Tenkabailu in Bengaluru

Tenkabailu Thirumaleshwara Shashtry, one of my favourite Tenkutittu Bhagavatas was in Bangalore last evening singing for an amateur Talamaddale - Jambavathi Kalyana - at Ramashrama, Girinagar. I had heard him in cassettes but had no occasion earlier to attend his performance. So I did not want to miss this one although this meant making a choice as there was another Yakshagana at Town Hall (see the next post)

In the three-hour programme, organised by Shree Durgamba Kalasangama, as expected Shashtry was the centre of attraction as he sang with total involvement. I am a fan of his songs in dukka and karuna rasas (From an earlier programme here is the one I liked the most). But last evening there were many more which still linger in my ears...


I should also say something about the artistes. While all the four did very well, making it difficult to say that it was an amateur performance at all, Sudhanva Deraje as Krishna and Shashank Arnady as Jambavantha displayed a lot promise as young artistes. Both, I am sure, would emerge much sought-after performers in the field and fill the vacuum being created by the gradual exit of some of the established great artistes....


View a Youtube clip of the programme here

Pics: second from the top - Shashank (left) and Sudhanva
bottom: - Mujur Narayana Bhat (left) as Balarama and Venugopala Bhat Mambadi as Narada