Towards reviving harikatha
Interesting aural experience
"An ardent follower of my dad's Harikatha skills came up with a live recording of his performance on Sri Venkatesa Kalyanam. And we felt this unique rendition by T.S.Balakrishna Sastrigal has to be brought out for the sake of people who have a yen for harikatha. Swathi Soft Solutions (www.kalakendra.com) has produced it as a twin audio CD pack and we are releasing at Rani Seethai Hall on the occasion of the veteran's 87th birth anniversary" said an excited S.B.Kanthan, television and film director, and brother of filmmaker Moulee, a few days before the event.
At the launch
Titled `Tirupati Tiruthala Mahimai' the discs (Rs.250) have been brought out under the banner of Swathi Sanskriti Series, and are accompanied by a booklet on the Harikatha exponent's biography, by K. Venkateswaran. Nachiappa Gnana Desika Swamigal of Koviloor Math, Padma Subrahmanyam and A. Natarajan (formerly of Doordarshan) were the guests of honour at the function. The dancer suggested that universities in the State should introduce courses in harikatha and also create an endowment in the name of Balakrishna Sastrigal. A senior executive with State Bank of India during the day and a harikatha performer in the evenings, Sastrigal's occupations seemed rather incongruous. And such a tradition-driven person allowing his sons to enter showbiz was strange. "Yes," laughed Kanthan. "But he had a terrific sense of humour. In fact father evinced a lot of interest in our theatre activities. When `Crazy' Mohan conceived the play, `Crazy Kishkinta,' with a court trial of Lord Rama for the way he killed Vaali he wasn't sure about the climax. It was my father who told us, `Vaali is himself happily residing in heaven, and is thankful to God for the bliss. So conclude it as Vaali chiding you all for wasting time on a non-issue.' And that's how we ended ` ... Kishkinta.'"
`Tirupati Thiruthala Mahimai,' provides an interesting aural experience and is an example of Sastrigal's knowledge of Puranas and Sastras, his proficiency in various languages, his taste for classical music and fluency in expression.
The fading art form may find few takers now but efforts such as these are bound to revive interest in the art and put it back on track.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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