Jayalakshmi Mata - Bhajans - a recollection

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Dear Friends

 

Jaya Guru Datta

 

The Datta Jayanti festival was superb. It marked a new beginning in

Devotional music chapter. Jayalakshmi Mata's Bhajans were published in

a book called SRI KRISHNA JAYA. The bhajans are very simple, lucid,

easy to understand and the tune is catchy and heart warming. They were

written in simple Kannada language. Most of the Bhajans are on Lord

Krishna. When one reads them. one can easily feel who is the Krishna

in her life. It is as though Yoshoda is singing on her Krishna. For

Jayalakshmi Mata to be in the slpendor of Mekedatu region, to watch

Sri Swamiji grow up as a child must have been a divine experience.

 

I must mention here that upon continous search for all things

Jayalakshmi Mata, with the great assistance of Smt.Parvatamma (younger

sister of Jayalakshmi Mata) we chanced upon the great discovery of the

Bhagavatha Book which Jayalakshmi Mata used to read. In that book she

has penned Kannada couplets, Shlokas, Bhajans in each page which

contains the message of the story of that page. Many compositions are

on Lord Krishna's child Leelas. The choice of words smoothen the mind,

the alliteration, the grandeur and the mejestic movement of the tune

is soul stirring.

 

Just imagine - in the mid 40s when India exuded the old world charm

(which to a large extent is still prevelent in Mekedatu today) -

Jayalakshmi Mata carrying the baby and walking on the sand bed along

the swifit flowing arkavathy river. The sound of the river flow must

have been her rhythm base as she hummed the tune and sang the song.

The divine child on her hips must have enjoyed the sway of the walk,

the songs of Krishna and the nature all around.

 

Sri Swamiji recollected the songs and the tunes in a very short span

of time. I felt that it just gushed out. During the travel in

MAuritius and Madagascar Sr i Swamiji penned them down - remembering

from his memory of the distant times. It was indeed amazing to watch

Sri Swamiji carrying the book almost everywhere. On airplanes, in car

travels etc.,

 

It was even wonderful that the release of the book and a three day

Jayalakshmi Mata Bhajan festival to he held along the Datta Jayanti

festival. Three eminent singers of Kannada Bhajans in Karnataka were

invited to come and sing 15 Bhajans each. I must confess that each

singer excelled the other. Puttur Narasimha Nayak for his deep and

sonorous voice, Sri SHankar Shanbhague for his vibrant and gusto voice

and keeping the audience as part of his performance and finally Smt.

Sangeetha Katti Kulakarni who with her mellifluous and soft vice just

captured the essence of the Bhajans and the hearts of the audience. On

that day Sri Swamiji and Bala Swamiji explained the meaning of each

song after Smt. Sangeetha Katti sang the Bhajan.

 

The Sri Krishna Jaya - book was published in Kannada, Telugu and

English Language simultaneously. Sri Shankar, Retired English

Professor of Mysore University has started the translation of the

meaning of these Bhajans in to english. It is expected to be published

by Maha Shivaratri festival - held in Mysore Ashrama on 16th February

2007

 

Recently we met several relatives of Jayalakshmi Mata in different

circumstances and places. Even a relative (cousin) who is now 90

years, vividly recalled the marriage of Jayalakshmi Mata. More of that

in coming days.

 

 

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Music washes away from the soul the "Dust" called everyday life