Ravana is not the villain that he is made out to be. There is his side of the story too. A city engineer has given Sri Lanka just the kind of account they would like to read about Ravana. Bala Sankuratri, who has authored the book ‘My Name is Ravana’, gets Ravana to tell his story from his perspective. Next on agenda is a translation of the entire Ramayana in a way that Ravana is understood in context.
To unveil the book, Isura Devapriya, chief minister of Western Province, Sri Lanka, flew down to Hyderabad on November 25.
It will soon be released in Sri Lanka. Telugu version is also in the pipeline.
“My name is Ravana. Yes, I am the Ravana. I was the one who abducted Sita. I was the one who set fire to Anjaneya’s tail and I was the one who fought with Rama. You may think I am mad. I don’t care. You may think, being me is bad. I still don’t care…Fact is, I am The Great and being me is next to impossible,” book begins with Ravana introducing himself.
“Every action of Ravana is justified. He has a reason for his behaviour. He allowed himself to be misunderstood and even for this there was a reason,” Sankuratri told TOI. To understand Ravana, Sankuratri read Valmiki’s Ramayana and other versions also.
He also got to understand the legends surrounding Ravana in Sri Lanka, of which he was the king. “I made three trips to Sri Lanka and found out from the people there what understanding they had of Ravana. The research took five years,” he said.
So why did Ravana detain Sita? Wasn’t that what brought him a bad name? “There cannot be any suspicion about the character of Ravana. He had no evil thoughts about Sita,” Sankuratri said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Hyderabad News / by Ch. Sushil Rao / TNN / December 29th, 2017
Srikanth Rangachari who invented a new language script using symbols of the world currencies. | Photo Credit: K_V_RAMANA
Srikanth Rangachari uses symbols of different currencies to denote each letter.
Much before the alphabet evolved and scripts were developed for the languages spoken around the world, symbols were used to denote letters in the rudimentary scripts of the ancient times and the Egyptian Hieroglyphic writing is the best example.
Perhaps taking inspiration from the past, Srikanth Rangachari, a teacher in a private school at Tanur mandal headquarters in Nirmal district, has devised a new script using the symbols of different currencies, which, he claims can be utilised for the tribal languages that have no scripts.
Interestingly, Mr. Rangachari has transliterated all the 702 stanzas in 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita and the national anthem into his new script, that has 51 letters. Working day and night for three months, he improvised the script which he has named the ‘Currency Script’.
Hailing from Sunket village of Morthad mandal in the district, the 24-year-old always wanted to be different since childhood and try new things. He had already etched his name in the Telugu Book of Records and Limca Book of Records — breaking the world record of Geetha Smith and Mathew Jackson — by reciting the English alphabet 37 times in a record low time of 1.420 seconds.
Mr. Rangachari used the symbol of US dollar for ‘Da’ in Telugu; the UK pound for ‘A’ and Nigerian nirasigin for ‘Na’ and so on. Slash [/], @ and * denoted ‘Aa’, ‘E’ and ‘Ee’ in Telugu respectively. “ People who do not have a script for their mother tongue can use it for writing their language,” he says.
The young teacher has also incorporated zero, diamond, laokip and symbols of Indian rupee, Japanese Yen and Korean wonsign and Judaism and Swastik of Hindusim. For his endeavour, he secured the recognition of Amazing Book of Indian World Records last month, winning the admiration of his colleagues and friends.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by P. Ram Mohan / Nizamabad – December 25th, 2017
The tie and dye ikat designs of Kolanupaka Bixapathi were also exhibited at Lakme Fashion Show in Paris which was conducted three weeks back.
Kolanupaka Bixapathi with his designs
Yadadri-Bhongir:
A sixty-year-old weaver Kolanupaka Bixapathi, who has created more than 1,000 designs for tie and dye ikat handlooms, is setting an example for other weavers by receiving higher prices for his products than his counterparts’. Innovative designing and dying methods have helped in fetching a good price for his clothes, nearly 30 per cent more than the price other weavers could get in the market.
Tie and dye ikat curtains prepared by Laxmipathi were used as door and window curtains at White House in US for five years. He received the order from Mumbai Export Company that supplied it to the US government.
Receiving inspiration, other weavers at Vellanki village of Ramannapet mandal in Yadadri-Bhongir district are also switching over to innovative methods to get the best price for their produce.
The tie and dye ikat designs of Kolanupaka Bixapathi were also exhibited at Lakme Fashion Show in Paris which was conducted three weeks back.
He also set up an exclusive shop of his designs in New Delhi which gets seven to eight foreign visitors daily.
Speaking to Telangana Today, Bixapathi said that he had set up Surya Textile in New Delhi in 2012 but had incurred a loss of Rs 80 lakh due to a fire accident in 2014. After a gap of four months, he renovated the shop with a lot of hardships. He has been getting orders from export companies as his tie and dye ikat designs have a high demand in foreign countries. He was surprised when a German woman, who visited his shop in New Delhi, told him that a piece of his design, which costs less than Rs 10,000 here, was selling in US at Rs 80,000.
Bixapathi, who has a habit of adopting the latest technology in the textile sector, also learnt to manufacture Jakat, used for weaving high cost saris and successfully complete an order of 200 Jakat boxes from a Chennai-based firm. Laxmipathy is trying to invent a machine for rubber rolling yarn in Ikat methods which is now made manually. He informed that he would use Aso Reactive Dies (Chemicals without Benzene) for preparation of the cloth as foreigners would also prefer it as it would not cause skin related problems.
Moggam weavers
Expressing happiness over the State’s initiatives to promote handloom sector, he felt that the initiatives have started showing results as weavers were reversing to moggams again.
He felt that there would always be demand for handlooms if the weavers ensure good design and quality in clothes. He stated that he migrated to Yallanki from Chandoor in the year 2008 due to problems of availability of workers. When I come to the village, the weavers were selling the bedsheets at Rs 100-150, which would not meet their daily requirements. He found that the weavers were using low-quality yarn. When he explained the local weavers that they can get better price by using quality yarn, the weavers’ works began fetching of Rs 600 per bedsheet, he added.
He suggested the government to conduct awareness programmes on new technologies and market trends for weavers as it would help them receive benefits.
source: http://www.telanganatoday.com / Telangana Today / Home> Telangana> Yadadri Bhongir / by Srinivas P / December 27th, 2017
The Hindu ’s Senior Assistant Editor S. Harpal Singh explaining a ritual being done as part of Keslapur Nagoba Jatara to the visitors, at photo exhibition in Hyderabad on Friday.
Seven photo galleries inaugurated at Chitramayee State Fine Art Gallery
Delegates at the World Telugu Conference would be in for a visual treat what with seven photo galleries being inaugurated as part of the prestigious event at Chitramayee Telangana State Fine Art Gallery, Madhapur, depicting Telangana heritage, art, culture and landscape.
Among the three galleries on Telangana festivals is the collection of photos by The Hindu’s Senior Assistant Editor S. Harpal Singh on Keslapur Nagoba Jatara, an important religious and cultural event of the Mesram clan of Raj Gond Adivasis in Adilabad.
The photos of several rituals followed during the festival were shot by the The Hindu’s representative in Adilabad district over a period of four years.
The jatara is a month-long affair that starts at the beginning of Poos month of Pushya Masam and witnesses the Mesram clan families indulging in preparations for the actual event that takes place on the last three days of the month. The most important ceremonies and rituals take place during these three days. The other galleries are Telangana Gramaseema by award winning filmmaker B. Narsing Rao. The collection relates to visuals of life in Telangana villages shot by Mr. Rao over a period of time.
The two other festivals being featured at the exhibition are Bonalu and Samakka Saralamma Jatara and the artists are Satyanarayana Gola and Rama Veeresh Babu respectively.
Acknowledged photographers Madhu Gopal Rao and Vishwendar Reddy are exhibiting photographs on Kakatiya Shilpakala or Warangal sculpture and landscape respectively, the latter underscoring the beauty of rock formations in the region. The famous photographer from Hyderabad, late Raja Deendayal’s works under the title Hyderabad Varasatwam are also being exhibited.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – December 15th, 2017
Telugu poet cartoonist, writer and author Devipriya has received Sahitya Akademi award for his anthology of poems, Gali Rangu.
Sahitya Akademi on Thursday announced the awards for poets and writers in different languages.
Earlier, the executive board of Sahitya Akademi headed by its president Prof Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari approved the names recommended by a jury drawn from 24 Indian languages. Seven books of novel and five each of poetry, short stories and literary criticism and one of play and essays won the awards for 2017.
According to K Sreenivasa Rao, secretary of Sahitya Akademi, the award carries a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl and a cheque of Rupees one lakh. It will be presented at a function to be held in New Delhi on February 12, 2018 coinciding with the Festival of Letters organised by the Akademi.
Devipriya’s ‘running commentary’, a daily cartoon in poetry, in Telugu dailies had won him a pride of place in journalism. He is also credited with introducing a new genre of writings in Telugu called Paigambara Kavulu in contrast to the Digambara movement of 1960s.
Devipriya was born in Guntur on August 15, 1949, and rose to fame with his verse, prose and cartoons. His real name is Khaja Hussain. Devipriya won laurels for his poetic book, Pitta Kooda Egiri Povalsinde, published in 2002. He introduced a new literary concept with his cartoons with the comment in verse. In fact, he is hailed as the father of poetic cartoon strips in Telugu. His first publication was Amma Chettu.
Some of his works are Gareebu Geetalu, Chepa Chiluka, Neeti Putta, Tuphanu Tummeda, Insha Allah, and Samajananda Svaami. Devipriya’s writings reflect the essence of life, particularly of the downtrodden and the deprived classes of society. He penned songs for a number of films. Several Telugu poets and writers including Telangana Sahitya Akademi chairman Nandini Siddha Reddy congratulated Devipriya on winning the award.
Noted Telugu poet and writer Khadar Mohiuddin said Devipriya is a multi-faceted personality with proficiency in Telugu and English. “He is a trendsetter in Telugu verse, prose as well as journalism,” he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Hyderabad News / by Syed Akbar / TNN / December 22nd, 2017
The Telugu Desam Party has come out with an interesting detail to substantiate its criticism of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for not including Telugu Talli statue as well as Maa Telugu Talliki song in the just-concluded World Telugu Conference.
TDP politburo member Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy said the design for Telugu Talli statue was an initiative of ex-IAS officer Kasipandyan, Collector of Mahbubnagar district, in 1975.
A Tamilian by origin, Kasipandyan was inspired by Telugu language which he perfected during his stint in the State and took the initiative of making a Telugu Talli statue.
Accordingly, a sculptor, Shankar, was entrusted with the task and the statue was installed in the collectorate in Mahbubnagar, the Telangana heartland.
Former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, who was inspired by the statue, adopted the same model and it was then installed at Tank Bund a decade later.
“There were several media reports appreciating Kasipandyan’s initiative those days and the statue is still present in Mahbubnagar district collectorate,” he said.
Recalling the Chief Minister’s claims about being an avid reader, he wondered how he could not get information about such a major initiative.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Reddy said the just-concluded conference ended without major resolutions for promotion of Telugu and delegates were upset with the developments.
The government should now come up with specific action plan to promote use of Telugu in daily life like making it compulsory in primary school and ensuring the presence of teachers specialising in Telugu in all the educational institutions, he suggested.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – December 21st, 2017
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
Woman poets and litterateurs have urged chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to institute awards in the names of women who dedicated their lives for Telugu literature. Speaking at ‘Telangana Mahila Sahityam: Sadassu’ held on the occasion of ‘World Telugu Conference’ (WTC) at Ravindra Bharati (Yashoda Reddy Pranganam-Bandaru Achamb Vedika) on Monday, renowned poet Acharya Sarathjyosna Rani said many changes took place in women’s literature, especially poetry and song and other fields.
“Women need equal rights as Ivanka Trump highlighted in her speech at recent Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES)-2017. Though women are contributing their bit for Telugu literature in Telangana, they need good exposure in the literary field,” she said in her inaugural speech.
Another poet, Kondapally Niharini, has suggested to the government to protect Telugu language for posterity by publishing novels, poetry and other literaruy pieces of woman writers.
Telugu poet Jupaka Subhadra suggested to the government to bring out ‘Maukika Sahityam’ (oral tradition of literature) in the form of book for future generations. She also urged the government to institute awards in the name of woman poets and award them to women exhibiting outstanding performance in the field of literature.
Several literary personalities, including Acharya Surya Dhanunjay, Tula Uma, poet and also chairperson of Karimnagar Zilla Parishad, also advocated protection of Telugu language and remembered the women who rendered their yeomen services to Telugu literature.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City / by Sunil Mungara / TNN / December 19th, 2017
A bird’s eye view of the LB Stadium, venue of the ongoing World Telugu Conference in Hyderabad, on Sunday | sathya Keerthi
Hyderabad :
Leave alone ordinary persons, even many of the Telugu litterateurs might not be knowing the fact that Sedya Chandrika, which was published from Hyderabad in 1886, was considered by many as the first journal published in the Telugu language in the then princely state of Hyderabad. The magazine was run by two Muslim men, Munshi Mohammed and Mustaq Ahmed Malik. Its primary motto was to create awareness among forming community about issues relating to agriculture.
Likewise, Hitabodhini was the first Telugu monthly published in the then Hyderabad state. The periodical was published from Mahbubnagar district by Srinivasa Sarma. It published articles on patriotism, health, social reforms and some other subjects. The journal used to have more than 500 subscribers in those days.
Poola Thota was another magazine published by Kambhampati Appanna Sastry between 1930 and 1935 from Hanamkonda. The periodical was considered to be the first children’s magazine in the then Hyderabad state.
Similarly, Matru Bharati was run by Hyderabad city’s first mayor Madapati Hanumantha Rao (1951-1954), a poet who was affectionately called Andhra Pitamaha for his contribution to the Andhra movement during the freedom struggle. The periodical was published from Hyderabad in the 1930s. The magazine produced articles on the importance of education, prohibition of liquor and other issues. The periodical was appropriately considered to be the first students’ magazine in Hyderabad state. Desa Vangmaya Patrika, dedicated to literary issues, came into publication by Telangana Literary Association in 1921.
Golconda Patrika, run by historian Suravaram Pratapa Reddy, was the first magazine to publish news on its own by establishing a ‘reporters network’. The periodical, whose name was changed from Andhra Patrika to Golconda Patrika following Nizam-ul-Mulk’s diktat, used to carry articles on political, social, cultural and literary issues.
In a book, Telangana Vaibhavam: Parichaya Deepika, released by Telangana government during the conference, a chapter was exclusively devoted to magazines and journals that flourished in Telangana region.
According to the book, prior to the formation of Andhra in 1956, as many as 171 dailies, magazines and other journals were in circulation. Of those, 115 were published in Telugu and the others in Urdu, Marathi and English languages.
KCR hosts dinner for non-resident Telugus
Hyderabad:
Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked the non-resident Telugus to contribute to the promotion of the language even on virtual world. As a majority of them are software engineers, businessmen and litterateurs, Rao called upon them to take an initiative to promote the Telugu language in the cyberspace, too. The chief minister hosted a dinner at Pragathi Bhavan on Sunday for Telangana people who came from 42 countries to attend the World Telugu Conference.
Telugu to be must on government portals
Hyderabad: On the occasion of Prapancha Telugu Mahasabhalu, the IT department on Sunday announced that it would take steps to promote Telugu on the websites of all government departments. The government is firm on promoting Telugu on all portals of various departments. Government will gradually make it mandatory for all departments to use Telugu online,” IT department principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan said, while taking part in a round-table conference. It was decided to take help of Google, Microsoft and Facebook to promote Telugu.
CM to announce step to protect the language
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has disclosed that he would soon announce a major step to promote Telugu in the State. “On the valedictory session of Telugu Mahasabhalu, I will announce a major step to protect the language in the State,” he said. KCR, himself a post graduate in Telugu literature, attended a Sathavadhanam, conducted by Telugu scholar GM Rama Sharma on Sunday.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by JR Prasad / Express News Service / December 18th, 2017
Madireddy Konda Reddy and Sangaveni Ravinder, delegates from Mumbai, at L.B. Stadium to attend the World Telugu Conference.
Telugu language enthusiasts from Maharashtra attend WTC
Love for Telugu, the desire to keep themselves rooted to their mother tongue and pass its richness to the next generation born in a non-Telugu State brought them all the way from Maharashtra to the World Telugu Conference.
Language, in fact, has brought them together though they hail from two different regions of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.
“We can never separate ourselves from our mother tongue even if we live far, and that has brought us to the conference,” said Madireddy Konda Reddy, a Mumbai-based businessmen, who also runs the Telugu Kala Samiti there. “We never get to see so many Telugu lovers at one place and these conferences give us the confidence that our language can be protected despite the onslaught of English,” said Madireddy, who hails from Kanigiri in Prakasham district.
Another lover of Telugu, Sangaveni Ravinder, who runs the Andhra Maha Sabha in Mumbai, was excited to be part of the event. Originally from Jagityal and presently working in Mumbai, Mr. Ravinder is a writer and a poet too. Despite his busy schedule, he has taken out time to attend the five-day conference to listen to the Telugu literary figures. “The conference has such a rich mixture of Telugu poets, writers, educators and more importantly language lovers from across the world and it’s a lifetime opportunity to meet them,” he said.
The Andhra Maha Sabha brings out a magazine encouraging poets and writers in Mumbai and Maharashtra to write in their mother tongue. “We organise social events and celebrate all the festivals apart from organising literary events bringing all the Telugus together,” said Madireddy. In all their events, the focus is on celebrating the richness of Telugu and preserving its culture.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by R. Ravikanth Reddy / Hyderabad – December 16th, 2017
