Murali Madhuri

A legend? A genius? A prodigy? A doyen of music? An inspiration? what do I call you ? Guru. Yes that is what you are.

Your voice- explains the meaning of crystal clear, especially when you took the mandhara swaras and suddenly picked the taara sthayi swaras. Your style- explains the meaning of self-confidence, A freshly ironed silk kurta and a bright big-bordered dhoti. A chain with a puli-goru dangling, A watch that sat perfectly fit whenever you lifted your hand singing higher notes in akaaram and not to forget, the little red dot between your eye brows. Your smile, when you sing and experiment- Explains what bliss and excitement can mean, showed no one could enjoy your renditions more than you yourself. You means Guru, a teacher who showered love and music on so many students, their students and their students. In short, you are our Adi-guru.

When you sang the pancharatnas, I realised why they were called ratnas, they indeed moulded into precious jewels in your mellifluous voice.

When you sang nagumomu, I imagined how beautiful a smile can make a face look.

Your Devadideva has my soul stirring. Sunaadavinodini took rebirth in your rendition.

Your own Nee daya raada amba has given soul to purvikalyani, especially the ragalaapana part.

How can one forget your samajavaragamana, that is what hindolam is all about and maanasa sanchare, every line, the take off is so perfect like slicing a cake smoothly.

Not many know that you have tuned Annamacharya's Narayanathae namo namo and been a pioneer in composing Annamacharya sankeerthanas.

Bhadrachala Ramadasu's words of pain in prison, the emotions are so clearly defined when you sing them, that one can learn Telugu listening to you. Especially when you say evadabba sommani kulukutu tirigevu Ramachandra, may be even Rama felt embarrassed.

Your own composition in ratnangi, Sri gurum chintayamaham, is an ode to Thyagaraja, the best gift a sishya can give his guru-sishya parampara.

Ambikam upaseham in naasika bhooshani, the word naasika bhushana is so beautifully imbibed both lyrically and musically into the krithi, that whenever I see a Goddess now, it reminds me of your rendition and I instantly look at her nose ring.

Your thillanas can bet even the best beat film music that we hear today. Especially, brindavana saranga and dwijavanti. You have left your own non erasable mark on film music too.

And tatwalu, even an ear that doesn't understand shruti and laya will fall in love with them.

emi setura linga? What can we do? Ninnu vidisi undalemaya.. We cannot live without you.

In one of your compositions on Raghavendra swami, that you composed in Mantralayam you sing

Murali gaanamu moogabovu neda, mujjagumalalo gaanamu marugata.
(When murali's music goes silent, music in the three worlds will be extinct).

So true, the Murali has fallen silent and music has just stopped playing, only to look back and listen to you.
I wouldn't say rest in peace because you will live on through your compositions spreading peace forever to this world.

Live on Balamurali Sir , May your music be alive forever.

Mangalam to Mangalampalli, another popular one at most of your concerts, one you loved to sing along with the thillana that's the title of this post- Murali Madhuri

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Thank you

 

Links to all the songs in my post above, for all his fans like me and for me too.