Publishes paper on endangered languages, giving insight into Walmiki and Malhar
A linguistics professor at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) has claimed to have discovered two languages spoken in a few pockets of Odisha and areas bordering Andhra Pradesh.
Panchanan Mohanty, former dean of UoH’s School of Humanities, published a paper in the proceedings of the XX Annual Conference of the Foundation for Endangered Languages, U.K. giving an insight into the two languages. One of them is Walmiki, spoken in Koraput district of Odisha and bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh, and the other, Malhar spoken in a remote, isolated hamlet located 165 km from Bhubaneswar.
Prof. Mohanty claims that Walmiki does not belong to a particular family of languages and its name is also interesting and indicative because the speech community claims descent from the great Indian saint-poet Valmiki. Malhar is spoken by a community consisting of about 75 people, including children, he adds.
“Fortunately, most of them are very fluent in this language because they live isolated from the Odia-speaking neighbours and survive on daily labour and collections from the nearby forest,” he points out.
He says preliminary data collected clearly shows that Malhar belongs to the North Dravidian subgroup of the Dravidian family of languages and has close affinity with the other North Dravidian languages like Malto and Kurux spoken in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.
“The team is trying to find if there are other speakers of Malhar in any of the nearby places apart from documenting both the languages before they become extinct,” he said in a statement from the UoH.
Prof. Mohanty is also the president of Linguistic Society of India and coordinator of the Centre for Endangered Languages and Mother Tongue Studies, UoH.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – April 07th, 2018
Fine pearls, pearls made of shell, shell-beads, and tortoise-shaped beads found
The Satavahana dynasty rulers had very good regular trade and cultural exchange programmes with all the countries in the world as was evident with the recovery of 40 fine pearls with holes and other material including metals during the excavations conducted by the State Archaeology and Museums at Peddabonkur village of Peddapalli district.
The department had launched the excavation works in a scientific manner in a sprawling 67 acres of land in the village since February 18 to unravel the history of Satavahana dynasty.
During the excavations for the first time the authorities had found the fine pearls, pearls made of shell, shell-beads, tortoise-shaped beads, gold-plated pearls, mud pearls, crystals, bangles, pottery, measurement pottery, dice made of bones, horn of deer, metal products etc.
Director of Archeology and Museums N.R. Visalakshi, who inspected the excavations on Wednesday, told newsmen that the recovery of pearls and other materials indicate that the Satavahana rulers were prosperous 2,000 years ago. The recovery of pearls and other materials show that they had trade and cultural relations with other parts of the world.
She said that they had unearthed pottery dump-yard and huge collection of pottery during the excavations. The coins and metals recovered from the spot would be sent for metallurgical survey to conduct non-invasive survey to analyse when it was first fired and the textures etc. without causing damage to the metals, she added. All these recoveries were collected after conducting excavations for 30 cm to 60 cm depth.
During the earlier excavations in the village in 1968 and 1973-74, the department had unearthed brick constructions, brick wells and the coins used by the Satavahanas, Mauryas and Romans.
She said that they were taking up the excavations in a scientific manner to preserve the ancient history and legacy of the Satavahana dynasty. She added that they would further continue excavations in coordination with district administration.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Peddubonkur (Peddapalli)- March 29th, 2018
General Bussy enjoyed an unassailable position in the Nizam’s court
If Pondicherry was a colonial trading pocket for the French, Hyderabad by the middle of the 18th century became their nerve centre of great political activity much before the British could establish their power in this part of the country.
The French were the first European power in Hyderabad state to have huge territorial gains when they were granted the Circars (present coastal Andhra) for their military support to the Nizam, thus becoming the forerunner for the Subsidiary Alliance the British replicated decades later.
The architect of this French policy of Indirect Rule in Hyderabad was the indomitable General Bussy, the French commander, who at the express orders of Dupleix, the Governor of Pondicherry, arrived in Hyderabad in February, 1751 at the head of a strong French contingent. It was Bussy who declared Salabath Jung as the new Nizam, after the murder of Muzafar Jung. Bussy enjoyed an unassailable position in the Nizam’s court at Hyderabad.
War of succession
After the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk the first Asaf Jah, in May 1748, there was political turmoil in Hyderabad due to war of succession among his immediate descendants.
The Nizam had six sons and an equal number of daughters. Ghazi ud din, the first son was a representative of his father at the Imperial Mughal court in Delhi and was not inclined to be his father’s successor. The second son, Nasir Jung therefore proclaimed himself as the Nizam of Hyderabad. But an ambitious, Muzafar Jung, grandson of the dead Nizam, (son of his favorite daughter, Khairunnisa begum) claimed the throne for himself.
The French governor at Pondicherry, General Dupleix, saw an opportunity to fish in troubled waters at Hyderabad.
There was also a war of succession brewing at Arcot, where Chanda Sahib laid claims to the Nawabi as successor to his father-in-law, Anwar ud din, against the claims of Mohammad Ali, Anwar ud din’s son. Dupleix decided to side Chanda Sahib at Arcot and Muzafar at Hyderabad.
He asked Muzafar Jung to come to Arcot to first settle the dispute there, promising to make him the Nizam at Hyderabad later.
Muzafar and French armies under Dupleix defeated Anwar ud din in a battle at Ambur and Chanda Saheb was declared as Nawab of Arcot.
The British at Madras who wanted to arrest the growing French power, advised Nasir Jung, the Nizam to come to south to check Muzafar- Dupleix nexus. Nasir Jung accordingly went with his forces but when engaged in a fight, was killed in one of the minor skirmishes near Arcot on 25 December, 1750. Muzafar Jung immediately was declared the Nizam of Hyderabad by Dupleix.
Victorious Muzafar was taken in great pomp by Dupleix to Pondicherry where a grand Durbar for the new Nizam was held. Muzafar was toasted, feasted and entertained by the French General.
In return, Muzafar was so pleased that he made Dupleix as a jagirdar of Villianallur with a personal grant of 80 villages. He also conferred the title, “Subedar”, and the French governor was happy to be addressed as Dupleix Sahib. After a month of festivities, and French hospitality, Muzafar set out to Hyderabad accompanied by a strong French contingent sent for protection by Dupleix headed by his close confident and an able commander, General Bussy.
However, on way back to Hyderabad, Muzafar Jung, 38 days after becoming the Nizam, was treacherously murdered in a spine chilling melodrama. As the contingent came close to Cuddapah and entered Lakkireddypalle pass, Muzafar was assassinated on February 3, 1751, by the Nawab of Kurnool, who earlier supported him but was disillusioned when the new Nizam, he thought, was not keen to keep the promises made.
An astute diplomat that he was, Bussy continued his journey with his French armies to Hyderabad and made Salabath Jung, an younger brother of Nasir Jung as the new Nizam. The death of Muzafar and the march of French armies to Hyderabad through the territories carrying fire and thunder under Bussy, made him such an object of terror that even now in the Telugu States the mothers try to silence their crying babies with the arrival of “Booochi”, a corrupted version for Bussy!
Marquis de Bussy worked under Dupleix at Pondicherry for a long time. He married Marie, a step daughter of Dupleix. His arrival in Hyderabad marks a new era of French connections with Hyderabad and the northern Circars.
Bussy wanted to make use of the opportunity to the best of the French advantage as the new Nizam, Salabath Jung was at his mercy. He decided to stay back with his army to give protection to the Nizam. His army consisted of 900 European and 4000 of sepoys and was a strong instrument of war fare.
In order to meet the expenses for the maintenance of army, estimated at ₹21 lakhs a year, Bussy got the entire coastal Andhra, from Guntur to Srikakulam, which yielded an annual income of ₹31 lakhs. Masulipatam and Yanam were granted as personal jagirs to Bussy.
Charminar as home
When Bussy arrived in Hyderabad, as there was no immediate accommodation worthy of his position and importance, he decided to put up in the very Charminar, the majestic, sturdy and the “tallest structure in the entire city”, then. Huge curtains were tied on all sided making Charminar as his home.
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah who built Charminar in 1591 must not have ever dreamt that it would one day serve as home to a French General, Bussy. When the beautiful Charmahal on the banks of Musi got readied, Bussy shifted there and Salabath Jung built Khilwath Mahal (part of Chowmahal palace complex) for his own stay. Charmahal, where Bussy finally shifted to, was a multi floored beautiful palace with cloth of gold used as door curtains, (Charmahal stood on the grounds where now the High court buildings are located.)
When the Seven Years War ( 1756- 73) broke out in Europe, the French and English armies in India also started to fight. Robert Clive buoyed by his stunning victory at Plassey in 1757, sent Col. Forde who with his armies occupied Northern Circars, held by the French.
Count de Lally, the French General who arrived from France to fight the English, on reaching Pondicherry, recalled Bussy from Hyderabad to make a combined attack on the British at Madras. However, in the battle at Wandiwash, the French armies were defeated and both Lally and Bussy were taken prisoners. They were let off later and Pondicherry was returned to the French.
The French influence in Hyderabad steeply declined on the departure of Bussy. His name is immortalised in the Hyderabad dominions for his participation in the famous Bobbili battle that took place in January, 1757.
Bussy supported Vijayarama Raju of Vizianagaram in vanquishing Bobbili. There is a street in Yanam today named after Bussy. He became the French governor at Pondicherry two years before he died in 1785. Thus, while Bussy’s rise in Hyderabad heralded the high watermark of French power in India, his withdrawal from here marked the collapse of its political power.
After the departure of Bussy from Hyderabad, the British with the tacit agreement with Shah Alam, the Mughal emperor, deposed Salabath in September and made his younger brother, Nizam Ali Khan as the new Nizam in 1762. Salabath Jung was imprisoned by the new Nizam in the fort at Bidar, and was killed a year later.
By recognizing Nizam Ali as Asaf Jah II, the Mughal emperor has derecognized the three predecessors, Nasir Jung, Muzafar Jung and Salabath Jung who all had violent deaths as the rulers, though between them they had a rule of 14 long years from the death of Nizam ul Mulk in 1748 up to the accession of Nizam Ali II in 1762. If those three Nizams were also counted, there were ten Nizams who ruled Hyderabad ; and the last Nizam, Osman Ali Khan must have been the X th Nizam and not the VII, as he is generally considered.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by K S Seshan / March 24th, 2018
The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.
The Dravidian language family, consisting of 80 varieties spoken by nearly 220 million people across southern and central India, originated about 4,500 years ago, a study has found.
This estimate is based on new linguistic analyses by an international team, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany, and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.
The researchers used data collected first-hand from native speakers representing all previously reported Dravidian subgroups. The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, match with earlier linguistic and archaeological studies.
South Asia, reaching from Afghanistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east, is home to at least six hundred languages belonging to six large language families, including Dravidian, Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan.
The Dravidian language family, consisting of about 80 language varieties (both languages and dialects) is today spoken by about 220 million people, mostly in southern and central India, and surrounding countries.
The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.
Along with Sanskrit, Tamil is one of the world’s classical languages, but unlike Sanskrit, there is continuity between its classical and modern forms documented in inscriptions, poems, and secular and religious texts and songs, they said.
“The study of the Dravidian languages is crucial for understanding prehistory in Eurasia, as they played a significant role in influencing other language groups,” said Annemarie Verkerk of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
Neither the geographical origin of the Dravidian language nor its exact dispersal through time is known with certainty.
The consensus of the research community is that the Dravidians are natives of the Indian subcontinent and were present prior to the arrival of the Indo-Aryans (Indo-European speakers) in India around 3,500 years ago.
Researchers said that it is likely that the Dravidian languages were much more widespread to the west in the past than they are today.
In order to examine questions about when and where the Dravidian languages developed, they made a detailed investigation of the historical relationships of 20 Dravidian varieties.
Study author Vishnupriya Kolipakam of the Wildlife Institute of India collected contemporary first-hand data from native speakers of a diverse sample of Dravidian languages, representing all the previously reported subgroups of Dravidian.
The researchers used advanced statistical methods to infer the age and sub-grouping of the Dravidian language family at about 4,000-4,500 years old.
This estimate, while in line with suggestions from previous linguistic studies, is a more robust result because it was found consistently in the majority of the different statistical models of evolution tested in this study.
This age also matches well with inferences from archaeology, which have previously placed the diversification of Dravidian into North, Central, and South branches at exactly this age, coinciding with the beginnings of cultural developments evident in the archaeological record.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Science / by PTI / Berlin – March 21st, 2018
Glory atop Muhammad Saleem (in blue shirt) putting together pieces of the finial on top of the Hakims’ tomb. Serish Nanisetti
It’s the craftsmen who had kept alive the legacy of monuments
The dull rhythmic sound of a copper sheet being beaten into shape has a melody of its own. The tak-tak-tak-tak of the silver foil being beaten into slivers used in wrapping sweets and pans is predictable and heard often near Charminar and its surrounding areas. But that of copper sheets being beaten on the anvil has a different melody.
Near Chowk Masjid, the sound of copper and brass being beaten into shape and welded into vessels echoes over the urban cacophony, Azaan from various masjids and zipping vehicles. Inside an arched entrance is the small recessed room of Muhammad Saleem, one of the master craftsman and a coppersmith. “I have learnt it from my father who used to make similar objects. He used to make them in Basavakalyan. I have been making it here from the time I was a kid,” says Saleem.
He has made those tall tapering cones that adorn temples, dargahs, masjids and can be seen from great distances.
Presently, he is working on a finial; that involves cutting, beating and moulding into shape a copper sheet that weighs about 90 kilograms. “When I first mould it by hammering, it has a dull brown colour. I hammer it again to bring out the reddish shimmer which lasts longer if the copper is pure,” says Saleem about the 14-feet tall finial in 14 pieces that will be installed on Hakim’s Tomb at the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex. The finials moulded by him have been installed in Bidar, Gulbarga, Bijapur, and many places in Telangana besides a host of sites in Hyderabad.
Incidentally, all the 14 pieces will not be crafted by him. Two of the pieces are from the old finial that used to exist in the place. So, what Saleem has made has to blend in with what was made centuries ago. In the setting sun as all the copper pieces are laid out on the ground in a row, the difference of finish on the objects could be easily detected. So can the similarity. While the pieces made by Saleem have a freshness with the beaten pattern, the older pieces look plain. “I can create a finish like that. But this will retain the pattern as well as shine for a longer period of time,” says Saleem.
It is craftsmen and metalworkers like this who have played a role in creating and preserving monuments. History is replete with examples of conquerors who carted away wealth after their successful endeavour.
When Timur conquered Delhi in late 14th Century, his assistants not only calculated the treasure they were taking with them but took away with them master craftsmen, on the orders of their master.
“I ordered that all the artisans and clever mechanics who were masters of their respective crafts should be selected from among the prisoners and set aside, and accordingly some thousands of craftsmen were bidden to await my command All these I distributed among the princes and amirs who were present, or who were officially engaged in other parts of my dominions. I had determined to build a Jami’ Masjid in Samarkand, the seat of my empire, which should be without a rival in any country; and for this reason I ordered that all builders and stone-masons should be set apart for my own especial service,” wrote Timur.
A similar thing happened when the Northern sultanates conquered the Southern kingdom of Vijayanagara in 1565. Thousands of master craftsmen rendered jobless shifted to the wealthier northern kingdoms resulting an efflorescence of architecture and craftsmanship including in Golconda that we can now see and admire.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Serish Nanisetti / February 24th, 2018
Ramachandraiah is probably the last such singer left in A.P. and Telangana
Sakine Ramachandraiah could easily have been awarded honorary doctorate by any university. An unlettered man from Koonavaram village of Manuguru mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Ramachandraiah has oral histories of the Koya tribe on the tip of his tongue.
One only has to mention the story to have it cascade effortlessly from his vocal chambers, in Telugu as well as Koya language.
Belonging to the ‘Doli’ sub-division of the Koya tribe, which has been traditionally ordained with the duty of reciting the tribe’s clan histories, Ramachandraiah is probably the last such singer left in the two states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
“Some times, I cross the State border to perform in Chhattisgarh, where people want the songs in Koya language,” Ramachandraiah says.
He sings at marriages, at funerals, and he always sings at the biennial Medaram Jathara also known as the ‘Sammakka Saralamma Jathara’, which is touted as the world’s largest repeat congregation of tribal communities. The Medaram Jathara is to be held from January 31 to February 3 this year, at Eturunagaram of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
Gazette
The Doli community is described as ‘professional beggars’ among Koyas by the Godavari District Gazette of 1896. Though their duties are priest-like and along with ‘Oddis’— the superior priest class — they can be classified as the ‘literate’ in the tribe, their status is still considered ‘inferior’.
Doli men sing oral histories based on the ‘Padige’s or pictorial scrolls inherited by various communities over centuries.
“Earlier, Doli families used to live in a hamlet called ‘Soppala’.
Now, nobody lives there. Few are left who can recite oral histories as accurately as Ramachandraiah,” says Jayadhir Tirumala Rao, academic and researcher of tribal communities.
Prof. Tirumala Rao is spearheading a project to document the oral history of ‘Sammakka-Saralamma’ as told by Ramachandraiah, and he vouches that the story, if fleshed out from the myth it is enmeshed in, could substantially aid historical research.
“Sammakka-Saralamma story is about the war waged against the Kakatiya dynasty by tribal women who challenged king Prataparudra when he had levied tax on them for the tanks he had got constructed in their forests. The Koya tribe had then lived on hunting-gathering, and never cultivated any land.
So, the king sought to send outsiders into the forest for cultivation, which was the last straw on the camel’s back. This story comes out very clearly from the song recited by Ramachandraiah,” Prof. Tirumala Rao says.
Apart from ‘Sammakka-Saralamma’, the balladeer sings the stories of tribal warriors such as Gari Kamaraju, Pagididda Raju, Irama Raju, Gaadi Raju, Bapanamma, Musalamma, Nagulamma, Sadalamma and others. He also knows and recites the stories behind the endogamous tribal sub-divisions and their surnames. “Now, nobody wants to sing the stories. Even my own son refuses to follow the tradition,” Ramachandraiah laments.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Swathi Vadlamudi / January 10th, 2018
Ela Gandhi and Jayesh Ranjan inaugurating the store. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Information Technology secretary Jayesh Ranjan on Tuesday inaugurated the country’s first Mahatma Gandhi Mobile Digital Museum Store at Bapu Ghat in the city.
A joint venture of the Visual Quest India and Aditya Birla Group’s corporate social responsibility initiative Eternal Gandhi, the digital store is aimed at spreading Gandhi’s ideology and teachings. Souvenirs inspired by the ‘Father of the Nation’, crafted to reflect various facets of his life reflecting values of peace, truth and non-violence, would be put on sale. The income generated through the sale would be used for the mobile digital museum.
Gandhi’s granddaughter and former member of South African Parliament, Ela Gandhi, was present on the occasion. She recalled how Gandhi always believed that education was not all about learning, but a way of living. “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” she said, quoting her famous grandfather while addressing youths at the function.
Representatives of Aditya Birla Group and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts were also present.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – December 20th, 2017
Safety first: Bomb squad inspecting World Telugu Conference 2017 venue, L.B. Stadium, in the city with a sniffer dog on Monday. | Photo Credit: G_RAMAKRISHNA
Daasarathi made his entry as well as mark as a 19-year-old in 1944
In a world before WiFi, the Telangana Saraswatha Parishath in Boggulkunta, was the first free open public space for prose, poetry and literature in Hyderabad.
“Telugu poet Sri Sri used to come and speak here. Other well known Telugu littérateurs used it to perfect their craft and share their stories. This has been a training ground for legions of Telugu teachers. More than that the Parishath has held aloft the torch of Telugu literature,” says J. Chennaiah, secretary of the TSP in Boggulkunta area.
As Hyderabad gets ready to host the World Telugu Conference between December 15 and 19, the shaded alcove in front of the L-shaped building is deserted but inside it thrums with classrooms where a new generation of Telugu teachers are being created.
Born as a rebel movement out of the grand Andhra Mahasabha on May 26, 1943 , it was first called Nizam Rashtra Andhra Saraswatha Parishath (NRASP).
The NRASP was born in the small library hall of Reddy Hostel building. Sankaranarayana Rao, Boorgula Ranganadha Rao and B. Krishna Rao, who were the founding members of the Parishad, set the tone and tenor of the movement. The choice of location was ironical as the Nizam’s King Kothi was just yards away.
“The word Nizam was used because the Parishath wanted to limit its activities to the Telugu-speaking areas of the Nizam’s dominion. The Nizam was wary of groupings. He suspected that the language groups would be used to subvert his rule. The NRASP’s sole goal was literary as many of the founders discovered that the Andhra Mahasabha was more interested in political activities,” informs Mr. Chennaih.
What the Parishad was against became apparent when the next meeting was organised inside the Warangal Fort on December 29 and December 30, 1944. But before the meeting could get underway, the whole tented arrangement was burnt in the night.
“The next day, Kaloji Narayana Rao, Devulapalli Ramanuja Rao decided to conduct the meeting as if nothing happened. The Police Commissioner Raja Bahadur Venkatarama Reddy was the chief guest. It was also the first meeting, where Daasarathi made his entry as well as a mark as a 19-year-old,” says Mr. Chennaiah.
The annual event did not take place in 1948 as the Nizam launched a crackdown and then there was the Police Action.
The 1949 meeting in Toopran in February saw the name of the organisation changed to Andhra Saraswatha Parishath (ASP) and it created groundwork for Telugu renaissance. “It was at that meeting that a demand was made for compulsory Telugu up to Matric which the government agreed to. All the students who were studying Telugu at the ASP got jobs as teachers,” informs Mr. Chennaih.
The effort to turn Osmania University into a Central University with Hindi as a principal medium of instruction was again thwarted as the ASP created Citizens’ Committee and lobbied against the move.
“It is on record that the then Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad shot down the idea of a Hindi University only after hearing out members of the ASP,” says Mr. Chenniah.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Serish Nanisetti / Hyderabad – December 12th, 2017
World Telugu Conference welcome arches to feature personalities from across
Telugu personalities who illuminated Telugu language, literature and culture will get the pride of place in cities and towns across the State as Telangana is gearing up to host the prestigious World Telugu Conference-2017.
Kings, poets, writers, scholars, artistes and leaders who shaped the history, politics and culture of Telugu people and Telangana State will adorn 100 welcome arches in Hyderabad and other cities.
Another 200 hoardings with illustrious personalities from the Telugu States will come up in the city and across the State and in other metros like Chennai, Bangalore where significant number of Telugu people live. It is a way of paying tributes to them and educating and creating awareness among the young generation about their roots, says the organising committee of WTC.
Prominent names
Telangana Sahitya Academy is overseeing the display of arches and each welcome arch will be dedicated to one prominent person and it will depict the portrait and excerpts from their popular works. Hala King, poet Pampa, Prataparudra, Adikavi Palkuriki Somana, Bammera Pothana, Gona Budhareddy, Bhakta Kavi Ramadasu, Suravaram Pratapa Reddy, Vattikota Alwaruswamy, Kaloji, Oddiraju brothers, first Chief Minister of Hyderabad State Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, former Prime Minister and multifacted personality P.V.Narasimha Rao, renowned poets Dasharathi Krishnamacharya, C.Narayana Reddy and several other eminent persons will be the focus of the welcome arches.
Telugu poets Nannayya, Thikkana, Yerrapragada, Allasani Peddana, Vemana, poet composer Annamacharya, social reformer and writer Gurajada Apparao, revolutionary poet Sri Sri among others will beam across the arches evoking the pride of Telugu people congregating for the conference from across the world, they say.
Pillars decorated
The metro rail pillars will become alive with the landscape of Telangana, capturing its way of life, culture, festivals and folk arts and Hyderabad Metro Rail Authority is coordinating the work with artistes. Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, B.Venkatesham says all the welcome arches and hoardings will be in place by December 12 and the city will be beautified and decked up for the event celebrating the Telugu language.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by M.L. Melly Maitreyi / Hyderabad – December 06th, 2017
Devotees make a beeline to the temple on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti
All roads leading to the historic Sri Anjaneya Swamy devasthanam in Kondagattu in Jagital turned saffron on Friday, with devotees making a beeline to the temple shrine ahead of Hanuman Jayanti on May 21.
Devotees started pouring in from various parts of the State as temple authorities launched the celebrations by conducting ‘homam,’ which would continue till Sunday. Predicting heavy rush on Sunday, many devotees were seen offering prayers at the temple shrine on Friday. Several Hanuman devotees wearing a mala were seen walking to the temple barefoot in the scorching heat as part of a ritual.
Temporary shelters
Devasthanam authorities, in coordination with the district administration and the police, made elaborate arrangements for the same. Temporary shelters were erected to protect the devotees from the sweltering heat. More than 750 police personnel were roped in for bandobust.
To avoid road mishaps, the police have decided to regulate traffic on the ghat road by restricting the entry of vehicles.
Parking spaces would be designated on the foothill of the shrine on the JNTU college road, Jagtial, and Karimnagar roads.
The police also installed 52 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to keep vigil.
The temple authorities expect four lakh pilgrims to visit the temple on Hanuman Jayanti.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by K.M. Dayashankar / Jagtial – May 19th, 2017
