Sadasiva's lyrical treat

photo m murali

By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao

AN old man clad in white dhoti sits on the lawns amidst flowers of all hues. It's a cloudy morning as he reads out from his memory the best of Urdu poetry. "Unki jo bath hi/who hahle siasat jaane/meera paigam mohabbat hi/jaha thak pahunche/ and then "Mere roshan se lehare hi/tabassum hai pinahaki/shuame kya padi/rangath nikhar ayi gulisthan mey."

If Samala Sadavisa comes to Warangal, it's celebration time for literary and music lovers. As he speaks, the young and old listen to him as if they are watching a mythological film. "Telanganalo Carnatakam ledayya, antha Hindustaniye,'' he tells those who queue up to see him at Hanamkonda on Tuesday.

And suddenly he remembers somebody and asks him, "how's your father? It sounds as if a veena is talking when he speaks." His speech is enchanting for many as it has a sweetness about it. Septuagenarian Sadasiva is an authority on Urdu poetry and Hindustani music. His simple and educative articles are popular among literary lovers here. Since his retirement as a teacher, he has been striving to pen his experiences and document his knowledge on people, culture and literature of Telangana region.

On February 2, 2005 in Warangal.