Reviving the glory of Harikathas

A Harikatha Kalapshemam, in memory of Late Neti Lakshminarayana Bhagatar, a prime disciple of Harikatha Pitamaha Aadibhatla Narayana Dasu, was held at Kowtha Kamakoti Kalyana Nilayam in Padmarao Nagar.

The event started with a welcome prayer of Narayana Dasu's own Kriti “Sarada Sada Vasatumuda'' sung by Neti's great granddaughter Neti Sarala Lakshminarayana, who was the favourite shisya of Narayana Das.

Kowtha Lalitha Manohar and Dr Mulukutla Brahmananda Sastry recollected and praised the sustained efforts of Narayana Dasu and his disciple Lakshminarayana Bhagavatar in the promotion and creation of sishya parampara and preserving the legacy of Harikatha.

“Narayana Das was a versatile genius. He was a poet, musician and the creator of the art form Harikatha (a performing art, which comprises narrating a story, composing poetry extempore, singing, dancing and acting). A Harikatha was started mainly to sing praises of Lord Hari or Vishnu, but in practice, all Hindu deities now form subject material,” they said.

Neti Lakshminarayana Bhagatar has installed the idol of his guru Narayana Dasu in Sivalayam, SatyanarayanaPuram, at Vijayawada, where for the past five decades, his guru's birth and death anniversaries are being performed by conducting Dasugari Harikathas by Haridas across country.

Some of the shishya's of Late Neti were, Sarvashri Mulukutla Sadasiva Sastry, Karedla Subrahmanya Sastry, Mutnuri Kutumbaraya Sastry, Burra Sivramakrishna Sarma, Ambadipudi Sivarama Krishna Sarma, Ammula Viswanatha Bhagatar and so on.

The highlight of the programme was ‘Rukmini Kalyanam’ Harikatha which was performed by ‘Harikatha Koumidi’ Dhulipala Sivaramakrishna Sarma Bhagavathar (Guntur) who was assisted by Paleti Goverdhana Rao on the violin and Anil Kumar on the mrudangam.

By Ch Saibaba