N. Lalitha Bhanu
N. Lalitha Bhanu | |
|---|---|
 Carnatic vocalist | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Narayana Bhagavathar Lalitha |
| Born | 19 August 1931 Thiruvananthapuram |
| Died | 20 August 2020 (aged 89) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Genres | Film music (playback singing), Indian classical music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1950–1997 |
Lalitha Bhanu was a Carnatic singer. She has also sung a few songs for Malayalam and Tamil films as a playback singer.[1]
Early life[edit]
Lalitha was born at Trivandrum, Kerala, as the daughter of Narayana Bhagavathar and Parvathy ammal on 19 August 1931.
Her father, Narayana Bhagavathar was a violinist and one of the three Trivandrum Brothers. The brothers were Asthana Vidwans (in-house musicians) at the Royal Palace of Trivandrum.
She learnt her initial lessons from K. R. Kumaraswamy. Afterwards she joined the Swati Tirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer was the principal of this college. She received training directly from him.
When the family moved from Trivandrum to Madras (now Chennai), Srinivasa Iyer directed her to Musiri Subramania Iyer. She learned many Kritis for about 8 years from Musiri Subramania Iyer. Musiri even made Lalitha sing all the varnams in his own style, thereby imbibing in her the “Musiri bhani”.
She learnt many kritis from Papanasam Sivan,[2]
Music career[edit]
Her first public concert was staged at Mavelikkara (Kerala). She was an artiste in All India Radio and sang for almost 50 years at various radio stations of the AIR including Pondichery and Chennai. She had performed at the Tyagaraja Aradhana.
Playback singer[edit]
Lalitha had sung in a few Malayalam and Tamil films as a playback singer. She began her film career with Ponkathir, a Malayalam language film released in 1953. The traditional song "Anjana Sreedhara" was a hit.[3] When this film was made in Tamil with the title Irulukkuppin she sang for that too. She has sung under several music directors including Br Lakshmanan, V. Dakshinamoorthy, G. Ramanathan, Ghantasala, Pendyala Nageshwara Rao and C. N. Pandurangan.
List of film songs[edit]
 |
| Year | Film | Language | Song | Lyrics | Music | Co-Singers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Ponmudi | Tamil | Vaanam Kumuruthamma | G. Ramanathan | U. R. Chandra | |
| 1950 | Manthiri Kumari | Tamil | O Raja O Rani | G. Ramanathan | P. Leela & U. R. Chandra | |
| 1950 | Chandrika | Tamil | Malar Ser Manimaalai | P. Bhaskaran | V. Dakshinamoorthy | |
| 1950 | Chandrika | Malayalam | Choriyuka Madhumaari Nilaave | P. Bhaskaran | V. Dakshinamoorthy | |
| 1952 | Amma | Tamil | Anaivarum Varuveer | Chidambaram Varadarajan | V. Dakshinamoorthy | |
| Varuga Varuga Yen Sodharikarl | ||||||
| 1952 | Dharma Devatha | Telugu | Sukhamu Chilikinchu Aanandakiraname | C. R. Subburaman | ||
| Chinduleyavoyi Chinna Krishnayya | Samudrala Sr. | B. N. Rao & Jikki | ||||
| 1952 | Dharma Devathai | Tamil | Aananda Leelai Tharum | Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass | C. R. Subburaman | |
| Anbaai Odi Vaadaa | C. R. Subburaman & Jikki | |||||
| 1952 | En Thangai | Tamil | Meelaa Thuyaraamo...Kangal Irandum | Narasimhan | C. N. Pandurangan | |
| Naalukku Naal Paarkira Podhe | A. Maruthakasi | |||||
| 1953 | Petrathai | Tamil | Penmani Nalla Kanmani | M. S. Subramaniam | Pendyala Nageshwara Rao | Ghantasala |
| 1953 | Ponkathir | Malayalam | Anjana Sreedharaa | Traditional | Br Lakshmanan | |
| Aanandavaasam Amaravilaasam | Thirunainar Kurichi Madhavan Nair | |||||
| Pranayamohana Swapnam | Gokulapalan | |||||
| Sukhame Sukhame | Kamukara Purushothaman & Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma | |||||
| Paarirulmoodi Paathayaake | ||||||
| Ullaasam Ulakellam | Mehboob & Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma | |||||
| 1954 | Avakasi | Malayalam | Manoharamithaha | Thirunainar Kurichi Madhavan Nair | Br Lakshmanan | |
| En Jeevitha Sukhamaya | Kamukara Purushothaman | |||||
| Kaliyodamithil | Kamukara Purushothaman | |||||
| Vava En Deva | Kamukara Purushothaman | |||||
| Tharani Thanga Nilave | ||||||
| 1954 | Irulukkup Pin | Tamil | Anjana Sreedharaa | Nagai Mani | Br Lakshmanan | |
| Aananda Vasam Amara Vilasam | ||||||
| Mathura Mohana Inba Ninaivaal | Kamukara Purushothaman | |||||
| Sugame Sugam Sorkka Sugame | Kamukara Purushothaman & Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma | |||||
| Kaarirul Moodi | ||||||
| Ullasam Ulagellam Uyirum | Mehboob & Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma | |||||
| Paadu Mohanamai Padu | ||||||
| Vandaadum Poovea Malarsolai | ||||||
| 1954 | Chandraharam | Tamil | Laali Jaya Laali | Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass | Ghantasala | |
| 1954 | Chandraharam | Telugu | Laali Jaya Laali | Pingali Nagendra Rao | Ghantasala | |
| 1954 | Avan Yaar | Tamil | En Jeevitha Sukam | Kambadasan | Br Lakshmanan | Kamukara Purushothaman |
| Manoharam Idhaahaa | ||||||
| 1954 | Viduthalai | Tamil | Abalai Naan Thayanithiye | Velavan | Lakshman Raghunath | |
| 1952 | Kalam Marunnu | Malayalam | Ohoy Thathinanthanam | O. N. V. Kurup | G. Devarajan & Br Lakshmanan | K. S. George, K. Sulochana, P. Leela & Lekshmi |
| Ambili Muthachan | P. Leela & Lekshmi | |||||
| 1955 | Harishchandra | Malayalam | Kaattumulle Naanam Kaatteedalle | Thirunainar Kurichi Madhavan Nair | Br Lakshmanan | C. S. Radha Devi |
| 1956 | Avar Unarunnu | Malayalam | Paloli Poonila | Pala Narayanan Nair | V. Dakshinamoorthy | L. P. R. Varma |
| Puthughivitha Ha Kamitam | Kamukara Purushothaman |
List of Carnatic songs[edit]
|
All these songs are available on YouTube.
| No. | Kriti | Ragam | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elakudhaya | Sankarabharanam | Pallavi Duraiswami Iyer |
| 2 | Rama rama gunaseema | Simhendra madhyamam | Swathi Thirunal |
| 3 | Ma Janaki | Kambhoji | Saint Thyagaraja |
| 4 | Marivere Dikkevarayaa | Shanmugapriya | Patnam Subramanya Iyer |
| 5 | Namoralakimpavemi | Devagandhari | Saint Thyagaraja |
| 6 | Sarasijanapasodhari | Naagagandhari | Muthuswami Dikshithar |
| 7 | Kamajanaka | Gowlai | Swathi Thirunal |
| 8 | Parvatharajakumari | Sriranjani | Muthuswami Dikshithar |
| 9 | Jaya Jaya Raghurama | Sahana | Swathi Thirunal |
| 10 | Thaye Dayaipurivaye | Ranjani | Swarna Venkatesa Dikshithar |
| 11 | Smarajanaka | Behag | Swathi Thirunal |
Titles and awards[edit]
Lalitha Bhanu was conferred with the title "Ganabooshanam" and was presented with a Tambura (with an emblem of Swathi Tirunal) by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.[1]
Family life[edit]
Lalitha was married to Perumal Bhanu Bharadwaj. They had three children including two daughters and a son, Anand Bhanu Bharadwaj.
Death[edit]
She died on 20 August 2020 at Chennai.[1]
Bibliography[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Tribute to a veteran singer". The Hindu. 11 September 2020. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Of a different era". The Hindu. 10 April 2009. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. K. R. Kedarnath and T. M. Thiagarajan as well.
- ^ "List of Malayalam Songs sung by Ganabhooshanam N Lalitha". Archived from the original on 14 June 2021.
External links[edit]
- Lalitha Bhanu Interview on YouTube - in Malayalam language Amrita TV
- Anjana Sreedhara on YouTube - Her hit song from the film Ponkathir.
- Lalitha Bhanu sings at 83 years of age on YouTube - Meenakshi Memudam in Poorvikalyani raga.
- Carnatic concert on YouTube - (Duration 55:20) was probably performed sometime in the 1960s