Bay News Network, Visakhapatnam: Courses on music, songs and life of the legendary singer Ghantasala conducted by Ghantasala Sangeetha Kalasala were launched in the city  on Sunday. Eminent citizen and philanthropist Mattapalli Chalamaiah  launched the two courses here at a function organised in the college premises near Diamond Park Junction. The college has been offering six months course in ‘Ghantasala Lalitha Sangetham’ and one year course in ‘Ghantasala Cine-Sangeetha Jeevitham’. The college  established by T Sharathchandra, founder of Ghantasala Smaraka Peetham at Lankapeta Village in Srikakulam district and Ghantasala Sangeetha Kalasala, Hyderabad.

Dhadha Saheb Phalke Awardee Akkineni Nageswara Rao opened the college premises located in the Cooperative NGO’s Home near Diamond Park junction on 23 June.

While launching the courses, Chalamaiah described the music and songs of Ghantasala as everlasting melodious and the Bhagavad Gita recited by the legendary singer is a musical heritage for Telugu people. He felt the need of carrying the music and voice of Ghantasala for future generations and lauded the efforts of Sharathchandra in preparing singers. He further advised the college to encourage children to learn Ghantasala music and songs.  KS Chandrasekhar, music director a contemporary of the legendary singer pointed out the degrading values in the music and praised Ghantasala for giving such a countless divine music.

Giving the details of the courses and classes, the founder of the college Sharathchandra said classes would be conducted every day from August 8 from 10.00 AM to 1.00 Pm and 5.30 PM to 8.30 PM batch wise, enabling all sections such as house wives, employees and school going children to make use of the opportunity. Children from 7 years to adults up to 70 years age are eligible to join the courses and applications are available at the college.

Further details regarding admissions Sharathchandra (95422 44456), T Govind (95506 09574) or V Rama Devi (96660 45777) may be contacted.

Later, Sharathchandra along with other singers presented melodious numbers of Ghantasala extending eye feast to the participants. Subhadra Devi, CV Rajeswari and MV Srinivasa Reddy joined him as co-singers where as Elisetti Rammohana Rao on pads, A Raja on Tabla and M Prasada rao on flute supported the orchestra.

Coordinator of Ghantasala Sangeetha Kalasala B Prabhakara Reddy, Honorary President of Ghantasala Smaraka Peetham Vankayala Sanyasi Raju (Tataji), Meda Mastan Reddy, Ravi Gopi Krishna and others were present, according to a press release.