Deccan Herald, India
Dec 20 2008

Srinivas spreads Gandhian message through ghazals

Hyderabad, PTI:

This singer from Andhra Pradesh, popularly known as ‘Ghazal Srinivas,’
who made it to the Guinness World Records by singing in most number of
languages at a single concert, is now on a mission to promote world
peace and propagate Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals…

He is a peace activist of a different kind, who does not hold protests
but spreads Mahatma Gandhi’s message through his Ghazals and songs.

This singer from Andhra Pradesh, popularly known as ‘Ghazal Srinivas,’
who made it to the Guinness World Records by singing in most number of
languages at a single concert, is now on a mission to promote world
peace and propagate Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of truth, non-violence,
peace and satyagraha.

After accomplishing the Guinness record by paying a musical tribute to
Gandhiji by singing in 100 different languages in Vijayawada in June
this year, Srinivas now wants to spread the Satyagraha philosophy
across the globe through his songs.

"The Gandhian philosophy should be made known to the world and I am
trying my bit to spread the Mahatma’s message by singing the songs in
global languages," Srinivas said.

"Gandhiji’s message can guide the younger generation in creating a
peace-loving world. Gandhiji is not the past but the future for the
world," the singer feels.

Srinivas, who himself penned the peace song in Telugu, got it
translated into 100 languages — 56 Indian and 44 foreign.

Srinivas said that he was awaiting a communication from the
Rashtrapati Bhavan where he would render some of these peace songs in
January.

President Pratibha Patil would release an audio CD ‘The Path of
Mahatma Gandhi’ consisting of these peace songs in 100 languages and
also launch a website on the same name during the proposed function,
he added. After this, Srinivas would like to embark on peace concerts
in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran and other Gulf
countries. Besides, he would also sing at peace concerts at the United
Nations and Chicago in the middle of next year.

"I had sung in 100 languages at Vijayawada, but, only 76 languages
were taken into consideration for Guinness record, because the length
of each song should be of at least two minutes as per their
stipulation," he said.

Srinivas, who also composed the music for the songs, would like to
break his own Guinness record by singing in 150 languages at his
native Palakollu in West Godavari district on February 3 next — his
mother’s birthday.

Srinivas said that he worked for about 13 months along with language
experts to get his song ‘Bapuji kanna bangaru kalalu saakaram cheyali
sakala janulu’ (Meaning: All people should realise the golden dreams
that were dreamt by Bajuji-Gandhiji) has been translated into Hindi,
English, German, Arabic, Tibetan and several other global languages.

"I found difficulty in singing in Armenian language due to the
pronunciation of words. It took me almost five hours to record the
song finally," Srinivas recalled.

Despite such difficulties, he does not want to stop here and says he
would attempt to sing in at least 300 different languages.

Srinivas, through his Ghazal concerts since 1986, has enthralled
audiences in countries like US, England, Singapore, Malaysia,
Australia, Dubai and gave over 6,000 performances.

Srinivas also renders Hindi and Urdu ghazals during his performances
and uses only ‘Kanjeera’ instrument as his music accompaniment.

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