The year beginning August 31 this year is Adibhatla Narayana Das’ sesquicentennial as he was born on August 31, 1864. Over the next few weeks we will present you interesting snippets (excerpts from a new biography) from the life of the great man. The biography is planned to be released during the sesquicentennial.
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THE
WANDERING MINSTREL’S MAIDEN VOYAGE
Buoyed by the success of his
debut at Vizianagaram Narayana Das set out on a tour of the country, his first
stop being the Samsthanam* of Urlam, which was well known
for its patronage of arts, culture and Samskrit
studies**. Here he delivered his second Hari Katha performance in the court of Zamindarini Kandukuri Mahalakshmamma.
Impressed by his ability of asukavitvam (literally,
composing poetry extempore), the courtier-pundits wanted to know whether he
could perform Asta-avadhanam, to
which he answered in the positive. Delighted as much by Narayana Das’ asta-avadhanam arranged next day as she
was by his Hari Katha and asukavitvam earlier, the Zamindarini offered him a ‘varshikam’.
After Urlam, he performed Hari Kathas at many places in the
region. H. R. Bardswell, the sub-collector of Srikakulam district was so
impressed by his performance at Narasannapeta that he became his fan and
life-long friend. At Berhampore, Kuppuswami Naidu, the inspiration behind his
creation of Hari Katha was among the
audience. Very much impressed by the performance, he wanted to know who the guru who taught Narayana Das was. Narayana
Das informed him that while there was no guru,
he himself was the inspiration.
Also at Berhampore Narayana Das
added Jaynthi Kamesam Pantulu, an advocate, educationist and poet to his
multiplying horde of fans and life-long friends. Narayana Das was so
overwhelmed by the love and affection that Kamesam Pantulu showered on him that
he dedicated his autobiography Naa Eruka
to him when he died.
It was at Chatrapuram that an
interesting episode prompted him to compose his second Hari Katha. Till then, he was performing his first composition, Dhruvacharitra. His performance was so
impressive that a member of the elite audience wondered whether the young man
really did write the Hari Katha. When
Narayana Das affirmed that it was indeed he that wrote it, he was challenged to
write Ambarisha Charitramu and perform
it. He was given a week to do so. Narayana Das accepted the challenge but wrote
it overnight – not in one week that was given to him – and performed it the
next morning.
During the trip, Narayana Das
performed at Lokanadham villege Sangeetha-ashta-avadhanam
- of which mention has been made earlier - introducing musical elements into ashta-avadhanam.
By the time he returned to
Vizianagaram, the transformation of Suryanarayana into Narayana Das was
complete. He just turned twenty. As he entered his twenty first year he married
Narasamma, the daughter of Vadlamani Annappa.
* A Samsthanam
is smaller than a kingdom, the equivalent of a principality, also sometimes
referred to as a Zamindari.
** The
‘Urlam Examination’ in Samskrit
studies was known for its methodology and rigour and had a standing similar to
that of a degree obtained in Kashi.
