Mangaluru: A musical team in Mangaluru has secured a place in the Golden Book of World Records after performing continuous singing for an extraordinary 40 hours. The event, titled Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, was organised at the Mangaluru Town Hall by Shodashi Foundation as a tribute to legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar. The programme was led by Golden Book of World Records holder and Zee Kannada Sa Re Ga Ma fame Yashwanth M G.
A two-day musical marathon
The marathon began at 2:00 am on November 18, inaugurated by DYSP Mahesh Kumar, and continued without a break until 6:10 pm on November 19. More than 130 singers participated, performing Kishore Kumar’s evergreen classics in a nonstop relay that celebrated the singer’s timeless influence on Indian music.
Renowned singers from across Karnataka contributed to the performances, turning the event into a grand musical festival that attracted music lovers throughout the two days.
Golden Book of World Records recognition
The Golden Book of World Records certificate was formally handed over to Shodashi Foundation by Manish Bishnoi of the organisation, in the presence of MLA Vedavyas Kamath.
Speaking at the event, MLA Kamath lauded the initiative, stating that such unique musical experiments should be encouraged. He observed that while continuous bhajans are common in temples, they often remain undocumented due to spiritual traditions. He assured full support for similar innovative cultural programmes in future.
Dignitaries laud performers
Dr Shivaram K Bhandary, addressing the gathering, congratulated the singers and organisers. He emphasised that passion and dedication are essential for achieving milestones of this scale.
Music director Manikanth Kadri expressed pride in being associated with the record-setting event and suggested future marathons featuring songs of S P Balasubrahmanyam and Dr Rajkumar.
The introductory address was delivered by Bharath Kamath.
During the event, several individuals were felicitated, including Yashwanth M G, Manish Vishnoi, Lanchulal, Manikanth Kadri, Ramesh Chandra, Srikant Kamath, Venugopal Puttur, Ranjan Das, Vishwas Gurupur, Satish Ira and Dr Shivaram Bhandary.
Dignitaries present included Dr Manish Vishnoi, Dr Shivaram K Bhandary, Ramesh Chandra, Ramesh K Patil, Anil Shetty Soorinje, Manohar Shetty, Gopal Krishna, Bharath Kamath, Manikanth Kadri and others.
A celebration of music and endurance
The two-day marathon not only highlighted the timeless appeal of Kishore Kumar’s music but also showcased the dedication of Karnataka’s musical community. The organisers stated that more such thematic events are planned to continue promoting musical heritage. The success of Gaata Rahe Mera Dil marks a proud moment for Mangaluru’s cultural landscape.