Veena - The Instrument Par - Excellence

Born on 18-11-1920 in Nanjangud to parents Sri.Krishnamurthy Rao and Smt. Puttamma had a craze for music even from childhood. After joining primary school at his sixth year at Chickaballapur having learnt the prayer songs ‘Swami Devane’ and ‘Sree Rameshane thava’ used to conduct the early prayer along with three more students in the morning and Mysore State anthem Kayau Sree Gowri after school. In the year 1934-35 learn’t vocal under Late. H. K. Seshagiri Rao. Harmonist upto Varna level. In the year 1935 when his brother’s wife Smt.Rajamani Nagaraja Rao came home brought her Veena with her. Naturally he was attracted towards it and knowing the technique of playing from sister-in-law played Lambodara Lakumikara on the first day itself, and started playing Varnas and Krithis looking into her music note book. But from July 1941 to 1950 learnt to play Veena Scientifically under the guidance of Guru Vidwan A.S. Chandrasekharaiah, grandson and direct disciple of Veena Seshanna of Mysore. Apart from accompanying Guru both in Mysore and Bangalore in 1949 Navarathri time, accompanied Guru before the Jagadguru of Sringeri Math. From then on accompanied Guru in various performances at Hyderabad, Madras, Poona, Bombay, Ahmedabad, Ajmeer and Delhi.

As per the guru’s wishes, he settled in Bombay from April 1950 to propagate Seshanna’s technique to the students. Then he started Tharangini Academy in 1970 and in November 1978 celebrated Sri.Seshanna’s 125th Birthday. In 1983 went to Sri Lanka and gave few performances.

He has been honoured by Chembur Karnataka Sangha, Mumbai Karnataka Sangha, Mysore Sangeetha Vidyalaya. Sriranjini Trust. of Dombivli:. Nadabrahma, Nadanjali and Snehasudha of Chembur, Mumbai Kannada Sangha and Mysore Association of Matunga, Bangalore Karnataka Gana Kala Parishat. Students felicitated him on his 60th birthday. During his 75th birthday the students collected funds and published his book on Veena in English and presented it to him. Karnataka Sangeeth Nruthya Academy made him write the same in Kannada and published the same as ‘VEENE SARVABHOUMA VADYA’ in 1999.