An Enchanting Story collection

 " Koraput and Other Stories" a collection 15 stories written in Oriya by Gourahari Das and it turned into English language by Saroj Mishra and Gopa Nayak. Indeed an able translation to have stirred the chords of the heart. The first story (eponymous) based on the backdrop of Koraput. Nature's bounty along with a set of problems like extremists and poverty ridden people encompassed in it. Gourahari Das showed his adept in telling the story and made the reader comfortable at the same time. It's all about kidnapping a woman while she traveled to Koraput to teach a lesson to a corrupted officer. Who...the kidnappers were extremists. They became successful in getting ransom and the woman got freed with no harm done. In this story we can understand how beautiful Koraput area with its high rising mountains, lush green forests and people with their problems.  

The second story "Once the sky was blue" described the blues of a street vendor. How his small makeshift outlet in a busy road of Bhubaneswar was uprooted by a powerful Mall owner has portrayed and the small players have to be innovative and adoptive with changing times otherwise livelihood would become difficult. "Mirage" story tells us how a dreadful goon Panu Jena lost his valuable life by taking the words of a beautiful dame serious and prestigious. Everybody has a weakness however lethal they were. This is what the message in this one. "Compensation" story described how a flood hit area get filled people with different agonies on the time of floods. Even in that time, some people would try to cheat public money.

There were other stories all let us know about different problems of rural background and urban based also. Writer Gourhari Das showed prudence in selecting themes. He took characters from Bangladesh migrants and flashy media life and household problems and what not. English translation is also crispy and reader friendly. More of like this should come out from every state to get known to other people. Interestingly Ruskin Bond wrote a couple of appreciative words about this collection and they were truthful. This book is available with amazon. 

----- Murthy Kvvs

#TBRChallenge2023

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Rela Pandum (Tribal Cultural Festival)

 Adivasi cultural festival (Rela Pandum) is going on in the grounds of Junior college, Bhadrachalam . and Tribal artists came here to showcase their skilled performances. Places like Adilabad and other districts sent their representatives. Padmasri Awardee Sakini Nageswara Rao inaugurated the event. Gussadi, Rela, ChochoDi like dances are being performed by various artists. Tribal arts lagging behind and have given cold shoulder in these days but the foundation of all arts are laid in itself only said by Padmasri Awardee Sakini Nageswara Rao. Dappu, Dolu, Flute and other instruments are used in the festival. Rhythms of the instruments and voices which are singing made the town music soaked. Green robes everywhere in the grounds were beautiful to behold. TAGS state leaders and local leaders participated in the event.

   

3 Ways you can add diversity to your stories

 #Reality

To add diversity to my story, I prefer reality. Why should we add reality..? to make others believe us. Yes, in one sense, it may sound hyperbolic and too good to trust. But when we go to have real thrust or make sincere effort the thing of reality give us moral courage. By which only our story become reliable to the world outside. Reality could change person to person, yet, which has some relatability to all.

#Imagination

Imagination is the key to open any door. As of now, we all might have heard or listened some hundreds of stories. If we see it keenly, there were very few important elements but each one could have influenced us in its own way. That's what the power of imagination. All popular writers have this unique quality immensely. Even they used to say the same story in different colors and that will make us feel differently.

#Newness

Some new things to add is inevitable to make our stories diverse. Reader should not fed up with our age old techniques. There must be variety of things to intrigue with. Be it story telling way or factual collection or whatever, it should have some newness to appeal. Diversity is important in all things of life, then only adding it to our stories is possible.

----- Murthy Kvvs

Note : This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop ( Prompt : 3 Ways you can add diversity to your stories)    Blogchatter link 

Raise voice against the cruel hearts

 

The other day surprised with the spectacle of horses at the Ambedkar Center. Our temple town is busy accommodating cows, oxen and stray dogs here and there on the roads. But our folks are so patient to cope up with all these innocent creatures. Leave stray dogs aside, that has become a universal problem. Cows and Oxen seemed to be pity. What happened to their human masters ? Why would they be penalized as  responsible for leaving them on to the busy roads and caused accidents..? The are the real culprits. Not the innocent creatures. They could have been exploited when those creatures were able to do field work and give milk to sell.

Now, they were thrown to outside to their fate. How is it correct ? that too in a country where a cow is treated like Holy creature. Are our values only to be uttered and not to be practiced ? That's why all this punishment should be given to the masters of these ones. Sometimes, those innocent creatures meet accidents and remain wayside. And keep walking in a difficult way. This is not the problem of local bodies, every human being should come forward to address it and to raise voice against the cruel hearts.

A Writer who penned about Sri Bhadrakali sametha Veerabhadra Swamy temple at Thegada

  There is a considerable bondage between "Bhadrakali sametha Veerabhadra swamy" and respected Dr. Chintalapudi Venkateswrlu garu,who is also like a mentor for us. He penned Veerabhadrasathakam in 2010, on the request of m son Chi.Bhanuprakash. In fact,he studied M.A (Telugu).,Ph.D and has been working as a drawing teacher at Sri Seetharama Aided high school,located at Satanaraanapuram.where I also got educated as well.

It made me very happy that he had penned Sathakam with a crown of "VinuthaThegadeccha Veerabhadra". As a chief priest , I would say our Veerabhadra Swamy (Tegada) is a God of serenity filled face. Like Bhadrachala Rama, our God also has his consort on his left thigh , which is so unique and never to be seen in an other place in the world. In general, he gives darshanam in standing posture. Our Veerabhadra Swamy's uniqueness is evidently seen.  

Sri Chintalapudi Venkateswarlu garu was an erudite scholar , researcher and he liked to be a learner forever. Forward written for this book by him is a rare privilege. Having shouldered the work of the Lord and preface written b Dr.Chintalapudi garu, nothing short of fulfillment of my pious deeds in the past birth. I always feel so.

I am the fourth son of my parents, Sri Yallamandala Bhadrayya garu and Bhadramma garu. Without any effort from m side, Priestly duties came to me and which is a boon for me. Our Mangalasaasanams to my parents for this.

In the ninth poem of Veerabhadra sathakam,Dr.Chintalapudi sir described the glory of Tegada Ceerabhadra Swamy so vividly. And 10th poem portrayed how immensely Veerasaivas devoted to the Swamy.

He also urged Swamy to show the solutions to the present day problems, be it sociological, political or social whatever. It his good nature, to have personified written this sathakam. We can observe it in 107th poem.

Ma the blessings of our Tegada Sri Bhadrakali sametha Veerabhadra Swamy be with Sriman Chintalapudi Venkateswarlu garu always..!

----- Yallamandala Sravan Kumar

Manager, Bhadrakali Sahitha Veerabhadra Swamy vari Devasthanam.

 

   

Cricketer Trisha : Temple town's pride

Gongadi Trisha (17) , a girl hailed from the Temple town Bhadrachalam created history by being a part of women's U-19 to 20 world cup finals and she caused beating England in the finals. Billboards appeared in the town in appreciation of her. Her father Rami Reddy was a well known gym trainer in his own outlet apart from working for ITC paperboards. In searching of great future for her daughter , he left Bhadrachalam to Hyderabad and got trained her in the St. John's cricket academy under the coaches of John Manoj and Srinivasan. Even when in the town of Bhadrachalam, from the tender age , she has been trained hard in view of future aspects. Her father Rami Reddy's vision was praiseworthy and he tried his best to get his lad right up to the position of coveted cricketer.

This is the beginning in her long journey ahead and let's wish her to excel many milestones. Facebook and many other social media platforms stormed with greetings. A clear example of persistence and hard work can be seen in this case and no way lesser than any melodrama flick. In these days, women's cricket is also gaining momentum on par with men's cricket  and Mithali Raj deserved all the credit  as a pioneer in the field. Let our Trisha go in her footsteps to achieve more laurels.

--- Murthy Kvvs

Mahasiva Ratri At Tegada

Mahasiva Ratri Fete

Bhadrakali sametha Veerabhadra Swami vaaru of Tegada village in Charla mandalam is not only renowned around the places of our state but also well known in neighboring states like Chattisgarh, Madhya pradesh and Odisha. Mahasiva Ratri festival is synonymous with Swami vaaru for them. Premises of the temple swerved with the waves devotees. Swami's Darshanam on Mahasiva Ratri brought happiness and prosperity all along the year according to Devotees. That's their staunch belief.

On the early morning of Mahasiva Ratri festival,Swami vaaru starts off to nearby Godvari river and in return, the deities take rest at Gommugudem, which is the original place of  Swami vaaru. The divine couple receive the obeisance of the devotees. The journey of the deities move from there to Tegada and would witness large scale of cracker sounds and traditional music of Melataalaalu.

Devotees start to dance in trance with brandishing swords and cutting pumpkins, lifting them into air. They make sounds like Assharabha sharabha while cutting air lifted pumpkins. It would remind us that Veerabhadra was cutting the head of Daksha. All these passionate things done by devotees were beyond the description.

At the time of evening, Sunku ritual is arranged. It will be done twice within a few hours. First time, rice weighed in a bowl in front of Swami vaaru, amazingly the rice would be more and increased in weight. It happens within a few hours of gap after placing them before the Deities. By it the God indicated his grace towards the Jatara celebration.

After that Narapala ritual commence and which makes onlookers awestruck and they feel out of body experience. Devotees pin tridents into their foreheads, tongues and cheeks. They would move around the temple with all their devotion in the hearts. Veerabhadra Swami is their mother and father in their thoughts and with such feel only they would do all these fearsome activities.

Before all else, Prime Deity Veerabhadra Swami is invited into dried coconut and done Narapaalu ritual later on. And it would be provided to chief priest, Jangama people and devotees respectively. Devotees who were filled with utmost devotion would never shed blood while pinning tridents into their limbs. With chanting Khadgams of the Swami vaaru, all that arduous things are done by devotees. It is said to be so.

Paagolla ritual is celebrated in succession, in the part of it, devotees would wear nail studded chappals and take rounds of the temple. Chief priest get himself pinned the trident into his tongue and wear nail furnished chappals. He moved forefront , enduring all the pain borne by it. In fact, it's not all about pain and endurance problem for the devotees of Veerabhadra Swami. It's the glorious act done by the greatness of that Veerabhadra Swami.

Next, in the early morning the stern ritual of walking on the fire embers. Usually we can't endure a hot day. While devotees keep walking on the fire, they don't feel any suffering or get burnt. All these kind of heroic activities are seen in the Jatara are only the proof of steadfast devotion f devotees in Veerabhadra.

On other hand, some devotees would come here with huge chronicles to pay their promised dues. It was a spectacular scene indeed. They would never fail to come here every year and which shows their undeterred devotion in other words. After that, in the morning, Kalyanam takes place to mother Parvathi in the form of Paanavattam, and Veerabhadeswara Swami in the form of Linga. All it to be performed for Utsava muurthulu. On the other hand, the same Kalyanam will be performed to Muula muurthulu. It would be done with a great pomp.

That means Kalyanam will be celebrated for both Utsava muurthulu and Muula muurthulu simultaneously. Veerabhadra,the handsome groom and Bhadrakali Amma vaaru,the bashful and beautiful bride would get tied the knot and it is a great phenomenon for the onlookers. Hearing virtues and details of the Gothrams of the both deities makes the listeners very happy. All it is done in Mahasankalpam.

The people who are seen the holy murthis after Mangalyadhaarana and Talambraalu are said to be the most fortunate beings. Devotees who observe the fasting should see the Kalyaanam of Bhadrakali and Veerabhadra (Born from the grace of Lord Siva), then only they will get fulfilled in all respects.

With the purpose of welfare of all beings in the world, this divine Kalyaanam would take place, if devotees hold the Akshathalu (Holy rice grain used for Kalyaanam), they will get their desires fulfilled and enhanced their life value. Veerabhadra is synonymous for victory and another form of Lord Siva. Victory comes to the people who always chant this Deity.  

Everyday, in the temple, be performed Puja with Gothrams of devotees. Every monday and friday special Pujas are performed. And Mahaanyaasa purvaka Rudrabhisekham will be performed for every Maasa Sivaratri. Everyday, after Ganapathi puja, the rituals like Subhramanya,Bhadrakali,Veerabhadra Astotharam will be performed. After , laghunyaasa purvaka Rudraabhisekham,Sivasthotram are done for Veerabhadreswara Swami.

On all festival occasions, pujas are performed with all kind of divinely adornments. The flow of devotees is increasing day by day as they felt that their health problems and other ill health problems keep getting subsided. Tegada Veerabhadrudu is the protector from all sorts of evil spirits. And kind hearted. He provides boons at once. He provides victory. Hence all all the devotees be blessed by serving their favorite Deity Veerabhadra.

----- Manager

Yallamandala Sravan Kumar

Bhadrakali Sahitha Veerabhadra Alayam

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