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Best of SPB

The Hindu, July 3rd 2004

"SANGEET ISHWAR ka bhasha hai," said Sripathi Panditharadhyula
Balasubrahmanyam, popularly known as SPB, to a predominantly north Indian audience at the Music Academy recently. He was given a traditional welcome with a Rajasthani `safa' (red turban) and showered with rose petals by the members of Sanskriti, an affiliate of the Rajasthani Association. Sanskriti was celebrating Kadradan Day (thanking well-wishers) and on the occasion conferred the Sanskriti Kalashree title on SPB in recognition of his contribution to music, art and culture.

The women members of the association clad in bright saris and salwar suits, the men in suits and children looked for space to sway to the music.

When SPB began "Sab logon ko sa vinay pranam," he was greeted with resounding applause for speaking in Hindi. He continued, "I can speak in Hindi, but music is my mother tongue." Music is in my blood, he said, remembering his parents and mentor Kothandapani, who gave him his first break in the field, with gratitude.

"Sanskriti is the root of our being. The problem arises when we tend to get away from our Sanskriti," said the veteran singer, emphasising the need to be culturally rooted. "But being a musician has its advantages. You make your bread and butter and make others happy too." His philosophical trip continued when he congratulated the amateur singers who rendered popular SPB numbers in Hindi and English. "The stage is meant to make mistakes and during live performances, mistakes do happen. Life is a learning process, with
just a comma here and there, but no full stops."

Stressing that successful music is all about team effort, Balasubrahmanyam said, "If I have received the award today, only 10 per cent of it goes to me, while 90 per cent of it goes to the lyricists, composers, the orchestra...."

As if the audience knew what was coming, there was a deafening cheer when the orchestra played the opening tune of "Tere mere beech mein..."(Ek dhuje ke liye). More songs followed. "Roja janeman" and its Tamil version "Kadal rojave" seem to have a soothing effect every time you hear them. SPB concluded the musical fare with his popular breathless number from "Keladi Kanmani", `Mannil indha kadal andri', and a song from "Mere mehboob" as a tribute to Rafisaab.

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