Thread by @veejaysai

In other Carnatic news, today is the Jayanthi Utsavam of poet,saint and composer Kancharla Gopanna, more popular as Bhaktha Ramadasu.

As a Vaggeyakara, he dedicated a large number of compositions to Lord Rama in Bhadrachalam, or "Dakshina Ayodhya", as it is called.

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I am not going to get into his biography and such details. A lot of it is very well known. Even his musical compositions. They were first popularized by Balantrapu Garu and Dr BMK on the famous Bhakthi Ranjani show of All India Radio. They became a rage!

@AkashvaniAIR.

Before his compositions became popular with the classical music community, they were already a large part of local folk repertoire!

Farmers working in fields would sing his songs. In fact, they popularized them centuries before anyone else!

What I particularly like is the lesser known 'Dasharathi Shatakam'. A hundred beautiful verses in praise of Lord Rama of Bhadrachalam. Telugu literary lovers will know of it. Outside many are less aware.

Each verse ends with "Bhadragiri Dasharathi Karunapayonidhi"

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If you find the Telugu of Ramadasu simple and conversational in most of his compositions, it is a different facet in this Shatakam. The usage of words, the closeness to Sanskrit and his imagination are phenomenal in this Shatakam.

Earlier we'd be made to byheart several verses!

I can probably recall only about two dozen from memory.

But there was a time when a whole generations of kids knew this Shatakam, alongside Vemana, Kalahastishwara and Sumathi Shatakams, byheart! Guess that is long gone!

Wish kids are taught this in schools!

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There is a wonderful lecture series by the famous Brahmasri Chaganti Koteshwara Rao garu on the Dasharathi Shatakam. He tells in a language easy to understand for everyone. Do listen. 🙏🤩🙏🤩🙏

Want to write and say so many more things but maybe for another time!

The Jayanthi Utsavams are being livestreamed from Bhadrachalam. You can watch them here.

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