Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma
Encyclopedia
Sangita Kalanidhi Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma (23 January 1893 - 11 March 1979) was a noted composer of Carnatic music
, singer as well as a writer.
mandal of Anantapur district
, he was educated in Sanskrit, Telugu and Music by his parents, Karnamadakala Krishnamacharyulu and Alamelu Mangamma.
After moving to Mysore, he sought instruction from the chief pontiff of the famous Parakala Mutt
. Sharma studied Sanskrit and Prakrit languages at the Chamaraja Pathasala; and music with Chikka Rama Rao, Bidaram Krishnappa and Karigiri Rao. Later, in 1911, he married Rukminamma.
Sharma was appointed a Telugu Pundit (a scholar) by Sir Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy
, Principal of the Maharaja College of Mysore
in 1912 and worked until 1949. After which he joined the Sri Venkateshwara Oriental Research Centre, Tirupathi. The then executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
, Chelikani Anna Rao entrusted Sharma with elucidating the compositions of the great songwriter-singer-saint Tallapaka Annamacharya. These compositions (or kritis) were stored for centuries in the Tirumala temple Bhandagaram (storehouse) on copper plates. Sharma received the project after his predecessor, Veturi Prabhakara Sastry died. He singularly worked on tuning the songs and helped publish seventh and eighth volumes of Annamacharya’s compositions. Sharma went on to edit nearly 300 compositions and brought out five more volumes of compositions between 1951 and 1956. He also wrote the notation for 108 compositions and 87 of them were published in the Andhra Patrika.
Sharma died on 11 March 1979 in Bangalore
and was survived by three daughters and two sons. On 23 August 2008, his life-size bronze statue was installed in Tirupathi.
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
, singer as well as a writer.
Life
Born on 23 January 1893 at Rallapalli village in KambadurKambadur
Kambadur is a village and a mandal in Anantapur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. -Erymology:The name Kambadur is derived from a monolithic stone carving in the shape of a lotus which adorns the ceiling of the main Malleshwaraswami temple on the outskirts of the...
mandal of Anantapur district
Anantapur district
Anantapur District , ) is one of the 23 districts in Andhra Pradesh, India. The district headquarters is Anantapur City. It is currently a part of the Red Corridor.- Geography :...
, he was educated in Sanskrit, Telugu and Music by his parents, Karnamadakala Krishnamacharyulu and Alamelu Mangamma.
After moving to Mysore, he sought instruction from the chief pontiff of the famous Parakala Mutt
Parakala Mutt
The Bramhatantra Parakala Mutt is an ancient Hindu Monastic order established in South India. It was the first monastery of the Sri Vaishnava sect of Brahmin Hindu society....
. Sharma studied Sanskrit and Prakrit languages at the Chamaraja Pathasala; and music with Chikka Rama Rao, Bidaram Krishnappa and Karigiri Rao. Later, in 1911, he married Rukminamma.
Sharma was appointed a Telugu Pundit (a scholar) by Sir Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy
Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy
Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy OM , also popularly known as Sir C.R. Reddy, was an educationist and political thinker, essayist and economist, and poet and literary critic...
, Principal of the Maharaja College of Mysore
Maharaja College of Mysore
-History & Evolution:It was one of the constituent colleges of Madras University and transferred to Mysore University in 1916. It is one of the oldest colleges of South India. It is the first college for higher studies built by an Indian king at the time of British rule. Former President of India...
in 1912 and worked until 1949. After which he joined the Sri Venkateshwara Oriental Research Centre, Tirupathi. The then executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also referred as TTD is an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh...
, Chelikani Anna Rao entrusted Sharma with elucidating the compositions of the great songwriter-singer-saint Tallapaka Annamacharya. These compositions (or kritis) were stored for centuries in the Tirumala temple Bhandagaram (storehouse) on copper plates. Sharma received the project after his predecessor, Veturi Prabhakara Sastry died. He singularly worked on tuning the songs and helped publish seventh and eighth volumes of Annamacharya’s compositions. Sharma went on to edit nearly 300 compositions and brought out five more volumes of compositions between 1951 and 1956. He also wrote the notation for 108 compositions and 87 of them were published in the Andhra Patrika.
Sharma died on 11 March 1979 in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and was survived by three daughters and two sons. On 23 August 2008, his life-size bronze statue was installed in Tirupathi.
Major works
- Anantha Bharathi (collection of Sanskrit works)
- Meerabai (1913) (Telugu Khanda Kavya)
- Taradevi (1911) (Telugu Khanda Kavya)
- Vemana Natakopanyasamulu (1928–29)
- Shalivahana Gathasaptashathi Saramu (1932) (translation work from the Prakrit into Telugu)
- Saraswatalokamu (1954)
- Chayapa Senaniya, Nrita Ratnavali (1969) (Translation into Telugu)
- Arya (1970) (Translation of Sanskrit work of Sundara Pandya into Telugu)
Awards
- He was honored as "Asthana Vidwan" by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in 1979
- "Sangita Kalanidhi" in 1974
- Honorary Doctorate (D.Litt.) by Sri Venkateswara UniversitySri Venkateswara UniversitySri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, is a state university, which was established in 1954, in the famous temple city of Tirupati, South India, under the auspices of Late Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and with support of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams...
, Tirupathi in 1974 - "Ganakala Sindhu" at Sangeeta Sammelan organized by Sri Prasanna Seetarama Mandiram, Mysore in 1961
- "Gana Kala Prapurna" by Andhra Pradesh Sangeeta Nataka Academy
- "Sangeeta Kalaratna" by Bangalore Gayana Samaj