krithis, Thillanas, Bhavageethas Source- wikipedia More Padma Bhushan Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam Kuchipudi Art Academy  On behalf of Kuchipudi Art Academy Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Kuchipudi, we pay our humble respect and homage to our beloved "Shri. M. Balamuralikrishna " garu who has reached the abode of GOD. Says Sri Venkat Vempati, son of Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam and Secretary of the Academy, " Vempati Lakshmi Kameswari Grand daughter of Padma Bhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam having her Aksharabhyasam along with her first dance lessons from her Grand father and Music started by Padma Vibhushan Dr. M.Balamuralikirshna garu on 17th Oct 2007 at the Academy premises. She was 2 years and 6 months then".  I am yet to come to terms with the tragic loss of the music legend, our very dear M. Balamuralikrishna garu. Words fail me to talk about this musical genius who always treated me with great love and affection. Perhaps it was because of the 80 years friendship that he shared with my mother Dr. Vinjamuri Anasuya Devi ( in the picture) and saw a bit of me in her. Apparently, when he was eight and she was a teenager, they used to perform at common venues and that forged a friendship for life. When she composed music for the Kannada film "Mahatma Kabir" in 1961, he willingly obliged by singing playback. When she recorded Folk songs of Andhra for HMV, he sang a folk duet with her. Such was his love for my mother and our family. I grew up listening to his music and as a dancer, thoroughly enjoyed dancing to his compositions along with my sister Rathna Papa. The most memorable personal experience etched in my mind forever is the Kuchipudi dance drama, Vipranarayana presented by Rathna papa and group at Ravindran Bharathi, Hyderabad in 1971 where the maestro sang on stage for the very first time for dance. What a great privilege it was to have him sing for my dance too. When I joined Doordarshan, I was asked to produce Tarangini, a Telugu magazine programme . I approached Balamurali garu to do my very first recording and Tarangini started with his lilting song " Oka Thummeda Madilo jhummandhi" . More than 34 years of our creative collaborative productions culminated in a grand finale, a Jugalbandhi of Dr. Balamurali Krishna and Pt Ajay Chakravorthy that I produced for the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Doordarshan, 2010. He mesmerised the audience at Narada Gana Sabha and Television viewers cross the Nation with a scintillating performance along with Panditji and I feel blessed that I could keep a record of this for posterity. On the 6th of August 2012, he honoured us by visiting my house to personally hand over the Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Samman to my mother Anasuya Devi. My sons and I were fortunate to receive his blessings for their Upanayanam and my 60th birthday. I can only thank God for giving me these memories to cherish and treasure. I still hadn't come to terms with the sudden passing away of my favorite Carnatic vocalist, Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, when news came in, early this morning, that Jayalalitha had lost her battle with her prolonged sickness. BMK was a very dear family friend and my visits to India always included visits to his house. One time, when I heard him sing "Nagumomu Kalavani" in Madhyamavathi, I fell in love with it and went to his house the next day to request him to sing it for me once so I could get the nuances correctly. I planned to choreograph it in the Kuchipudi style and wanted Kanakadurga to sing it exactly like him. He smiled, brought out a cassette, sang it for me and gave me the cassette. I couldn't believe his generosity. For his 60th birthday he asked me to perform some Thevarams he had tuned, as well as a couple of his compositions. He sang the songs on stage himself! It was an unforgettable experience. Even before this, back in 1969-70, Vinodini Sabha of Hyderabad had commissioned my mother to produce my great-uncle Devulapalli Krishna Sastry's Yakshagana style dance drama, "Vipranarayana". My guru, Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, was the choreographer, film hero Chandramohan (who had learnt some Kuchipudi under Master garu) was Vipranaraya, and I was Devadevi. And here was the icing on the cake - the great Balamuralikrishna himself sang for us live, on stage! It was thrilling and exciting, having the maestro effortlessly singing for dance, which is so different from a Kutcheri. He always liked to mention - "do you know I sang for dance for the first time, for this child", affectionately patting me on the head. How blessed I was, am, and will be, for this great honor he bestowed upon me! I still have a bad recording of that live show, but will treasure it to my dying day. "Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight And withered is Apollo's laurel bough". May your souls rest in peace, Balamuralikrishna garu You are bold non-conformist with the tremendous strength of your convictions, who never feared to speak your mind. You will be missed by millions that worshipped you. Purva Dhanashree  Amma, Kamalini Dutt, taught me Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna 's composition 'Omkarakarini' which I performed in 1991 in front him in Delhi.. When we entered Satyamurthy auditorium, he was taking a workshop. I knew that I was going to perform in front of the legend and every step I was taking towards him added to my nervousness. After the performance he did not say anything in words.. His moistened eyes and compassionate smile engulfed me with warmth and love which I will never forget. I humbly pray for his soul. Wherever he is, in whichever form his music is nourishing this Universe ..  The Legend is no more.. Hard to digest the demise of Sri Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna.. He used to humbly say "Naku Sangeetham Telidu.. Sangeethaniki Nenu Telusu". (I don't know music. Music Knows me. ) The End of an Era. Credits & Keywords- Dr Mangalmpalli Balamuralikrishna Tributes Do Not Copy, Copyrights Acknowledged, PriyaLasya, Hamara, (C), N16-26-1 |
