`Telugu a unique and versatile language'

Cinare inaugurates week-long literary festival

SHARING VIEWS: Telugu litterateur C. Narayana Reddy, TTD chairman B. Karunakar Reddy at the inaugural of the literary meet in Tirupati on Thursday. Joint Executive Officer G. Balaramaiah is next to him.— K.V Poornachandra Kumar

Tirupati: The week-long సాహితి సంస్కృతి మహోత్సవాలు (Sahithi Samskruti Mahotsavaalu) began on a colourful note at the Mahati auditorium here on Thursday with the Jnanpeeth awardee C. Narayana Reddy lighting the traditional lamp. The event, conducted for the third consecutive year, is aimed at inculcating moral values and the essence of human relations at a time when mankind is plagued by materialism and ignorance of one's own roots.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Reddy recalled the greatness of Telugu and saw a major role for litterateurs to hand over the legacy to the future generations with the values intact. Similarly, the ethnic art forms which are unique to Telugu such as పద్యనాటకం (Padyanatakam) (traditional theatre), అవధానం (Avadhanam) (literary feat) and కుచిపుడి (Kuchipudi) and పెరి శివతాండవం (Peri Sivathandavam) (dance forms), had to be protected, preserved, promoted and passed on to posterity.

Dwelling on Telugu's versatility in accepting and digesting foreign words into itself, he cited the persian words `Tharazu' and `Khusi' that became `Thraasu' and `Khushi' during the period of Thikkana and Srinatha and the portuguese words `almirah' and `Isthri' in the latter period. "But it was the addition of Sanskrit words in a high dose that added a sweetness to Telugu," he pointed out.

B. Karunakar Reddy, TTD chairman and president of తెలుగు సంస్కృతి వికాస వేదిక (Telugu Samskruti Vikasa Vedika), which is hosting the event, said that the impressive attendance bore testimony to the changing preferences of the public and felt it was a good augury for the resurgence of human values.

He explained how the event was brushed aside when it was conceived and organised, appreciated in the second year and `eagerly-awaited' this year.

TTD Joint Executive Officer G. Balaramaiah appealed to parents and teachers not to merely aim at making the children engineers, doctors or bureaucrats, but provide value-based education to mould them into responsible citizens. SVU Vice-Chancellor S. Jayarama Reddy asked students to be disciplined and well-mannered. He felt that such events would provide a welcome diversion to the students.

In the literary sessions that followed, Mudigonda Sivaprasad spoke on వేదార్థం-వర్తమాన (Vedartham - Varthamana) and Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu on ఉపనిషత్సారం (Upanishatsaram).

Veteran film actors Gummadi Venkateswara Rao and Kanchana were felicitated in the evening.

Courtesy: The Hindu

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TIRUPATI: It is high time the degrading human values are checked and a new lease of life in our culture and traditions is infused, noted lyricist and Gyanapeeth awardee C Narayana Reddy has said.

Addressing the inaugural session of the week-long Sahithi Samskruti Varotsavalu at Mahathi Auditorium on Thursday, he said such conventions would help in alerting the people that ethical and moral values in society were falling and the trend should be arrested and our traditions revived.

Narayana Reddy, quoting the Sanskrit saying 'Daivam Manusha Rupena', said that God resided in the enlightened soul of a human being, who lived by an ethical and moral code. He explained different schools of thought as to origin of the name Telugu for the language. "The credit for producing the first Vaggeyakara goes to the Telugu language as Tallapaka Annamacharya is considered the first Vaggeyakara," he said.

In his presidential address, TTD Chairman Karunakar Reddy said that commercialisation had spread to human relations.

TTD joint executive officer G Balaramaiah said human behavior depended on three factors ? genes, upbringing and education. "It is unfortunate that the present generation is interested only in the earning aspect of education and prefer to be an MBA or an engineer.

Sri Venkateswara University Vice Chancellor echoed the views of Balaramaiah. Mudigonda Sivaprasad and Vadarevu Chinna Veerabhadrudu spoke on 'Veedartam - Vartamanam' and 'Upanishatsaram' respectively.

In the afternoon, Kasireddy Venkata Reddy spoke on 'Ramayana Ramyata', Nagalla Guruprasada Rao on 'Bharatam Samakaleenata' and H S Brahmanandam on 'Potana Bhagavatam'. Film actors Kanchana and Gummadi were felicitated on the occasion. 'Saranam Govindam', a Kuchipudi by Swathi Somanath and team enthralled the audience in the evening.

Courtesy: NewIndPress