Every time you listen to his veena performance, even a familiar piece sounds new. The way he handles the ragas on strings in its presentation chimes in the inner recess of the sensible audience. A radiologist by profession and a veena artiste by passion Bhamidipati Kanaka Durga Prasad popularly known as BKD is distinct persona in his own right. Former governor of Tamil Nadu K. Rosaiah, Chariman AP Legislative Council A Chakrapani and former director NIMS Dr. Kakarla Subba Rao warmly felicitated him under the aegis Hyderabad-based Sri Thyagaraja Gana Sabha recently.
Among diverse styles of playing the veena, BKD excels in what came to be known as the ‘Vizianagaram style’ that stands out for its distinct ‘meetu’ in its harmonious blend of seeping melody and cadenced rhythm in exposition of the lyrical grace of music. A disciple of noted exponent of veena Pappu Padmavathi, he made his mark as a budding artiste quite early. At the age of 14 years, he played the veena in the immortal musical work ‘Temple bells’ of renowned maestro Chittibabu, a rare feat for a boy of that age. Ever since, BKD has been scaling heights in pursuit of ambrosial musical ecstasy through the instrument in the idiom of Carnatic classical. Many awards and prizes came his way including Surmani, Naada Tapaswi and first prize in AIR National level competitions in his teens.
Known for his brilliant exposition of the chosen raga in a layered way, he earned an epithet Rava Kanaka Durga Prasad (RKD) for the sparkling and fluent ravas that render his his raga essays inimitable .
Medicine and music, he says, are complementary. For him, the instrument closely resembles the human body. The 24 frets of veena are like 24 free vertebrae of the human spine, the strings are akin to the autonomic nervous system.
The kunda or the resonation box is the brain. A well-tuned veena symbolizes a well-maintained body, BKD opined.
