Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Ghantasala Venkateshwara Rao born (04.12.1922) at Chowthapalli Village near Machilipatanam in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.His father Soorayya was a singer. He learnt music at Maharajah’s college of music and dance at Vizianagaram in A P. He joined All India Radio as Singer. He also recorded few private songs. The breakthrough in films came as a music director for the film “Manadesam”.He became popular as a singer and music director with the film”Pathalabhairavi”.He used to module his voice to suit A N R and N T R.
The turning point in his musical career was with the film”Mayabazar” released in the year 1957.Every song in the film is popular even today. He had a voice which could be raised to any pitch with melody.
From 1951 till 1994 there was no film without a Ghantasala song.So his list of films as singer is not mentioned in this article.
Bhagavadgeetha rendered by Ghantasala is very popular amongst devotees.
“Pushpavilapamu” another Private recording, Ghantasala became a domestic name for Telugus.
Ghantasala”s popular hit songs lyrics (Melodies) sung and Composed by him:-
1. “Lahiri lahiri lahirilo oho jagame voogenuga…thogenuga”(film:Mayabazar)
“Choopulu kalasina subhavela enduku neekee kalavaramu” (film: Mayabazar)
“Neevena nanu Thalachinadi neevena nanu Pilichinadi” (film: Mayabazar)
“Oho sundari neevanti divyaswaroopamu endendu vethikina ledu katha” (film : Mayabazar)
“Kalavaramaye madilo na madilo Kannulalona kalale aye manase prema mandiramaye” (Film: Pathalabhairavi)
“Rave radha rani rave manamu radhakrishnulamaithe ramyamaina saradarathri rasaleela vela ide (Film: Santhinivasam)
“Sriraghuram jayaraghuram seethe manobhiram (film: Santhinivasam.Playback: P B Srinivas)
“Bhale manchi roju pasandaina roju vasanthalu pooche neti roju (film: Jariginakatha)
“Himagiri sogasulu muripinchunu manasulu (film: Pandavavanavasam)
“Kanupapa karuvaina kanulenduko thana vare parulaina brathukenduko” (Film: Chiranjeevulu)
“Sreeramuni charithamunu telipedamamma Ghana seelavathi seethe katha vinudoyamma” (Film: Lava-kusa)
“Vagalaranivi neeve sogasugadanu nene eedu kudhirenu jodu kudhirenu medadigi rave” (Film: Bandipotu)
“Vohalu gusagusa lade naa hrudayamu voogisalade” (Film: Bandipotu)
“Chilipikrishnunithoti chesevu potee aa swamy dayathoti anintasatee” (Film: Varasathvam)
“Doorana neeli meghalu nalona kotha bhavalu (Film: Gudigantalu…playback: P Suseela)
“Vinara vinara naruda thelusukora pamaruda” (Film: Govula Gopanna)
“Malliyalara malikalara maunamuga vunnara maa kathaye vinnara” (Film: Nirdhoshi)
“Lechindi nidra lechindi mahila lokam daddarillindi purusha prapancham (Film: Gundammakatha)
“Pellichesukoni illu choosukoni challaga kapuramundaloyi “(Film: Pellichesichoodu)
“O chandamama andala bhama endundo palkuma” (Film: Jayammanade)
Melodious songs with ghantasala’s voice:-
“Jagame maya brathuke maya vedalalo Saaraminthenaya ee vinthenaya (Film: Devadasu)
“Kudi Yedamaithe porapatu ledoyi vodipoledoyi (Film: Devadasu)
“Palleku podam parunu chooddam chalo chalo allari cheddam chalo chalo (fil: Devadasu)
“Priyurala siggelane nee madinelu magavani Cheri” (film: Srikrishna Pandaveeyam)
“Matthu vadalara niddura matthu vadalara aa matthulona padithe gammatthuga chitthavuduvura” (Film: Srikrishna Pandaveeyam)
“Yevarivo nee vevarivo” (film: Punarjanma)
“Bommanu chesi pranamu posi aadevu neekidi veduka garadi chesi gundenu kosi navvevu eevintha chalika” ( film: Devatha)
“Jaya Krishna mukunda murari jaya govinda brinda vihari (Film: Panduranga mahathyam)
“Payaninche VO chiluka egiripo padaipoyenu goodu (Film: Kuladaivam)
“Manasuna manasai brathukuna brathukai thodokarundina Ade bhagyamu Ade swargamu (Film: Dr.Chakravarthi)
“Evaro vastharani edo chestharani yeduru choosi mosapokuma nijam marach nidurapokuma (Film: Bhoomikosam)
“Kondagali thirigindi gunde voosuladindi Godavari varadalaga korika chelaregindi (Film: Uyyala-Jumpala)
“Bommanu chesi pranamu posi adevu neekidi veduka garadichesi gundenukosi navvevu eevintha chalika (Film: Devatha)
“Padutha theeyaga challaga pasi papala niddurapo thalliga bangaru thalliga” (film: Moogamanasulu)
“Seshasailavasa srivenkatesa sayaninchumaayya Srichidvilasa” (Film: Sri Venkateshwara Mahathyam)
“Yedukondalaswamy ekkadunna vayya Yennimetkekkina kanaravemayya” (Private Song)
“Namo venkatesa namo thirumalesa namo namo thirimlesa” (Private Song)
“Pushpa vilapam” a private song (album) by Ghantasala is melodious. It is about the life of flower.
Music Director Ghantasala List of films:-
1. Manadesam(1949)
2. Keelugurram(1949)
3. Shavukaru(1950)
4. Pathalabhairavi(1951)
5. Pellichesichoodu(1952)
6. Jayammanade(1956)
7. Chiranjeevulu(1956 melodious music composed)
8. Vinayakachavithi(1957)
9. Mayabazar(1957 – musical hit)
10. Manch manasuku manchirojulu(1958 – musical hit)
11. Sahbashramudu(1959 – muscical hit)
12. Pellisandadi(1959)
13. Santhinivasam(1960 – musical hit)
14. Sahbash Raja(1961 – musical hit)
15. Gundammakatha(1962 – musical hit)
16. Rakthasambhandam(1962)
17. Lava-kusa(1963 – musical hit)
18. Bandhipotu(1963 – musical hit)
19. Varasathvam(1964)
20. Pandavavanavasam(1965 – musical hit)
21. C I D(1965)
22. Gudigantalu(1965)
23. Paramanandayyasishyulakatha(1966)
24. Punyavathi(1967 – melodious tunes composed)
25. Nirdoshi(1967 – melodious music composition)
26. Rahasyam(1967 – melodious music composed)
27. Govulagopanna(1968)
28. Jariginakatha(1969 – melodious music composed)
29. Bhale Abbayilu(1969 – Hindi original “Waqt”)
30. Thalli Thandrulu(1970)
31. Rangeli Raja(1971)
Ghantasala, the great singer died on 11th February 1974 at Chennai at an early age of 52.
“Manishi pothe mathramememi patalunnavi…patalanni manasulona paduthunnavi”
“Chavu puttuka levamma ghantasalaku Sangeethamu aasthanamu yeluthunnadu netiki yenatiki gana gandharvudu”
Many music awards are cited on his name and distributed to the budding singers.
Every year on his birthday and on the day of his death Ghantasala music nights are organized singing his melodious songs in many important cities/towns of Andhra.
Today is the 89th birth anniversary of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao.
Business of Tollywood.com salutes at this great singer remembering his melodies.
