Wizard of whistles

Lip rhythms

From a mere performer in his formative years to a reasonable accomplisher in his early career, and to an accomplished whistle artiste who is revered internationally, K Siva Prasad has indeed come a long way.

In his own words, “In my formative years, I was trying to whistle as I would see my brother doing so; then I was just a performer. When I experimented whistling gradually for various genres of music, including films, I began to believe I was on the right path. Eventually, when a human whistle became the central point of a three-hour-long concert, accompanied by proven and traditional instruments, and when my whistle stood out at its pitch, I felt I had become an artiste.”

On rewind

Artistes have an arduous journey and Siva Prasad was no exception. It all started  when he, a young boy of 12, got an opportunity to whistle in a temple premises in his hometown Bapatla in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. To his fortune, as destiny ordained, Kona Prabhakara Rao, a former governor of Maharashtra, watched his talent and supported him to promote his art.

“He is my mentor, guide and philosopher for the art of whistling. He also introduced me to the legendary Carnatic vocalist Balamuralikrishna, for whom I have a high regard. He helped me to present and hone my art further.”

Despite the support of a few well-wishers, he had to struggle to make his art acceptable, and establish himself in the society. “But with consistent sadhana, the artiste wins over the heart of the world and becomes the breath of their souls,” says Prasad. “When you recapitulate the journey, though difficult in reality, appears and sounds like a lullaby when the art is established. Today, I’m very happy about it.”

“The discouragement I got in the initial stages is now taken over by accolades. Every time I perform, the standing ovation I get is a salutation to my art and a testimony to the popularity of this art.”

Perhaps he was destined to pursue whistling. That explains his strength to face all the challenges initially. “Whistling is an art bestowed upon me directly by the cosmos,” he believes. “It’s a gift of God that I was born in a family of musicians. My uncle, Padmashree K Chandrasekharan, purchased all the gramophone records in those days and played it in my house for hours together,” Prasad says.

What keeps the 60-year-old artiste going? He smiles and says, “You know, there is never a dull moment in an artiste’s world. There is always so much to riyaaz. I engage my mind in search of innovative ideas to improve my art. I listen to music, read its lyrics and grasp the very essence in them.” Sometimes he likes to cherish his memories of yesteryears.

“What keeps me responsible and attentive are those moments when I performed before former prime minister Indira Gandhi for one hour; at the Festival of India in Moscow in the years 1988-89; and in the divine presence of Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, for over 90 minutes,” he reminisces.

Dreaming big

Siva Prasad is happy to have completed a few milestones. He released ‘Mera Bharat Mera Saas (My Nation My Breath)’ on Independence Day this year. He entered the Limca Book of World Records in 1991, and was the first whistle artiste in the world to do so.

He has travelled to 25 countries and has performed in over 10,000 concerts across the globe. But his real dream is to train the youth in this art and pass it on to all the generations to come. “I feel I have a certain responsibility by following the foot prints of masters of yesteryears. To sustain the tradition of guru-shishya parampara. I have already floated Bharatha Bharathi Music Trust to carry on my mission. Besides, a syllabus is being drafted and notes prepared for this unique art. I am sure I will achieve my dreams.”

“Just as naada has no language and no verses (except the flow of celestial melody), whistling will continue to flow, embracing all languages and cultures, dismantling all kinds of barriers,” he says.