This concept of Gosti Ganam was the brainchild of Nedunuri garu. When he started writing notations in a systematic way for the Ramadasu keerthanas he came up with an idea. The idea was to perform group singing of a set of selected songs from the keerthanas in line with the Pancharatna keerthanas sung at Thiruvaiyaru Thyagaraja Uthsavam. He selected nine songs and named them Navaratna keerthanas (Nine gems). He chose the number 9 according to the birth thithi (Navami) of Lord Sri Rama.
The first Gosti Ganam was performed in a small group at the Kalyana Mandapam where Seetharama Kalyana Uthsavam is held every year at Bhadrachalam. There was also a live telecast in SVBC Channel.
The success of the event impressed the temple authorities so much that they suggested to carry the following ART festivals at the Chitrakuta Mandapam within the temple premises. The atmosphere of Chitrakuta Manadapam added to the grandeur of the Uthsavam. A procession is held before the Gosti Ganam where the idols (Uthsava Vigrahas) are brought down to the Chithrakuta mandapam amongst veda patanam and Nadaswara Vaadyam which adds divinity to the ART festival.
The trust conducts Workshops on the Navaratna Keerthanas regularly to ensure uniformity in Gosti Ganam.
