Atlanta, GA: The Telugu community in Atlanta was agog with excitement when Dr. Srinivas rendered Telugu Ghazals with his sonorous voice. The Telugu Ghazal Night was held for the first time in Atlanta, for the benefit of Society for Rural Scholars, at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta auditorium on November 10th. Dr. Srinivas mesmerized and enchanted the audience with his soulful rendition of Ghazals. His singing reminded everyone in the audience their childhood days and chocking them with an emotion. Many were aware of Hindi and Urdu Ghazals, but not of Telugu Ghazals.

For them, listening to Telugu Ghazals was a great experience. The audience sat through the entire program, enjoying and encouraging the artist with continuous applause. Today, the Ghazals often being sung as a “raga” to the accompaniment of classical Indian instruments. But Srinivas’s carefree, effortless and melodious singing with Kanjeera, a common instrument, as his only accompaniment, made the audience spellbound. Along with singing, the Ghazal maestro analyzed each stanza of the Ghazal that he sang and explained the literary beauty of it. On emotional front, he made the audience to reminisce through his Ghazals, all about their lives, their childhood, mothers’ love and affection, the value and greatness of native place (janma bhoomi), importance of a wife and relationships, their villages and their kith and kin. The Ghazal maestro sang 10 Ghazals in more than two hours. His rich melodious voice and inspiring messages of his Ghazals touched the hearts of the audience. He started his Ghazal rendering with “Patchigali Snehamto Pranam Bagundi”, describing blissful morning walk, written by Rentala Sri Venkateswara Rao. Every Ghazal was a gem and moved audience with an emotion.

The Ghazals, “Okkasari Ravalani Ennalluga Pilustunti Swami”, with the theme of a devotee seeking the presence of God as guest in his home; “Okkasari Voori poyiraa batikina pallekosamu”, with the theme of one’s yearning to visit one’s native place where one grew up; ….Sarvasvam Neekistha Naa Balyam Naakitcheyi… a reminder of one’s childhood days; “Okkasari Nannu Thitti Vandasarlu Yedchindi Okkasari Nannu Kotti Rojantha Pasthundi”…. a tribute to the selfless love of mother; and Illu Ipudu Illulaga Leneledu… recalling of the sacrifices of a wife to her husband and family, were enjoyable.

The origin of Ghazals dates back to 7th century and it is a poetic expression consisting of couplets. Ghazals in Telugu language is adapted recently from Urdu Ghazals. Ghazals in Telugu language are a literary feat and the credit for this should go to the Telugu literati legends like Dasarathi and Dr. C. Narayana Reddy, who hail from Telegana region of Andhra Pradesh where Urdu is the main language. Dr. Srinivas is a pioneer of singing Telugu Ghazals and spreading Telugu culture, heritage, tradition and its language, throughout the world. He presented about 6,000 concerts. Throughout the program, the audience clapped and joined the rhythm of Dr. Srinivas, who was given a standing ovation at the end of the rendition. The Telugu Association of Metro Atlanta and the Hindu Temple of Atlanta separately felicitated Dr. Srinivas in recognition of his contri-bution in spreading Telugu language, culture and heritage through Ghazals worldwide. Earlier, Dr. Ravindra Alapati, founder of Society for Rural Scholars, explained the objectives of the foundation, and presented a short documentary on it. Ramesh Duvvuri, cultural coordinator emceed the event.