TAGB Brings A Harikatha Treat To Boston, Gajendra Moksham

Telugu Association of Greater Boston (TAGB) in coordination with NESSP brought a unique program called Harikatha Kalakshepam by Smt. Savithri Jayanthi on Saturday May 30, 2015 at New England Sai Baba temple in Chelmsford to the Telugu community.

The cultural highlight Harikatha, a composite art form of story telling with music, dance, drama and philosophy is one of its kind. It started in Andhra pradesh during 19th century. The originator of this Sampradayam is Sri Adhibhotla Narayana Dasu garu fondly called as Harikatha Pitamahudu (Father of Harikatha) with his Kavyas and Prabandhas has made it a special art form. Harikatha was a popular medium of entertainment, which helped transmit cultural, educational and religious values to the masses.

Here in Greater Boston area as you all know, TAGB makes every effort to keep its age old traditions, cultures, arts and art forms alive. As part of this attempt, we invited Smt Savithri Jayanthi, an eminent Bhagavatharini (Harikatha artist). She did more than 3000 performances around the world since 1992. She is a disciple of Sri Rajasekharuni Laxmipathi Rao and Sri Vadlamani Narasimha dasu. She is also the member of Annamayya Project-TTD, Tirupathi.

Her breath taking performance 'Gajendra Moksham' a popular story in Bhagavatham, an epic on how an elephant called 'Gajendra' attained salvation praying to Lord Vishnu after a 1000 years of fight to save himself from the clutches of Makara (Crocodile). Smt Savithri Jayanthi did a commendable job in seamlessly explaining the story with numerous poems, melodious songs and narration of short stories in the form of Harikatha. The 150 plus audience jam applauded her efforts multiple times during the performance.

We thank all our wonderful volunteers for sponsoring and helping in making the prasadam. We also would like to acknowledge all the generous cash donations to support the artists travel. Plentiful support like this from the community not only helps in keeping our arts and art forms alive but nurtures it to grow to the benefit of future generations by imbibing truth and righteousness in the minds and sowing the seed of devotion.

On behalf of TAGB Executive Committee, Shankar Magapu President TAGB specially thanked Sri Bhaskar Gupta Karpurapu and Sri Venkat Pappala for all the help extended in executing this event successfully. Sri Srinivas Bala for introducing Smt Savithri Jayanthi to the audience. Sri Raja Chilakamarri for facilitating this event.

Â· NESSP - Sri Saibaba temple team to let us use their facility to conduct the event