Vaggeyakara and great devotee of Lord Rama, Toomu Narasimha Dasu’s 181st Vardhanti was celebrated over a period of three days at Anjaneya Swamy temple at Chikkadpalli, Hyderabad last week. This was presented under the auspices of ‘Sri Bhadra Peetham’ launched by Toomu Ramakishna, descendent of Narasimha Dasu and the Devasthanam of Bhadrachalam Temple.
Toomu Narasimha Dasu hailed from Guntur and lived between 16th and 17th Centuries. Like Bhakta Ramadasu of 17th century, Narasimha Dasu too spent his life writing, composing and rendering lyrics on Bhadrachala Srirama and developed a temple. His contribution to lyrical literature was remarkable. He is said to have composed 136 compositions but only a fraction of them are available now.
Thanks to Bhadra Peetham more and more Carnatic vocalists are aspiring to take part in this annual event to render chosen compositions of Narasimha Dasu. When it comes to such annual functions the practice has been that the vocalists render them in their own chosen ragas.
On this occasion some of the compositions of Narasimhadasu were tuned and rendered by known vocalists like Phani Naryana of Kakinada and P.V. Subba Rao of Hyderabad. Some of the notable kirtanas rendered by Phani Narayana were Melukolupu in Bowli, Induvadana in Hindolam. Karuna Gykoni in valaji, Hecharika Srirama in Simhendra Madhyamam, Paramapada Govinda in Chakravakam and Sandadi Seyavaladu in Mohana.
On the second day P.V. Subba Rao in the company of his disciple Lakshmi Narasimhareddy rendered Srirama Jayarama in Mohana, Jaya Janakiramana in Reetigowla, Saranu Bhadrasaila Nayaka in Mukhari, Yemarakumee Manasa in Sankarabharanam, Ramanamame Jeevanam in Khamas and Selavamakika Ramayya in Kalyani said to be the final song Toomu composed, before his death.
On the final day there was Phani Narayana and his disciple Revathi Vishnupriya rendered Atti Surulu in Sindhu Bhairavi’, Teri Godavari in Anandabhairavi, Sita Manohara in Neelambari, Lali Sri Raghukula , Jo Jo Raghothama in Neelambari and Jaya Jaya Mangalam in Madhyamavati. They were accompanied by Komanduri Souri Rajan on violin and Mehar Sagar on mridangam.
