Category Archives: Historical Links / Pre-Independence

Ghadis fade into history in Telangana

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All
Changing times:The famous Kalleda Ghadi in Parvatagiri village has been turned into a free school for the local community in Warangal district.- Photo: M. Murali
Changing times:The famous Kalleda Ghadi in Parvatagiri village has been turned into a free school for the local community in Warangal district.- Photo: M. Murali

The awe-inspiring symbol of feudal power, Manor houses, locally known as Ghadi which are found across Telangana have faded into oblivion.

Ghadis are dwelling places of people who had wielded power on local communities during and after Nizam’s era in Telangana districts. Usually a feudal lord owned thousands of acres of land and had under his control over half a dozen villages and even more. The feudal lords belonged to all castes, mostly upper castes – Reddy, Brahmin and Velama communities.

The crumbled Ghadis and ruins can be seen now. The popular Ghadis in Warangal district – the one at Atmakur owned by Reddy community had collapsed over the decades as they left the place long ago. The one at Visnur in Palakurthy mandal owned by one Ramachandra Reddy is now locked and abandoned.

Another historic Ghadi at Kalleda village owned by Velama lords in Parvathagiri is intact and was converted into a free school for the local community by the descendents of Errabelly Veera Raghava Rao.

The Kalleda Ghadi is a place worth visiting. Built on six acres of land in 1936 with brick and lime stone it has completed 80 years of existence.

The roof is a combination of jack arch and Madras chajja. The height of the two-floor building is 40 feet and the compound wall is 20 feet. It has 40 rooms in all.

The majestic Kalleda Ghadi which inspired fear among the local people is now a happy place for children hailing from downtrodden communities.

Speaking to The Hindu , Errabelli Rammohan Rao said that over the decades their families thrived in the village. Now they thought it was time to give back something to the people who served them. Starting school in the Ghadi was the best thing. “Giving education is one of the best things you can do to anybody, particularly these children who cannot afford it at all,” he said.

Besides shaping all-round development of students, the Kalleda rural school had produced sportspersons of national and international repute.

The Ghadis which are dilapidated continue to be the private property of the families and their heirs. Not many owners visit them for various reasons known only to them.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao / Parvathagiri (Warangal Dt.) – July 08th, 2016

Telangana: Pride of place for Perini

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence

The onus now is on the Telangana government to declare ‘Perini’ as the official state dance.

“Andhra has Kuchipudi, Tamil Nadu has Bharatanatyam, Kerala has Kathakali and Mohiniyattam, and states in North and North East too have their own styles, though they are all called Indian dances.

What do we Telanganites have, to represent our culture?” is the question that arose in cultural circles in Telangana.

Until the state was bifurcated, this region was part of Andhra Pradesh and was promoting all forms of art, even north and south.

Exponent of Kuchipudi and Perini Andhra Natyam Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna Photo: P. V. Sivakumar
Exponent of Kuchipudi and Perini Andhra Natyam Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna Photo: P. V. Sivakumar

Padmasree recipient Nataraja Ramakishna developed Tandava dance named ‘Perini’ that originated from the time of Kakatiya dynasty in the 11th century.

The Veera Saiva cult prevalent then and practiced by the rulers, saw the practitioners taking out processions in celebratory mood chanting the name of Lord Siva on festival days.

Young dancers perform Perini Shiva Thandavam dance Photo. Thakur Ajay Pal Singh
Young dancers perform Perini Shiva Thandavam dance Photo. Thakur Ajay Pal Singh

Perini was born out of it. Jayapasena (chief of elephant brigade of Kakatiya kings) conceptualised nritta based dance and called it ‘Perini’. The word Perini was born out of the word ‘Prerana’, according to Nataraja Ramakrishna who streamlined it some five years ago. Prerana here means ‘encouraging or motivating’the army that was set to go to war.

The focus now is on ‘Perini dance’ reconstructed by Nataraja Ramakrishna as part of his research oriented works for revival of the art.

Youngsters perform Perini Shiva Thandavam
Youngsters perform Perini Shiva Thandavam

It is now being felt that the state government should recognise Perini and Lasya styles as official dance of Telangana.

Now the job of projecting a comprehensive picture to Lasya penning compositions rests on Ramakrishna’s disciples like Kalakrishna, who had close proximity to the guru. The general order can start with Nrutta part like other nritta numbers, like Jatiswaram, replacing it with Perini jatis to give it an identity as wholesome number.

Other numbers related to nritya and abhinaya parts of the drama that follow should be specially written by some Telangana poets.

Youngsters perform Perini Shiva Thandavam
Youngsters perform Perini Shiva Thandavam

The lasya part of Perini can be traced to the characters like Parvathi, Lord Siva’s consort. Compositions on Vinayaka and Kartikeya both sons of Siva keep the dance connected to Saivam, if one wants to be so. ‘Daksha Yagnam’ is another Siva related number. That can be reshaped a bit to associate it with Kakatiya dynasty.

Even the yakashaganas being presented by Telangana troupes have rich sahitya that can provide scripts for solo numbers that can be conceived into classic presentation. The original texts of Yakshaganas should be tapped into for this purpose.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Dance / by Gudipudi Srihari / Hyderabad – June 16th, 2016

Historic tank to come back to life

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature, Records, All, Travel
Tourist spot:Collector Yogitha Rana and MLA Bigala Ganesh Gupta inspecting the locations around Raghunathalayam, in Nizamabad on Sunday.– Photo: K.V. RAMANA
Tourist spot:Collector Yogitha Rana and MLA Bigala Ganesh Gupta inspecting the locations around Raghunathalayam, in Nizamabad on Sunday.– Photo: K.V. RAMANA

Raghunathalayam atop the Quilla Indur in Nizamabad will be developed to attract devotees

The Raghunathalayam, atop the Quilla Indur dating back to the 10th century, will be developed to attract devotees from across the State as part of the Mission Kakatiya works undertaken at Boddemma cheruvu abutting the Quilla. A park would be built on three acres, and 12 acres would be allocated to the Kendriya Vidyalaya coming up nearby, according to MLA Bigala Ganesh Gupta.

Mr. Gupta, who inspected the works on Sunday to give shape to the tank as a mini tank bund, told reporters that an action plan would be prepared with proposal of funds required to develop the historic location. Collector Yogitha Rana and Joint Collector A. Ravinder Reddy, who accompanied the MLA, said that a detailed survey would be conducted to know about government land available around it.

They said that Quilla Indur and the Boddemma cheruvu would become important public recreational spots for the residents of the district headquarter town in the coming months. The government had sanctioned Rs. 6.28 crore and works were launched under the second phase of the Mission Kakatiya project. The bund strengthening work is almost complete.

Plantations and railings on both sides of the bund, as well as parks, would come up as part of the project. The 4.5-kilometre bund would be raised on a height of 8 metres with the same width, enabling passersby to move freely on it. Benches would be put up too. Nizamsagar main canal, which brings water into the tank and is one of the drinking water sources of the town, would also be strengthened with revetment.

“I request the government to revise the original plan as the amount sanctioned initially would not be sufficient to complete all works,” the MLA said.

Since it is meant for drinking water purpose, the only one sluice that exists for the tank may be removed. There is no clarity on it, but locals want it to continue. Raghunathalayam irrigation tank gradually became a drinking water source, with the ayacut under it having disappeared with the expansion of the city.

The tank is one of the major centres where Bathukamma is hosted during the nine-day celebrations. The tank will provide a panoramic view with lush green surroundings if water fills to the brim this monsoon.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by P. Ram Mohan / Nizamabad – June 13th, 2016

Telangana chief secretary reviews plans for fish prasadam at Hyderabad

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature

Hyderabad :

The state government is making all arrangements for the distribution of ‘fish prasadam’ for asthama patients in the city.

At a review meeting on the arrangements for the fish prasadam at the Secretariat here on Thursday, chief secretary Rajiv Sharma instructed the officials to install CCTVs, provide proper lighting, erect strong barricades and temporary sheds for patients, more counters and provision of adequate water tankers for storing fishlings.

The fish prasadam will be distributed at Exhibition Grounds on June 8 and 9 in the city. Security will be provided to Bathini Harinath Goud family. The chief secretary also stressed on maintenance of sanitation, garbage clearance, regular cleaning with bleaching powder.

As many as 110 special RTC buses would be operated from bus stands and railway stations to the exhibition grounds for the convenience of the patients. Usually over a lakh people from across the country attend the event.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / May 27th, 2016

200 artistes to perform Perini dance

About Telangana, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel
The heat is on:A policeman gulps down water during the rehearsal for Telangana Formation Day celebrations at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad.- Photo: K.V.S. Giri
The heat is on:A policeman gulps down water during the rehearsal for Telangana Formation Day celebrations at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad.- Photo: K.V.S. Giri

One of the highlights of cultural programmes in connection with State Formation Day celebrations on June 2 will be Perini dance of Kakatiya period by 200 artistes at Lalita Kala Toranam.

The sequences in the dance reminisce preparation for war by the army based on a book ‘Nrutya Ratnavali’ written by Jayapa, the commander-in-chief of the Kakatiya army. It will be the first of its kind dance to be presented along with drumbeat, said Director of Culture Mamidi Harikrishna whose department will organise the event. A Telangana cultural carnival will be held at Tank Bund with 500 artistes performing folk arts, including Gussadi, Kommukoya, Lambadi dance, Puliveshalu, Bonalu, Kolatam, Pidathala Ramayanam and Batukamma. Noted gazal singer Talat Aziz will present Sham-e-Gazal at Lal Bahadur Indoor Stadium.

The other programmes during the day include performances by artistes of Telangana Sanskrutika Saradhi, the cultural wing of the Government, at People’s Plaza, Qawwali at Qilwat Grounds, Buddhist, Jain and Christian programmes at Harihara Kala Bhavan and all India Mushaira at Quli Qutb Shah Stadium. The Ravindra Bharati Auditorium will see classical dance and ballet on the theme “naa Telangana, koti ratanala veena”.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 28th, 2016

Growth can’t be at the cost of natural heritage

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Nature, Records, All, Travel

Hyderabad:

The KBR Park is known for its bio-diversity and wildlife. Spread over 400 acres, it is a virtual forest in the midst of a burgeoning metropolis, home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna. It is a part of Hyderabad’s over 400-year-old heritage – which includes gardens, lakes and its cosmopolitan culture.

Originally known as Chiran Palace, the park was the residence of Prince Mukarram Jah and was later rechristened after former chief minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy after its acquisition under the Urban Land Ceiling Act.

Till the late 1990s, I remember, the KBR Park was surrounded by a nine-kilometre compound wall. This wall was demolished when the then TDP government in united AP began road widening around the park, and NTR Trust Bhavan and a cancer hospital of NTR family came up nearby.

This was the first blow dealt to the park, a mini-Deccan ecosystem.

It is true that the city has grown manifold in the last six decades.

As an economic hub, Hyderabad has great potential to become a global city. It needs a massive step-up in its civic infrastructure to cater to the burgeoning population. An upgradation of road network and better traffic management are key elements of de velopment plans envisaged for this sprawling city .

For this, government has drawn up the Strategic Road Development Program to meet the longterm needs of the city.

However, while taking up these works, the government has to ensure that the eco-system of KBR Park remains unaffected as it is the city’s natural heritage.True, development of civic infrastructure is the need of the hour.

But equally imperative is the preservation of this natural habitat in the midst of urban sprawl.I would urge the authorities to ensure that the eco-system of this natural heritage be preserved, not harmed in any way .

Without eating into land spaces of the park, the authorities need to work out alternative proposals for the six multi-level grade separators to be constructed at six junctions around KBR Park.

Already , disappearance of gardens and lakes from this city over the decades has turned it into a tropical hotbed. Every successive summer seems to make the city hotter with soaring temperatures.

We definitely need better roads and junctions and traffic management but not at the cost of our natural, cultural and architectural heritage. KBR Park and all other green spaces in the city must be preserved to make Hyderabad a liveable city again.

(The author is MIM president and Lok Sabha MP)

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Hyderabad / Asaduddin Owaisi / May 26th, 2016

Temple artefacts unearthed near Medak

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

Sangareddy :

A Trikutalayam or a three-shrine temple is said to have been discovered on Friday during canal digging works for Mission Kakatiya in Pedda Kodur village of Medak.

ArtefactsTELAN15may2016

A Dhwaja Stambham (temple flag post) and Shiva and Hanuman idols surfaced during the excavation works. The digging is being carried out on Ranganaik Sagar reservoir.

Officials feel that the temple could be as big as an acre. Villagers meanwhile say that these idols might belong to Trikutalayam and that they were constructed by Kakatiyas. The public has appealed the archeology department to protect the idols and if possible, reconstruct the temple.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / May 14th, 2016

Veteran leader Chennamaneni Rajeswara Rao passes away

Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All
Rajeswara Rao served the Communist Party of India for four decades since his student days / The Hindu
Rajeswara Rao served the Communist Party of India for four decades since his student days / The Hindu

Veteran Communist leader and five-time-MLA Chennamaneni Rajeswara Rao died on Monday at a hospital in Hyderabad, following illness. He was 93 and is survived by three daughters and a son Ch. Ramesh, who is the TRS MLA from Vemulawada constituency in Karimnagar district. Rajeswara Rao’s brother Ch. Vidyasagar Rao is the Governor of Maharashtra.

Mr. Rao served the Communist Party of India for four decades since his student days and was elected as its MLA four times from Sircilla, now renamed as Vemulawada. He participated in the Telangana armed struggle against the tyranny of Nizam’s rule and went underground for sometime.

He was the president of the Telangana Freedom Fighters Association and the president of the farmers’ wing of CPI. He quit the CPI as the chairman of its legislature party in 1999 and joined the Telugu Desam, the party which he described as the closest to his heart. He, however, lost the Assembly election on a TDP ticket in 1999 and went on to represent the party in the Assembly in the next term. He distanced himself from active politics after 2009 when his son Ramesh, a professor in agricultural economics at a German university, was elected.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by N. Rahul – Hyderabad – May 09th, 2016

A heritage structure waiting to be recognised

Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All
Nostalgic:Kanaka Rajubai (right) recalling her association with anthropologist Christopher von Furer-Haimendorf during the 1940s at Marlavai village in Adilabad district.— Photo: S. Harpal Singh
Nostalgic:Kanaka Rajubai (right) recalling her association with anthropologist Christopher von Furer-Haimendorf during the 1940s at Marlavai village in Adilabad district.— Photo: S. Harpal Singh

An open well at Marlavai village is connected to legendary anthropologist Christopher von Furer-Haimendorf, who conducted anthropological studies here

“You don’t stumble upon your heritage. It’s there, just waiting to be explored and shared,” opined famous Canadian singer Jamie Royal Robertson aka Robbie Robertson, apparently while talking about the importance of heritage.

In the currently parched tribal heartland of Adilabad district, at Marlavai village in Jainoor mandal to be precise, an abandoned open well is waiting to be rediscovered, repaired and recognised as a heritage structure. The open well is connected to legendary anthropologist Christopher von Furer-Haimendorf, who conducted anthropological studies here and designed the Land Transfer Regulation to protect Adivasis from exploitation, during his stay in the village between 1941 and 1949.

Deputed by the Nizam of Hyderabad to look into the problems of Adivasis of Adilabad, especially Raj Gonds, Haimendorf, in his capacity as Advisor to the Nizam on Backward Classes and Tribal Affairs, chose Marlavai to establish his permanent camp on the invitation of Lachu Patel, an articulate Gond from the village, according to Hyderabad-based social anthropologist Urmila Pingle. “It was Lachu Patel who had assured Haimendorf that Marlavai had a good well with sufficient water,” she wrote in her paper titled ‘C.von.Furer-Haimendorf: Half a century of his imprint on tribal welfare in Andhra Pradesh’.

“The Adilabad highlands had water scarcity even in those days, and the open well of which Lachu Patel talked about belonged to late Kanaka Hannu, one of two Gonds who emerged as teachers from the Teacher Training School which the anthropologist established at Marlavai,” said Kanaka Ambaji Rao, the president of Haimendorf Youth Organisation at Marlavai. “All the families in the village supplied water to the Haimendorfs twice daily by turn,” he added. “The couple were given three or four pots of water in the morning and evening, but they had their bath once in three or four days only. They washed their own clothes and linen,” recalled nonagenarian Rajubai, the wife of Hannu master, about the life of the anthropologist couple at her village. “The well was in use until 1986,” recalled Soyam Raju, a farmer from the same village. “It was nevertheless used sparingly as the government had dug an open well in 1962,” he added.

“Though dilapidated, the well located about 200 metre from the village needs to be repaired. It can even be put to use as the level of water in it is about 10 feet deep at this time,” the farmer suggested.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Marlavai(Adilabad Dist.) – May 09th, 2016

Restoration of Doll House in final stage

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All
The Doll House received a special citation by INTACH recently. Experts believe it predates the Residency Building / Photo: G. Ramakrishna
The Doll House received a special citation by INTACH recently. Experts believe it predates the Residency Building / Photo: G. Ramakrishna

The origin of the building is unknown, but many intriguing stories surround the structure

Why is the Doll House behind the Koti Residency building in the Koti Women’s College premises called so? And what was its purpose? Was it really built for Khairunnisa, the wife of resident James Achilles Kirkpatrick, who couldn’t enter the main structure, or was it actually a scale model built prior to construction of the edifice?

The Doll House received a special citation by INTACH recently. Experts believe it predates the Residency Building (above) in Koti’s Women College.– Photo: G. Ramakrishna
The Doll House received a special citation by INTACH recently. Experts believe it predates the Residency Building (above) in Koti’s Women College.– Photo: G. Ramakrishna

With little information at hand, the origins and purpose of the miniature model, which received a citation from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) recently, are still shrouded in mystery. While that may be so, the good news is that the white marble structure is now almost back to life, thanks to the Deccan Heritage Foundation.

A few theories exist about its origin. According to the romantic version, it was built for Khairunnisa. However, it is now believed that the Doll House could predate the Residency Building itself. Architect Sarat Chandra, who is working on its restoration, said that it could be treatise. “Whenever you construct such a building, you need to build a scale model. But we don’t know if that was done here, because we don’t know the exact date,” he added. Mr. Chandra explained that some of the architectural elements in the Doll House they found were the same as the Residency Building, hence he is inclined to believe that the model predates the latter. “For example, we found wooden beams and circular columns which were similar. Anuradha Naik also found archival evidence of the model, i.e. two videos from the Cambridge University library,” he said.

William Dalrymple, who authored White Mughals, a book on the love story of James Achilles Kirkpatrick and Khairunnisa, also said that there is only speculation about the Doll House’s origins. He added that it could be called so as it is located in what could have been the children’s area back when the Residency building was constructed in the early 20th century. Mr. Chandra also agreed with this, as he said that doll houses are commonly found in European villas.

Lying in the garden behind the Residency Building, the Doll House is now almost restored, with work going on in full swing. When work began last July, apart from the plinth, only the north and south-eastern portions of the Doll House were intact, as a mahogany tree had crashed into it some years ago. Currently in the final stages of restoration, it will take a month more for it to be ready.

Two fountains, pathway discovered

But apart from restoration of the Doll House, heritage conservationists and lovers might be delighted to know that two fountains and a pathway were discovered recently in the garden area. What makes it interesting is that both of them are aligned in a straight line axis with the model. “The next phase of restoration is to restore the garden,” mentioned Mr. Chandra.

Mr. Chandra added that the director of the State Department of Archaeology will conduct a scientific investigation, which will then be used to restore the ‘Rang Mahal’ garden in the coming days.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Yunus Y. Lasania / May 02nd, 2016