Kamalakar Rao

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 08 Jan 2009, 21:56

Hi Folks !!!

I think we need to start a group for Shri V. Kamalakar Rao, the senior Mridangam vidwan from Andhra. A true team player, has got immense control over the drum which he never exposes on the platform unwantedly. Would welcome all to post their messages. Thanks.

SSK · Post by **SSK** » 10 Jan 2009, 06:27

Great vidwan. I had the opportunity to meet him at R K Srikantan trust felicitation in 2000 when Sri Srikantan Felicitated Vidwan Kamalakara Rao for mridangam, along with Prof. Mysore V. Ramarathnam for vocal, Shri M J Srinivasa Iyengar for Veena, and others... That was the last time I heard Shri MJ Srinivasa Iyengar's veena concert accompanied by Shri Kamalakara Rao. I wish I had the recording.

However the following is a link to a concert held in 1973 at Shri Bidaram Krishnappa Prasanna Seetha Rama Mandira in Mysore. Artists are:
Prof. Mysore V. Ramarathnam - vocal
Chalukudi Narayanaswamy - violin
Shri Kamakara Rao - Mridangam
H. P. Ramachar - Kanjira

http://www.sangeethapriya.org/Downloads/mvr/cnkrhpr73/

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 10 Jan 2009, 08:11

Heard him accompany TMK at Bharath Kalachar this season and he was just fantastic. He has such a wonderful array of strokes and accompanied very, very appropriately. TMK was appreciating his play through and through. Apparently he's a senior disciple of PMI.

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 10 Jan 2009, 11:07

bilahari wrote:Apparently he's a senior disciple of PMI.

Yes, he is one of the senior most disciples of Palakkad Mani Iyer. We should say, PMI polished his already accomplished skills. Unfortunatly I've not got a chance to see him perform live. But, I've seen him on TV and also heared him on many cassettes and CDs. The most noted ones would be one with L Subramaniam and Amjad Ali Khan. The Tisram that he played in the thani was wonderful.

Also, another DVD with Dr. Balamurallikrishna, in which he has played marvellously for Mysore Vasudevachar's Devadi Deva.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 10 Jan 2009, 11:18

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 10 Jan 2009, 12:11

message edited out since the poster has withdrawn his comments
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visaalam · Post by **visaalam** » 15 Jan 2009, 10:23

message edited out since the poster has withdrawn his comments
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mri_fan · Post by **mri_fan** » 15 Jan 2009, 20:31

I don't mean to speak for coolkarni Sir, but I would respond that we are all entitled to our own opinions.

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 15 Jan 2009, 22:46

[edited]

Hi... I don't even know the back ground of Coolji. And I am in my own capacity agreeing to his comments. Who am I to comment on Sri YVR as a student of percussion...? I'm noone. But as a Rasika, I've full right to do so and thats what I did..

Let us not join issues like this and lets have a healthy discussion... Thanks.

kam · Post by **kam** » 13 Jun 2009, 15:44

Hello all I am anew member of this form.I am agreat fan of Sri V.Kamalakarrao sir.I have seen him many times playing the concerts.His style is unique.As he is a disciple of mridangam wizard Palghat Mani Iyer every one can enjoy his style.

kam · Post by **kam** » 13 Jun 2009, 15:50

A very good news to you all Recenly I have Seen a website dedicated to Sri V.Kamalakar Rao.It is very nice.I think it has been created on occasion of his birthday celebration.It contains around 15 concerts of kamalakarrao and also a Layavinyasam of him that can be downloaded.It also contains many videos of him.All of you can also see that website.

The link is : www.kamalakarraov.weebly.com

chetants · Post by **chetants** » 16 Jun 2009, 02:50

Kam, thanks for the website. I heard Sri KR's playing for Sri Alathur Srinivasa Iyer's Karuvelpuniku(Saint Thyagaraja's rarely heard Kalyani krithi) as well as his thani for which he gets whole-hearted appreciation from ASI. IMHO, only few can anticipate and provide such dexterous accompaniment to ASI's sangathis stroke for stroke.

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 16 Jun 2009, 04:34

Folks !!! thanks for all info. A great Vidwan indeed.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 16 Jun 2009, 04:55

raghavt: Is there any thani of this Vidwan you can share with us in youtube or something?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 16 Jun 2009, 05:24

BTW, the TMK-Manjunath-Kamalakar Rao concert that I'd attended last year at Bharat Kalachar has been released by Charsur (Kamalakar Rao played really well in this concert). I can't find it on the website, though.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Jun 2009, 07:21

Bilahari,
I heard him about twenty five years ago in the US and again once recently in India. Though I am not qualified to speak about mrudangam playing, I do enjoy listening to it. He said that he was a restaurateur but played the mrudangam too (like a sunday painter). I guess it was his modesty which made him say it that way. A gentleman...

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 16 Jun 2009, 07:36

'sunday painter'.. nice!

'ivar sAppATTukku ThALam pODAdavar' then?

( getting carried away a bit )

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Jun 2009, 07:57

pATTukkut tALam pODubavar

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 16 Jun 2009, 08:03

VK RAMAN wrote:raghavt: Is there any thani of this Vidwan you can share with us in youtube or something?

No videos are available in u-tube. BTW I'm not a vivid collector of VKR sir. But I admire his style, calm and composed figure.

raghavt · Post by **raghavt** » 16 Jun 2009, 08:03

arasi wrote:Bilahari,
I heard him about twenty five years ago in the US and again once recently in India. Though I am not qualified to speak about mrudangam playing, I do enjoy listening to it. He said that he was a restaurateur but played the mrudangam too (like a sunday painter). I guess it was his modesty which made him say it that way. A gentleman...

His father was a hotlier...

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 16 Jun 2009, 10:38

kam · Post by **kam** » 16 Jun 2009, 21:00

coolji where does the concert is held and who is violin in the concert containing the kriti you posted in above.please give the details sir.Namasthe.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jun 2009, 07:01

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jun 2009, 08:23

yogeeshk · Post by **yogeeshk** » 28 Jun 2009, 18:40

coolkarni
the first link which you sent of trs at ifas 1977 is indeed accompanied by sri KR.

kam · Post by **kam** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:19

Hello all,the website dedicated to Sri V.Kamalakar Rao garu has been modified.A very beautiful concerts of Neyyattinkara Vasudevan and Dwaram Durga prasad Rao with kamalakar rao garu on mridangam has been uploaded in the website.All of the fans once download and listen.They are undoubtedly beautiful concerts.Namasthe.

kam · Post by **kam** » 02 Sep 2009, 16:43

Hello all,the website dedicated to Sri V.Kamalakar Rao garu has been modified.A mind blowing concert of Sri T.V.Sankaranarayanan with M.Chandrasekaran on violin,V.Kamalakar rao on mridangam and T.H.Vinayakaram has been uploaded in his website.It is very nice.Hope everyone will listen to it and tell their views.Thanks in advance.Namasthe.

The link is : http://kamalakarraov.weebly.com/

kam · Post by **kam** » 08 Jun 2011, 14:04

Dear rasikas,a concert of Sri K.V.Narayanaswamy accompanied by Sri Kovai Dakshinamurthy on violin and Sri V.Kamalakarrao on mridangam has been uploaded in Kamalakarrao's website on occasion of his 75th birthday.Please listen to concert tell your views.Thanks in advance.Namasthe.

The link is : http://kamalakarraov.weebly.com/downloads.html

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 08 Jun 2011, 17:27

Kam: Thank you for the link. The website is a treasure trove of wonderful concerts spanning several decades. I am especially intrigued by a wonderful TNS concert with MSN Murthy on violin and Patri Satish Kumar accompanying him on Kanjira!

Sincere congratulations to the distinguished vidwan on his 75th birthday!

vijayagopal · Post by **vijayagopal** » 03 Jul 2011, 21:45

Sri Yogeesh is Sri Kamalakara Rao's son and student!!

http://www.4shared.com/audio/EeGqWpy2/4 ... _-_Ka.html

This must be from the Alattur recording mentioned above!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Mar 2015, 08:09

The write up starts as though it is about kamalakar Rao , then it dovetails more about PMI .mahavidwan TRS mama's stock mrudangist kamalakar rao who is brilliant but certainly is away from limelight.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 035865.ece

varsha · Post by **varsha** » 27 Mar 2015, 19:53

.

mahavidwan TRS mama's stock mrudangist kamalakar rao who is brilliant but certainly is away from limelight.

Depends on which lamp post one is looking under, I guess.

There is more to their relationship than being a stock accompanist.As this Vidwan tearfully narrated the stories of how they travelled to nooks and corners of Andhra(on the evening dedicated to TRS at Arkays.(sometimes standing, in buses)
I would love to have a career like his in my next janma.Day long at the cash counter in the hotel, tapping fingers for practice all day long and playing for great Vidwans in the evening for the love of it.

More of him here.
http://kamalakarraov.weebly.com/

And some more photos here...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/afyzmpuq0lcqc ... e.wmv?dl=0

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 27 Mar 2015, 20:08

The Article is not up to date. He was honoured at CLEVELAND ARADHANA A FEW YEARS BACK ALSO AS USUAL.....VKV

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 02 Feb 2018, 10:50

Not much is known about this great artist kamalakar rao. His legacy in playing for musicians like TRS, nedanuri and voleti are brilliant. Write up of his lecdem on his glorious tanjavur school of mrudangam
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/m ... 621796.ece

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 14 Jul 2018, 12:31

A solo by him : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bcbak3qLh8

He definitely inherited that PMI sound!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 15 Mar 2025, 14:41

After reading the article of Kamalakar Rao by Lalitha kala academy, I am writing the next few lines
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ByfOHe ... UxY6j/view

I have spoken few times with shri Kamalakar Rao , he does not know me at all . Invariably after few sentences i generally take him to TRS mama land . TRS - kamalakar Rao combo is heavenly is what i did say, he just brushed his role and just told most of that credit to TRS . Historically WHen I prasied few times TRS and said why you are over praising GNB , you are too good TRS mama, the same way Kamalakar Rao atleast was referring the giant TRS .

All said humility to the art , but deep practicing knowledge by Kamalakar Rao made him to have a Palakkad Mani Iyer nadham . Certainly PMI-Kamalakar were a great guru-sishya bhakti combo, from rajahmundry to kumbakonam on a gurukula vasam (I dont know for how many years or months he did)

I did not realize the family of kamalakar moved from Pai to Rao . I only wished he was settled in madras and not rajahmundry.

rasikas.org

Kamalakar Rao

UPLOAD OF K.V.NARAYANASWAMY CONCERT

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