Dr. Shobha Raju gives concert on Saint Annamayya
Over 600 devotees and music lovers thronged to the Hindu Temple of Atlanta on August 17, 2014 for a concert by the superlative Dr. Shobha Raju, brought to the public by Friends of Atlanta and the Hindu Temple of Atlanta. On the occasion of Bhramotsvam at the Shiva Temple, Dr. Shobha Raju performed Annamayya kritis for a rapt and mesmerized audience.
The afternoon began with a couple of kritis performed by the participants in the "Vesavi Vennela" music workshops conducted by Dr. Shobha Raju garu. They sang "Hariavataramitadu Annamayya" written by the grandson of Saint Annamayya, Sri Pedda Tirumalayya, and composed by Dr. Shobha Raju, and "Entha chakkani dhanavamma Srimahalakshmi," written and composed by Dr. Shobha Raju.
The audience then got a devotional journey into the mind of Saint Annamayya, through the melodious voice of Dr. Shobha Raju. "Narayanate Namo Namo" was an apt song, given that she was singing directly below lord Venkateswara's garbha gudi. "Kondalalo Nelakoona" reminded everyone of their beloved Tirupati. Dr. Shobha Raju beseeched lord Venkateswara on behalf of the audience with "Vinnapalu Vinavale." "Muddu Gare Yasodha" heralded the birth of lord Krishna on Janmashtami. Finally Dr. Shobha Raju's performance ended with the supreme truth that we are all one and the same, irrespective of our caste, religion, and race, as no other song can with her rendition of "Brahmamokkate Para Brahmamokkate."
Dr. Shobha Raju was felicitated with a shawl. Thanks went to Mandapati Venkatapathi Raju and Archana Reddy for coordinating the event, and to Vinay Maddineni, Venkat Meesala, Nagesh Doddaka, Ram Maddi, Srinivas Lavu, Harsha Yerneni, Bharath Maddineni, Manoj Tatikonda, and Devanand Konduru for making the event a grand success.
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