Popular playback singer and music director Gangadhar presented 'Bhakti Geetanjali' at Riverdale Temple in Atlanta for a non-stop four hours. The orchestra was presented jointly by Hindu Temple of Atlanta and Telugu Association of Metro Atlanta (TAMA).
The programme was held on June 30 and Gangadhar rendered several songs sung by Ghantasala, which include several devotional numbers and Annamayya Keerthans. In between the songs, he rendered slokas from Bhagavad Gita along with their meaning.
There was a standing ovation when he sung 'Jaya Krishna Mukunda Muraari'' in 'Panduranga Mahatmyam' and 'Siva Shankaree'' in 'Jagadekaveeruni Katha'. Several other melodious numbers like '€” 'Namo Venkatesaa', Sesha Sailaavaasa', Pralaya Payodhijale', Ghanaa Ghana Sundaraa', Jagadabhi Raamaa', Nee Kondaku Neeve Rappinchuko', Neelakantharaa Devaa', Tiruvenkaadheesa Jagadeesaa', Jagadapu Chanavula Jajara', Brahma Kadigina Paadamu', Antaa Raama Mayam'' '€” rendered by Gangadhar enthralled the Telugu speaking people in Atlanta.
Speaking on the occasion, Gangadhar says, 'We are going to conduct 'Sampurna Bhagavad Gita Gana Yagna' through Bhagavad Gita Foundation established by us. The Atlanta programme is a first step in this regard. The late Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao had sung only 108 slokas out of 701 in Bhagavad Gita. He was unable to render all of them due to ill-health. But in a bid to fulfil his ambition, I am planning to sing all the 18 chapters in Bhagavad Gita along with its meaning. All the 18 chapters would be provided in 18 separate CDs and cassettes. Now I am on the job and awaiting cooperation and sponsors for the yagna.'
The Atlanta Hindu Temple and TAMA jointly announced that they would sponsor the Viswaroopa Sandarsana Yoga chapter CDs and cassettes.
Gangadhar was awarded with a title 'Ghantasala Manasa Putra' by both the organisations in the presence Vedic pundits. Ramesh Chaparala, Bala Indurthy, Sridevi Dadithota of TAMA and Dr Jaganmohana Rao, Dr B K Mohan and Dr Hyma Mikkilineni of the temple felicitated Gangadhar on the occasion.
The audiences '€” T Ramachandra Reddy, Dr Jayasri Moparthi, Karunakar Asireddy, Dr Mangaraju Vanapalli, Ramanamurthy, Dr Narsinga Rao Palep '€” who became spell-bound with the fantastic rendition of the songs and Bhagavad Gita slokas, announced that they would sponsor one chapter each in Bhagavad Gita CDs and cassettes.