AKKA Charity - 2005 Kannada Manoranjani Report

AKKA’s altruistic, ambitious Manoranjani just concluded in Detroit with its final staging. And what a magnificent endeavor it has been! Manoranjani boasts of being the first of its kind in Kannada a variety entertainment tour. Kannadigas from thirteen major cities across United States were fortunate enough to enjoy the talents of Srimati B.R. Chaya, Srimati Sudha Baragur, Sri Ramprasad, Sri Ramesh Aravind and Srimati Shailaja Santosh in their own backyards. Not only has Manoranjani transported us along with tickling our funny bones, but is also a pecuniary success.

This should set the trend for future cultural exchanges under the auspices of AKKA. Contemporary cultural trends in Karnataka can reach the expatriates across the waters directly from the icons responsible for them; a piece of homeland periodically transported for the cultural benefit of western Kannadigas. The response to Manoranjani has been tremendous! Kannadigas quickly recognized its inherent multiple benefits an evening of splendid entertainment, the proceeds of which would bolster faltering schools in Karnataka. They not only came, but also generously opened their purses. Smt. B.R. Chaya, Smt. Sudha Baragur, Sri Ramprasad, Sri Ramesh Aravind, Smt. Shailaja Santosh and Sri. Padmapani, all, very busy stars in Karnataka. The astounding fact that these professional entertainers set aside a little over a month in their busy careers, and free of charge, traveled constantly across the country to entertain Kannadigas in thirteen cities is a testament to their civic mindedness. Words fail us in the attempt to express our gratitude.

Srimati B.R.Chaya possesses a powerful, yet fine voice of the most distinctive timbre. Her repertoire consists of old movie melodies as well as folk songs. Her Oh nanna desha bhandavare brought the auditorium literally to its feet! Srimati Sudha Baragur’s wit is of the kind that can see humor in ordinary everyday happenings. Her standup comedy takes us back to rustic lanes, palm trees, village schools, familial interactions, Karnataka delicacies, examination questionnaires, etc. Smt Baragur, at times, quickly adapts her material to western culture and insights. Sri Ramprasad’s rendition is a labor of love. He has lived in Cleveland and San Jose for years nurturing a career in software programming. But the pull of music was too strong. It was his special niche. How many are fortunate enough to discover their special calling in life? He gives us movie melodies of yesteryears in his polished voice to transport us to another time; which is not to say that he
steers clear of the recent hits. Srimati Shailaja Santosh’s is a familiar, enquiring and comforting presence on the Udaya channel. Her pertinent curiosity teases out the very essence of her subjects. Her body of work covers a wide range of subjects over seventeen years. Sri Ramesh Aravind is a veteran of the Kannada screen by now. His movie roles are many and multifaceted. He has that special quality which draws the audience and involves it in what is transpiring on the stage. The two become contiguous in a memorable experience. It was a veritable treat to meet these celebrities in person and enjoy their special talents. Padmapani was behind the scene star for the whole event. Padmapani provided backgrond music composed for each song by himself played using the iPOD - it was amazing how he handled the auido set up to provided to him to produce the quality program

Manoranjani will immensely benefit the struggling schools in Karnataka. The collections from different programs are currently being pooled, and once the financial records are compiled a complete report will be available at akkaonline.org. AKKA wishes to thank all the donors and Kannadigas who attended Manoranjani. This whole experience has been very rewarding.

A final report of the accounts from this Manoranjani program will be posted soon and the progress of the Charity work will be posted periodically on this website

Thanks to all those who worked very hard for past few months to make this a huge success.

Dr. Kudur Murali
AKKA President