Come Independence Day, patriotic fervour is witnessed in every street across the country. The patriotic songs not only remind us of the struggles and sacrifices of our freedom fighters, but is also a reminder on the importance of Freedom. To keep up this spirit, Mana Hyderabadis – Sangeetha sisters – K Sangeetha Kala & M Rajyalaxmi, every year conduct a programme called ‘Swatantra Swaram’. Speaking exclusively to Natyahasini, Sangeetha Kala says: “Sri Kodandapani Sangeetha Vidya Samstha in association with Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad is presenting the ‘Swatantra Swaram’ – songs sung by freedom fighters during the country’s freedom movement, along with music and dance performances on Sunday 13 August from 10am to 5pm at the prestigious Salarjung Museum.”
The singer says that the Indian poets played an important role in the freedom struggle. “The freedom fighters kept the national struggle alive in many phases during the 19th and 20th century, while the poets and their poetic word kept the spirits and the flame of the national struggle alive,” she says. Sangeetha further says that they undertook major research to collect, process and present the profiles and poetic words of those who sang of freedom and revolution in 22 scripts and 81 spoken languages and dialects of the country.
“We have collected songs sung during freedom movement in different languages written by Rabindranath Tagore, Ramprasad Bismil, Dasarathi, Vollathol, Kuvempu and many other poets,” she says. The musician and granddaughter of Late Sri Kidambi Kodandapani shares that they have been conducting the ‘Swatantra Swaram’ – programme for over a decade in different parts of the country, including Bangalore, Delhi, Orissa, Chennai, Kerala, etc. “We have also telecast 30 episodes of ‘Swatantra Swaram’ digital music classes in T-Sat Channel, Telangana in 2017,” says Sangeetha Kala.
Giving a peek into the freedom movement songs, the founder of Sri Radhika Music & Dance Academy, Sangeetha Kala says that some of the songs in Telugu are – ‘Madi Swatantra Desham’, ‘Desamunu Preminchumana’, and ‘Aa Challani Samudra Garbham’. “In other languages some of the songs are: ‘Hum Bhi Aaram Uta Sakte le ghar par rehkar’, ‘Kadam rehear Badaye Ja’, ‘Dahegi Kabtalak’ in Urdu; ‘Pora Kabala Naalil Nalli’ in Malyalam; ‘Vidudalai’ and ‘Veera Sudanthiram’ in Tamil; ‘O Nanna Chetana’ and ‘Jaya Bharath Janani Tanujate’ in Kannada; ‘Jayathi Tanuj ate Bharatha Matha’ in Sanskrit; ‘Vaishnav Janthu’ in Gujarati; ‘Jodhi Fora’ and ‘Ganga Sindhu Narmada’ in Bengali,” she says.
Sangeetha Kala says that for the ‘Swatantra Swaram’ this year, students of Gurus across the State will be participating. “Students of Gurus Bheemsen Dhataram, Gayaka Academy, Nagole, Medchal Dist.; Tabitha Kumari & students, Hyderabad; Ummadi Laxmanachary, Sankeerthana Music Academy, Warangal; Rajyalaxmi, Sri Radhika Music & Dance Academy, Dilsukhnagar; KSN Vaishnavi, Swaramadhuri Music Academy, Gadwal; M Soundarya, Unicent School, Nagole, Medchel Dist.; Roja Ramani, Sri Radhika Music & Dance Academy, Nagole; Satish, Pioneer Concept School, Katedan, Rangareddy Dist.; K Sangeetha, Sri Radhika Music & Dance Academy, Saroor Nagar; Chinta Shiva Adi Narayana, Uppal, Medchel Dist.; Pakala Rama Devi, Vanasthali Puram, Rangareddy Dist.; T Chinni Krishna, Swararchana Music Academy, Warangal; P Ramana, Sri Laxmi Saraswathi Music Academy, Kurnool; K Veena Dhari, Swara Raga Institute of Music, Secunderabad; Nagarjuna, JNR Pathashala, New Bowenpally, Secunderabad; Gollamudi Sarada Sagari, Keshava Lahari House of Music, Medchal; and they will be accompanied on the Tabla by Kumar and R Narayana Murthy,” says Sri Kodandapani’s granddaughter.
The distinguished guests for the day include Chief guest Dr. S Venugopala Chary, Chairman, TSIDC; Dr. A Nagender Reddy, Director, Salarjung Museum; Sri Sanem Srinivas Goud, CSM Foundation; Nitya Sudhir, co-founder, Artum Academy; G Krishnaveni, Addl. Secretary, (R) Telangana Secretariat; Laxman Dasarathi, s/o famous poet Dasarathi Krishnamacharya.