.jpg)
Kinnera is a two-stringed instrument made using indigenous materials like bamboo, dried outer shell of round bottle gourd, honeycomb, bull horn, beads, mirrors and peacock feathers. His ancestors made the Kinnera with seven, eight or nine strings. He was the first to make a Kinnera with 12 strings. His forefathers used women's hair, horse-tail hair and even animal nerves as the strings. He replaced the nerves with metal strings. Mogulaiah learned the art of playing Kinnera from his father Yellaiah. He had started traveling with his father from the age of eight. Now, Mogulaiah has been singing folk tales of local heroes for over five decades, heroes who all helped the poor like Pandugolla Sayanna, Endavetla Pakiraiah and Miya Saab, all of whom helped the poor.[1]
Mogulaiah's forefathers are believed to have played the Kinnera in the court of the Raja of Wanaparthy about 400 years ago. Wanaparthy Samsthanam or Raja of Wanaparthy was a vassal of the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was one of the three important Samsthanams, the other two being Gadwal Samsthanam and Jatprole Samsthanam. He has sung a part of the title song of the 2022 Telugu language action drama film, Bheemla Nayak directed by Saagar K Chandra and starring Pawan Kalyan.[1]
Taking Mogulaiah's legacy forward
Mogulaiah's second son Mahender accompanies his father for the Kinnera performances in cultural programs held in different parts of the country. Mahender is now learning to play Kinnera and taking his father's legacy forward.
