SPB

When I was working with TI, I came to know that SPB was doing a live show in National college grounds as a part of Bangalore Ganesh Utsav. I had a lot of work that day, owing to a release in office. Till late evening that day, I had no intention of going to the show. However, by some stroke of luck, I made up my mind to go to the show at the last moment. The ground was full by the time I went in. I squeezed myself through the people to go as close as possible to the stage. That day he was performing Kannada songs. Even though I had functional knowledge of Kannada, I didn’t know any of those songs. I was standing with a group of Tamilians who kept requesting for a Tamil song. I joined them and started asking for a Tamil song. Suddenly, it started lashing out heavily. I was dejected and getting ready to leave. Out of nowhere, he started singing oruvan oruvan mudhalali. Instant goosebumps moment. The grounds came alive. I shouted till my voice became hoarse.  Never did I imagine that’d be my first and last time seeing him alive. That’s my most precious fan moment.

  My love for him and his songs started in childhood. As a kid, I used to hate Mondays. Our school used to start at 9AM and last all the way till 7:30PM. My only consolation was an hour of Paaduta Teeyaga that used to come at 9:30PM in ETV. No matter where I am and what I’ve to do that day, I used to sit in front of TV along with my parents for the programme while eating food. Undoubtedly, the star of the show was SPB. The way he used to explain the musical intricacies of songs, the nuances of expression required was enthralling. I especially used to love it when he explains the meaning of those lyrics. Human emotions are so complex to understand. Even with the most powerful super computers in the world, scientists are not able to decode emotions. What better way to understand them than by travelling with the writer through the song. The program started in me a life long obsession for songs making music an integral part of my life.

  Not just me, I believe SPB has become an integral part of every Telugu man’s life. There is his song for every moment and a moment for every song. When in sorrow, he pulls you up by saying

చుట్టమల్లే కష్టమొస్తే కళ్లనీళ్లు పెట్టుకుంటూ కాళ్లు కడిగి స్వాగతించకూ 

ఒక్క చిన్న నవ్వు నవ్వి సాగనంపకుండా లేనిపోని సేవచేయకు

While teasing the lover, he croons as 

నాకన్నా నీకున్న తాకీదులేంటమ్మ నా ఎత్తు నా బరువు నీకన్న మోరమ్మా
నేనంటే కాదన్న లేడీసే లేరమ్మ నాకంటే ప్రేమించే మొనగాడు ఎవడమ్మ

He’s with you in class day dreaming with

చందమామను అందుకుని ఇంద్రభవనాన్ని కడతానురా 

పడవంత కారులోనే బజారులన్ని షికారు చేస్తానురా

సొంతమైన విమానములో స్వర్గలోకాన్నీ చుడతానురా 

అపుడు అప్సరసలు ఎదురు వచ్చి కన్ను కొడతారురా

 He gives you hope by saying

చిటికలోన చిక్కబడ్డ… కటిక చీకటి కరిగిపోక తప్పదమ్మ… ఉదయ కాంతికి

On the occasion of his death anniversary, as he says in one of his songs

తరలి రాద తనే వసంతం తన దరికి రాని వనాల కోసం. 

అదే విధంగా గంధర్వులని  చేరలేని మన దరికి వచ్చిన ఈ గాన గంధర్వునికి ఇదే నా నివాళి