It is possible that someone else was accorded more recognition, better paid, more in demand (hardly), more titled. But for generations of Andhras born between 1940 and 1985, Venkateswara Rao, popularly known as Ghantasala was numero uno and no one else stood a chance for this special place in their hearts.

Before Ghantasala found himself in the spotlight of public attention, through the media of films and gramophone records, he was an accomplished singer with impeccable training in Carnatic music.

He was born on 4 December 1922 in Choutupalle near Gudivada into an ordinary family. His father Surayya was an itinerant singer of Narayana Teertha's tarangas; he also played the mridanga. He was the first teacher of little Venkateswara Rao. Ghantasala would dance, as a child of six to his father's singing of taranga-s and this earned him the title of Bala Bharata.

Surayya, who was always more into music and musing than looking after the family fortunes, died when Ghantasala was 11. The family was then taken care of by maternal uncle Ryali Pichiramaiah. Ghantasala was interested in music but had no opportunity to improve himself. At this time, someone made fun of him when he gave a concert. Stung to the quick, he solemnly vowed to himself that he would seek proper and systematic training and silence his critics.

In those days, proper coaching was available (in Andhra) only in Vizianagaram (then in Visakhapatnam district). As family circumstances did not permit him to go there for further study, he decided to sell his gold ring and get there surreptitiously.

When he reached Vizianagaram, however, the Music College was closed for the summer. And there seemed to be little chance of getting admission when it opened. Into this darkness came a ray of light through Paatrayani Sitarama Sastry of Salur who taught singing at the college. (P. Sangeetha Rao, the asthana composer of Vempati Chinna Satyam is his illustrious son; he also assisted Ghantasala for many years in films). Through his kindness and as per the decision of the principal Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu, who auditioned him, Ghantasala found himself a student of vocal music.

Before gaining admission, and with it the eligibility for eating free at the Maharaja's choultry, he had to fend for himself. He did that by eating once a day through the week at different houses (aayavaram) or even by madhukaram (begging for food as a brahmin student).

Around this time, a lady from a family of traditional entertainers, Kalavar Raja aka Saride Lakshmi Narasamma, a singer, recording (gramaphone) artist, dancer and harikathaka, as well as a woman famed for her charity, showered kindness on the eager student. This he recalled fondly and gratefully even 45 years later.

After getting his degree, Ghantasala got home and eked out a living by giving wedding concerts mostly classical music with a large sprinkling of taranga-s, keertana-s, of Ramadas, etc.- apart from singing at nine-day festivities associated with Sree Rama Navami, Dasara and Vinayaka Chaturthi. As a matter of fact, even after settling in Madras, Ghantasala's early broadcasts from AlR were strictly classical music.

Finding it difficult to make ends meet, he dabbled in traditional drama, starting his own company and sometimes sharing the stage with the stalwarts of the time. Inspired and incited by the revolutionary fumes that enveloped the country in 1942, he joined the Quit India movement; as a consequence he was sentenced to Eighteen months' rigorous imprisonment. Once he came out, however, he found that there was no residue of the political fever in him.

He got married to Savitri of Pedapulivarru. It was in this village that he met Samudrala Raghavacharya who was responsible for his induction into the film industry in Madras.

By 1944, he was hanging around the periphery, by singing in choruses, doing bit roles. He was seen fleetingly and heard distantly in Nagaiah's 'Tyagaiah' (1946), as part of the disciple band. In 'Yogi Vemana' (1947), thanks to Nagaiah again, he was both seen and heard as a nattuvanar in the beautiful song and dance sequence (Aparani taparnayera, Sreeranjani/Adi) featuring M.V. Rajamma.

Then child actress, heroine, singing star and producer C. Krishnaveni took him on as an individual composer for her film 'Manadesam' (1949). 'Keelugurram', released the same year, established him once for all as a composer-cum-singer, the most prolific till the seventies in Telugu cinema.

Many of Ghantasala's compositions were ragapure in the early days. He was less fastidious later, realising that, for films, this was not necessary. Surprisingly, he never sang a Tyagaraja Kriti in a film, though he can be heard singing Marugelara (Marga Hindolam / Adi) on the LP he made on his only visit to the United States.

It is not very well known that Ghantasala wrote some lyrics too at one time. He sang many of them on AIR-Madras. One, Bahudoorapu batasari, was recorded by Gramco and he was neither paid for it nor given credit. These lyrics, seven of which have been collected in the book titled Bhuvanavijayam published on his triumphal return from the U.S., are simple and philosophical in nature. Or about rustic love that lost its way. He had a great regard for Malladi Ramakrishna Sastry who was associating himself with Samudrala's film output at that time. The substance of Malladi's mellifluent lyrics, if not the style, must have influenced him. This is particularly discernible in Bhoomi pommannadi, aakasam rammannadi (The earth bids goodbye, the sky says welcome).

His way with the Telugu padyam (verse) was incomparable. Padyam was a part of the performing arts of Andhra, mostly through mythological dramas, for 50 years. The intent was primarily musical- with what intricate curlicues, what breath control the singer managed being more important than characterisation or serving the needs of the moment in the play.

Ghantasala changed all this with his sophisticated interpretation (not on stage but on 78 rpm gramophone records) of the author's intent, the character's intent, the character's turmoil being at once musical and accessible. These verses were rendered without tala (rhythm) as before but he generally had a short, metrical musical interlude doing what background music does in films, setting the stage and emphasising the mental stage of the character. Poets Karunasri and Jashuva enjoyed great regard amongst the literatteurs, but it was Ghantasala who rendered their songs and introduced their work to the man on the street.

Long before singers got on to the TTD/Annamacharya bandwagon, Ghantasala recorded at least a dozen sides singing the praise of Venkateswara (not through Annamayya though, only the US LP had Kolani dopariki, alas the pallavi wrongly split!) Ashtapadi-s on a Super Seven disc, Bhagavad Gita on an LP were the other assets he created.

Seshasailavasa, the beautiful composition of Pendyala in Reetigaula in 'Sree Venkateswara Mahatyam' (1960). This will continue to introduce to the future generations the physical attributes of Ghantasala. The musical ones are forever enshrined in the musical scores of 'Shavukaru' (1950), 'Chiranjeevulu' (1956) and the songs in 'Rahasyam' (1967) that won wah-wahs from Chittoor Subramania Pillai, a strict traditionalist. It is no rahasyam that Malladi Ramakrishna Sastry's lyrics inspired him to this sublime level.

Sri Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, I have no hesitation to say, was a great Musician who was held in high esteem by all especially the music lovers of the south. His reverberating and fascinating voice was indeed a great cause for many a South Indian Film to embrace Popularity and fame. Special mention has to be made on the rendering of his Suprabhatam and many other devotional songs. His dedication and constant devotion to music and application were quite commendable.

Music, as I firmly believe, is Godly and has boundless power and scope to penetrate into the human minds and fill them with happiness, cardinal virtues and make people of all kinds to come together and love and like each other and finally be close to the Almighty. There is a saying that even Snakes and Babies enjoy music with absolute attention because of its glory. All our prayers, Hymns, Psalms and supplications to God will be effective when presented in musical form. That is what is observed and practiced by all religions.

I know Sri Ghantasala, as he was known popularly all over, and was very close too. He was very unassuming and had an outstanding quality of giving due respect and appreciation to other musicians. That had helped him to earn good number of friends and wellwishers in the field.

It should be the bounden duty of every one of us to cherish and perpetuate his memory.

In September, October 1970, a visit of Ghantasala with an accompanying troupe of musical assistants and the mimicry artist Venumadhav to a select set of American cities was sponsored by Palanki Ramarao (PR) garu of New Jersey. PR knows Katta Murty (KM) of Ann Arbor. So, PR called KM and asked whether it would be possible to arrange a visit of the group to Detroit.

At that time there was no Telugu association in Michigan. So KM talked with Tummala Madhavarao (TM) and Cerukuri Ramarao (CR) and some others about the possibility of the visit. They thought that it was a great opportunity that should not be passed up, and started organizing for the visit.

When the group arrived, Ghantasala was already suffering from a severe cold and exhaustion from continuous travel. Each member of the visiting group was provided accommodation for their stay with a Telugu family living around Detroit. Ghantasala stayed in CR's house. Lunches and dinners to honor the visiting troupe were organized by many Telugu families, but Ghantasala did not attend any of them because of his cold, and also because he was afraid of loosing his voice by eating too much.

The group stayed in Michigan for only a couple of days. During the daytimes, we took the group sightseeing, visiting Detroit city, and landmarks like the Green field village and the Ford Assembly plant. Ghantasala joined some of these trips and seemed to enjoy them immensely.

The main event was of course the concert held one evening. In spite of his poor health Ghantasala insisted on fulfilling his commitment to his fans, and the concert started around 7 PM with his rendering. He started the concert saying . For many in the audience it was a great thrill to hear Ghantasala sing this song in person, and there was wild applause for a long time.

The concert was attended by an unbelievably large crowd consisting of not only Telugu people, but also many people from all states in South India, and many North Indians as well, and it lasted many hours. We wanted to reimburse the visiting group for at least their travel expenses, so we had to charge $10/person, which was considered a large amount at that time by many people.

Even around midnight the audience were bringing slips of paper with names of songs that they wanted Ghantasala to sing. This way the program was a success beyond our expectations. This concert was the starting point for Telugu programs in Michigan. Shortly after that program the Detroit Telugu Association (DTA) took shape. Ghantasala's trip and his concert provided the impetus for the birth of this association.

When Ghantasala sang his first solo hit 'Gazula Pillai', few would have imagined that here was a voice that wou1d dominate Telugu film music for the next quarter century. Recipient of the Padmashri, this beloved son of Andhra sang over 10,000 songs, and composed for over a thousand.

Ghantasala's name is synonymous with sweet, undying music. Ghantasala's voice was the gift of God. A gift that spoke of sweet pleasures and hurting sorrow. A gift that Telugu people a11 over the world cherish with love and respect.

A vocalist of infinite variety, a composer of creative depth, a scholar of classical music and a human being of humility and piety, Ghantasala achieved artistic glory not only with his film songs but also with his non-film renditions. As V.A.K Ranga Rao, musicologist, and critic who knew Ghantasala said, "It's no exaggeration to say that Ghantasala's voice is the most majestic voice in India.

For more than twenty five years, Ghantasala devoted himself to singing and creating some of the greatest songs which, in fact, have enormously contributed to the box-office success of a number of Telugu films particularly in the 50s and the 60's. It was the golden era of Telugu cinema when stalwarts like N T Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao strode Telugu celluloid like histrionic giants. Ghantasala managed to sing for both matinee icons, varying his style and tenor to match the screen charisma of these super heroes.

Music came naturally to Ghantasala. Born into a family of musicians on December 4, 1922, in Gudivada (AP), Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao had for his guide and guru, his father, Ghantasala Sooraya, a noted Mridangam exponent.

Deriving inspiration from his father, the young boy became a practiced exponent of tarangas, a traditional dance form of Andhra, and earned the title of Bala Bharati. He was a child actor in plays like Chintamani and Sant Sakkubai, and used to sing while dancing, accompanied on the mridangam by his father.

At the tender age of eleven, Ghantasala's muse and inspiration - his father- died. But bearing his father's words in mind, Ghantasala was determined to pursue musical education at any cost and joined Vijayanagar Music College in Andhra, where he learnt Sanskrit as well as classical music.

Graduating with his degree, Ghantasala was thrown into the freedom struggle and jailed for eighteen months for participating in the Quit India movement.

Release from prison brought another kind of commitment - that of marriage. And marriage brought about a professional break from Samudrala Raghavacharyulu, a well known script writer and song composer from Ghantasala's mother in law's village, who introduced him to the world of films.

Ghantasala made his debut with the song, Yennela Chirunavvula, in Swargaseema in 1945. The rest is history. Music directors and film producers recognized the potential of his powerful voice, and hits like Balaraju and Devadasu followed. Ghantasala had the rare opportunity of working with the biggest talents of Telugu cinema: Lyricists like Samudrala Sr., Tapi Dharma Rao, Balijepali; composers like C.R.Subburaman and Ogirala; and singers like P.Bhanumathi and Krishnaveni.

Ghantasala himself was a talented composer. The most distinctive quality of Ghantasala's singing is his clarity of expression. As a full-fledged poet and scholar, he was clearly aware of the nuances of Telugu language. He observed a sweet, slow pace in his rendition, never hurrying. Ghantasala is sometimes accused of being over emotional, but in many songs he brings a delectable detachment - Siva Shankaree, Raave Naa Cheliya, Challani Vennelalo, Manavi Seyave, Jagame Maarinadhi, Vontarinai Poyaanu- crystallising the very essence of being human: in devotion to God, in love, and alone. Ghantasala has enriched Telugu culture through his songs. His music and songs, as Dr. Akkineni Nageswara Rao said, will be admired and enjoyed for ever. And we express our supreme gratitude in salutation to Ghantasala's greatness.

Tributes paid to Ghantasala Venkateswarea Rao, on his death, praise his "Melodious Voice", but these not only sound inadequate, but also fail to grasp the truth of the matter, since he was "no mere singer" but a "true poet" who could comprehend and did give expression to the deepest feelings of love, pity, joy, suffering, piety, happiness and bitterness in a manner no one else could, or did. One cannot help feeling that it would have been hardly possible for him to sing on all those varied themes with such intensity of fervor and likeness to reality, and precision in apprehension, had he not himself lived and experienced these basic emotions inwardly, in as great a manner as any of the great poets ever had. This naturally gave an indication of the purity and richness of his heart and mind.

Enlightened listeners to his songs could not help feelings that he had a mature and distinctive "philosophy of life", which he reflected in his songs, and tried to express in a way that words and phrases themselves can never. No wonder many of his songs though sung as part of a film story, have however, managed to acquire an independent stature and meaning of their own, tearing themselves free from the original cinematographic context, in which they were sung. And the people too recognizing the fact, did not tire of listening to him more often outside the theatres than inside them.

His impact on both the educated and uneducated Telugu people had been so much, and had brought about such qualitative changes in the day to day "inward" life of the people here, that we can safely assert that life in Andhra today would have been much less exciting and somewhat "drab", but for him, for with him had begun a new era in the emotional life of the Andhras, opening up as he did to them hidden treasures in their range of feelings, which lay either dormant or unperceived till then. New vistas of imaginative experience were laid bare to the Telugu people, who were till then looking up to Hindi film music to provide it.

The wonder is that in spite of his extensive use of his art for a commercial purpose, it was never degraded in quality, or devoid of "genuine inspiration". It menas to say, he throve well in an industry, uncorrupted by its many evil influences. And in spite of the large number of songs he sang, there were no signs of fatigue or disinterest till the end came.

In his death, we are not just losing one more playback artiste. We have lost a "bard", who had awakened an entire people to the heightened range of sensibilities in feeling they were capable of. To think of the Telugu people without him is virtually impossible. No other singer is therefore likely to successfully fill the void he has left. Undoubtedly he had elevated the status of the so-called light musician or non-classical musician to the level he had all along aspired for in his dreams.

Along with his own quest for truth and beauty, Ghantasala brought about a basic degree of "self realization" among others of his realm. Outwardly, in his unassuming physical appearance one could not perhaps grasp how much of the "spirit of music" was inlaid in him. But the course of his life did make it patent enough for all to see.

Though many may think that his music would live for all time after his death, though the living voice of this dead bard may continue to enthrall us, it would not be untainted now with a certain "otherworldliness" about it that it is now likely to gain. The trouble with this particular singer is that we have not yet finished with him, and our thirst for the kind of intelligent and "immortal", refined creative and "educative music" that came from him is as yet unsatiated, though some may think we had enough of it.