The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tuning in at an early age

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Wednesday, Apr 16, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tuning in at an early age

Ramesh Susarla

Kudos to Kommuru Seshaiah for being able to save the art from passing into oblivion by training pupils in gurukul style

Kommuru Seshaiah

PONNUR (Guntur Dt.): Nadaswaram, an integral part of traditions in temples and at weddings, is a dying art with very few people taking to it, but Kommuru Seshaiah, an exponent, believes in promoting it among children in the traditional gurukul way.

Narayana, a 13-year-old boy from a poor family at Vaikunthapuram near Amaravathi, sent him to this guru to learn basics, but Seshaiah too was unable to support boarding and lodging of his disciples. Students, except on few days, usually are fed by philanthropic families in the neighbourhood within the town on a daily basis. Narayana is one among the 200 students, who had learnt shehnai, mukha veena, mukhavaddyam, sannayi to settle as successful professionals.

There are no sound-proof rooms, no fans or lights. The disciples sit under neem trees in an open space adjacent to Seshaiah’s house learning their lessons at the break of dawn (5 a.m.). Except for some time off for cooking and eating, the learning process continues till 8 p.m. Sambaiah, another teenager hailing from Selapadu in the district had been staying in his guru’s house for two years and cooks his own food from the groceries he gets as alms from people in the colony, some of it partly sponsored by Seshaiah.

Initiated into playing nadaswaram in his 13th year by his father Subbaiah to keep his word to Bhavannarayana Swamy temple as a return for half-an-acre of ‘manyam’, Seshaiah had been providing shelter to five to 10 students every year for past 25 years now. Ponnur nadaswaram artistes are in great demand all over Andhra Pradesh at any marriage ceremony/temple festivity for their distinct style. Some of the senior students, even while learning, go out for commercial assignments after their 3rd year earning Rs. 5,000 a month.

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Andhra Pradesh