N. Lalitha Bhanu

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N. Lalitha Bhanu
Carnatic vocalist
Carnatic vocalist
Background information
Birth nameNarayana Bhagavathar Lalitha
Born(1931-08-19)19 August 1931
Thiruvananthapuram
OriginChennai
Died20 August 2020(2020-08-20) (aged 89)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
GenresFilm music (playback singing), Indian classical music
Occupation(s)Singer
InstrumentsVocalist
Years active1950–1997

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[]

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[]

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[]

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[]

No. Song Language Film Year Co-Singers Music Lyrics
1 Vaanam Kumuruthamma Tamil Ponmudi 1950 U. R. Chandra G. Ramanathan
2 O Raja O Rani Manthiri Kumari A. P. Komala
3 Malar Ser Manimaalai Chandrika V. Dakshinamoorthy P. Bhaskaran
4 Choriyuka Madhumaari Nilaave Malayalam
5 Anaivarum Varuveer Tamil Amma 1952 Group Chidambaram Varadarajan
6 Varuga Varuga Yen Sodharikarl
7 Meelaa Thuyaraamo...Kangal Irandum En Thangai C. N. Pandurangan Narasimhan
8 Naalukku Naal Paarkira Podhe A. Maruthakasi
9 Penmani Nalla Kanmani Petrathai 1953 Ghantasala Pendyala Nageshwara Rao M. S. Subramaniam
10 Anjana Sreedhara Malayalam Ponkathir 1953 Br Lakshmanan
11 Aanandavaasam Amaravilaasam Group Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
12 Pranayamohana Swapnam Gokulapalan
13 Sukhame Sukhame Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma
14 Paarirulmoodi Paathayaake
15 Ullaasam Ulakellam Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma, Mehboob
16 Povukanaam Gokulapalan
17 Manoharamithaha Avakasi 1954
18 En Jeevitha Sukhamaya Kamukara Purushothaman
19 Kaliyodamithil
20 Vava En Deva
21 Tharani Thanga Nilave
22 Anjana Sreedhara Tamil Irulukkup Pin Nagai Mani
22 Kaarirul Moodi
24 Paadu Mohanamai Padu
25 Aananda Vasam Amara Vilasam
26 Vandaadum Poovea Malarsolai
27 Sugame sugam Sorkka Sugame
28 Mathura Mohana Inba Ninaivaal Kamukara Purushothaman
29 Ullasam Ulagellam Uyirum Jikki, Kamukara Purushothaman
30 Laali Jaya Laali Chandraharam Ghantasala Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
31 Telugu Pingali Nagendra Rao
32 En Jeevitha Sukam Tamil Avan Yaar Kamukara Purushothaman Br Lakshman Kambadasan
33 Manoharam Idhaahaa
34 Abalai Naan Thayanithiye Viduthalai Lakshman Raghunath Velavan

List of Carnatic songs[]

All these songs are available on You Tube.

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[]

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[]

Lalitha was married to Bhanu Bharadwaj. The couple had 2 daughters, Mathangi Rajan and Kalyani Bhanu, and one son Anand Bhanu.

Death[]

She died on 20 August 2020 at Chennai due to old age. She was 89.[1]

Bibliography[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Tribute to a veteran singer". The Hindu. 11 September 2020. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "List of Malayalam Songs sung by Ganabhooshanam N Lalitha". Archived from the original on 14 June 2021.

External links[]

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