It is difficult to imagine Kannada light music (Sugama Sangeeta) without P. Kalinga Rao. The charismatic singer has the distinction of popularising the poetry of major Kannada writers of the Navodaya period through music, besides being an important folk and film singer.
One of the pioneers of the Kannada music tradition, the singer would have turned 100 on August 31 this year. He passed away on September 21, 1981. His signature turn for Udayavagali Namma Cheluva Kannada Nadu by Huilgol Narayana Rao, which inspired the Kannada unification movement, is a landmark in the Kannada light music tradition.
His other well-known songs such as Barayya Beladingale (folk), Mugila Marige (Da. Ra. Bendre), Mudal Kunigal Kere (folk), Ilidu Baa Taayi (Bendre), Brahma Ninge Jodistini (G.P. Rajarathnam) and Madikeri Mel Manju (Rajarathnam) will make lovers of music nostalgic even today.
Photo exhibition
The Department of Kannada and Culture is marking his centenary year by organising a programme on Saturday, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurating the event. A photo exhibition has also been organised to introduce the legendary singer to the present generation. Beladingala Hakki , a 240-page book on Kalinga Rao, a CD on his recordings of Rangageethegalu (theatre songs), and the radio play for which he composed music will be released on the occasion.
According to musician Jayashree Arvind, author of Beladingala Hakki , Kalinga Rao’s music was a blend of Carnatic and Hindustani styles. “While he cherished raga nuances of the former, he liked the freedom of breaking away from the raga grammar of the latter,” she says.
Kalinga Rao ruled the music scene of Karnataka for three decades from the 1950s because of his experimentation. The experimental singer was the first one to bring western orchestra to Sugama Sangeeta. For instance, his famous Barayya Beladingale has a strong influence of Arabian music. “He was also unique because of his vachika abhinaya (rendering of expressions),” she says.
‘Instant composer’ Describing him as an “instant composer”, Ms. Arvind remembers how Kalinga Rao composed tune for Brahma Ninge Jodistini for All India Radio on the spot. “Rajarathnam reached every household because of him,” she says.
Singer Shimoga Subbanna in his tribute to Kalinga Rao in Gana Gandharva brought out by the department says, “Kalinga Rao’s aim was to reach great poets such as Kuvempu, Bendre and Gopalakrishna Adiga through the medium of music and not to perform like Bhimsen Joshi or Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. It was not the music, but the words of these poets which were important for him.”
