The star singer
SADANAND KANAVALLI
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Balamurali Krishna is a born musician. This multi-talented vocalist who is a composer can also play many instruments. He will be conferred with the Mallikarjun Mansur Award
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Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.
FULL OF MUSIC Balamurali, despite all his achievements, remains unassuming
Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna is the Bhimsen Joshi of Carnatic Music. He is as popular in Carnatic Music as Bhimsen Joshi is in Hindustani Music. He shares Bhimsen Joshi’s automobile craze — a penchant for cars. Born July 6, 1930 in a tiny hamlet of Shankaraguptam on the Godavari coast in Andhra Pradhesh, Balamurali, like Bhimsen Joshi hardly had any schooling. When his father took him to a school, the headmaster asked him to sing a song. That paved the way for singing the prayers before lessons started everyday. One song followed another and it turned into a mini concert. This went on for three months until quarterly exams arrived. The answer paper went back the way it came, not a word on it. The maths teacher awarded him a big zero. The teacher asked him to get his father’s signature on the marks card. The father, in his school days, was also a zero in maths. When Balamurali returned the marks card duly signed by his father, the teacher was surprised. “Aren’t you ashamed of earning a zero? No sir. Really, I tried to draw a big, beautiful zero as you have done. But I couldn’t. Indeed sir, you are a great artist.” The teacher was not amused. In the end the teacher told Balamurali’s father: “Your son is a born artiste, let him not waste his time here. General education can be had any time it is felt necessary.” That was the end of Balamurali’s schooling. Interestingly, five prestigious universities conferred Honoris Cansa on him in later life. Just like Bhimsen Joshi, again.
Balamurali’s father Pattabhiramayya was a noted musician. He played on the flute, the violin and the veena. Mother Suryakantappa was a veena player too. So, music flowed into Balamurali. He played with musical instruments while other boys played with toys.
Born singer that Balamurali was, he started training under Parupalli Ramakrishna Pantulu. He gave his first radio concert from AIR Madras at the age of nine. He didn’t fade away like most other child prodigies. He shunted between Vijayawada and Chennai once in three months for radio concerts.
At Vijayawada, a spiritual guru used to camp with his entourage at a house opposite Balamurali’s. One day Balamurali was singing for him. The guru took him aside and engaged him in deep conversation. Balamurali’s mind was lit. Balamurali, not content with being a mere singer, decided to be a composer. And contributed greatly to the treasure trove of Carnatic music. Windows of his mind opened up and winds from everywhere flowed in. Precious melakarta ragas shone. Sanskrit words unknown to him issued forth like springs in well. He composed more than 400 lyrics in all 72 melakartas and sang them to the surprise of audiences. Wonderful compositions came out.
Balamurali valued radio concerts even as radio provided maximum exposure to his genius. Balamurali served the radio as one of the first two music producers. Later, the post of music supervisor was created specially for him. The maximum salary till then was Rs. 95. Balamurali asked for Rs. 100. AIR gave him Rs. 200.
Balamurali, a devotee of art and culture, founded Balamuralikrishna Trust to preserve his legacy. The Trust is engaged in music therapy research and is taking giant strides in training and propagation of music and dance. Balamurali never flaunts his achievements. Music came naturally to him.
(Balamurali Krishna will be honoured with the Mallikarjun Mansur Samman on January 2, Dharwad.)
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