Chetty Bhanumurthy

Chetty Bhanumurthy (born February 23, 1888; died January 6, 1973) was an Indian hymn writer whose hymns are found in the Hymnal in Telugu. He was also a Baptist pastor, a teacher and a college principal.

Studies

In 1915, Bhanumurthy discerned his avocation towards priesthood and decided to study for ministerial formation at the Serampore College, Serampore, a constituent college of the nation's first university. Bhanumurthy studied up to 1918, during the Principalship of George Howells. He was a candidate of the Canadian Baptist Mission/Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars and he obtained a Licentiate in Theology (L.Th.).

Theological teacher

Bhanumurthy was a pastor of the Canadian Baptist Mission/Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars in Andhra Pradesh. He also led the Principalship of the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada from 1945 to 1956 leading to its affiliation to the nation's first university, Senate of Serampore College (University) in 1946.

Bhanumurthy taught at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary in Ramayapatnam and later on moved to Kakinada where he taught at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Kakinada along with Muthyala Theophilus. During this time A. B. Masilamani joined the seminary for spiritual formation. In 1952, Bhanumurthy became principal of the seminary; he was succeeded three years later by Masilamani.

Hymns

Comparative religion scholar R. R. Sundara Rao, who researched at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, highlighted Bhanumurthy's literary standard, terming him as a pioneer hymn writer whose songs had the element of Bhakti. The Old Testament scholar, Victor Premasagar, was also enthused by the lyrical content in Bhanumurthy's compositions, especially Hymn Number 94 titled Yesuku Samanulevaru (Translated Who is equal to you Lord?) with direct reference to Psalm 71:19 and strikingly similar to Tyagaraja's composition in Kharaharapriya. Dayanandan Francis brings Bhanumurthy in the line of another Hymn writer, Puroshottam Choudhary and writes:

Like Choudari, Bhanumurti also is interested in picking up ideas, thought-forms and even ragas from popular Hindu poems and lyrics, while at the same time endeavouring to broaden the perspectives found in such religious literary forms with distinctive Christian ideas.

Roger E. Hedlund, the Missiologist writes that along with the Bible, the Christian Hymnal in Telugu also forms the main bulwark of Christian spiritual life for the Telugu folk and of equal use to both the non-literates and the literates as well. In such a context, it is noteworthy that sixteen of Bhanumurthy's compositions are found in the Christian Hymnal in Telugu with the following sequence:

• 9, Stuti Geethamu,
• 84, Neeti Suryudu,
• 87, Kreesthuku Namo Namo,
• 92, Yesu Sharanu,
• 94, Yesuku Samanulevaru,
• 116, Raraju Janmadinamu,
• 198, Siluva Balamu,
• 201, Yesu Shanthikarudu,
• 263, Kreesthu Sanghamunaku Sirassu,
• 361, Yesunaku Sakshulu,
• 406, Kreesthuni Vembadinchuta,
• 514, Kutumbaradhana,
• 522, Melukolupu,
• 524, Kraistava Yuvajanulara Kreesthu Koraku Nelavandi,
• 552, Abhinaya Christmas Geethamu,
• 579, Kruthagnathala Panduga