ఈ-తెలుగు : Online Telugu forum comes of age

HYDERABAD: None would have imagined that an insignificant Google group created by a software engineer could position the Italian of the East as the second most used language on the cyber world.

www.etelugu.org, an association of the linguistic compatriots on the virtual world, boasts of over 80,000 pages created for Telugu Wikipedia, the modified storehouse of information.

“From the stage of merely translating the existing text, we have matured into creating our own content. Our Wikipedia has basic information about almost every place in Andhra Pradesh, contributed by people hailing from the respective locations,” says Thummala Sirish Kumar, one among the founder-members.

Over 3000 members are now working gratis to create and translate content for it. Publishing and selling the information is also free of cost, albeit after due credit.

The initial Google group of 70 members was the brainchild of Chava Kiran Kumar, a software engineer working with Microsoft.

With augmented membership, it was transformed into an online association that brought together all the individual blogs in Telugu.

“Telugu blogs have increased from 100 to 1500 after etelugu came. Even now, very few know that languages other than English could be enabled on computer.

One does not need technical expertise to do this,” says Mr.Thummala.

Chat room

A simple change in the system’s configuration is all one has to do , he says and adds that it will greatly benefit elders wishing to chat with children abroad. Whoever has a doubt can access the site’s help centre or the chat-room of www.computerera.co.in, a webzine actively generating content.

“To help the not-so-tech-savvy, we have the know-how to remotely access the system and change the configuration,” explains Nallamothu Sridhar, the man behind the webzine. The association also proposes to offer free technical help for those who want their websites in Telugu.

Many of the etelugu members worked to create the Telugu versions of Google, Yahoo and Mozilla Firefox.

They are also eager to change the State government websites to Telugu.

“Online local dailies offer no provision of feedback in Telugu, because most of them use customised fonts. We are trying to persuade them to use Unicode, a common font,” says Mr. Sridhar.

The association will give a presentation about using Telugu on internet on Saturday at the ongoing Hyderabad Book Fair on Necklace Road from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Historical పళనాడు valour celebrated

Weapon used by Brahmanaidu in war still being preserved at Chennakesava temple

Weaponry show: A temple priest displaying ‘Konathalu’ used by Palnadu warriors at the Chennakesava temple in Karampudi on Friday.

KARAMPUDI (GUNTUR DT): A century-old tradition of celebrating the valour of Palnadu warriors, ‘Palnadu Veeraradhana Utsavalu,’ is still in vogue here at the dilapidated Veeralamma temple.

A ‘trishul’-like weapon used by Brahmanaidu in the Palnadu war is still kept at the Chennekesava temple here. It is now worshipped as ‘Narasimhavataram’ and taken out in procession during these festivities.

“The festivities were also part of the Brahmanaidu’s mission to preserve Vaishnavism. Since Lord Chennakesava was the presiding deity during the reign of Palnadu kings, we are continuing the tradition,” says temple priest Simhadri Chari.

Beginning with the new moon (Amavasya) in the month of Karthika, the colourful ritual goes on for five days led by seer of Veeramalla temple, the 10-year-old Tarun Chennakesav. The festivities ended last month, but the local MLA Janga Krishna Murthy and a few others insist on a full-fledged ‘Palnadu Utsavalu’ from last year. Its second edition kicked off on Friday at Piduguralla.

Carnival

The descendants of Brahmanaidu, called Acharavanthulu, arrive in the town from twelve districts and take part in the ritual providing a carnival-like ambience. The highlight of these rituals is the colourful procession, in which various weapons used by warriors, called ‘Konathalu’, were paraded.

The legend has is that the mighty warriors, who died in the famous Palnadu war turned into stones and then into ‘linga’.

The pool used to be called as ‘Veerulagutta’ and the descendants used to hold an annual celebration in memory of the dead. During the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb, two military commanders, Jaffar and Farid were supposed to have rested at the place and while cooking food made use of the stones.

Realising their mistake later, they constructed a temple honouring the 66 soldiers. Two tombs have also been built for the two commanders later.

The unique feature here is communal harmony. Many a Muslim elder still takes part in the festivities and Sk. Hasan keeps guard at the Chennakesava temple.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Steps to promote Telugu culture in Mauritius

Kakinada: The ఆంధ్ర లలిత కలా సమితి (Andhra Lalitha Kala Samithi) of Mauritius is making efforts to protect Telugu culture in the island nation and focussing on the need for every person in Andhra Pradesh to contribute his/her mite to enrich their State’s culture and heritage. Use of Telugu language played a crucial role in this endeavour, according to samithi president Sanjeeva Narasimha Appadu.

Speaking to reporters at Viswa Viznana Adhyatmika Peetham, Pithapuram, on Thursday in the presence of the peetham founder Umar Alisha, Mr. Appadu said the organisation was spreading awareness about the importance of protecting our culture and heritage through its quarterly magazine Andhra Lalitha Kala and conducting other events to promote the Telugu culture and its values throughout the world. Mr. Appadu said he keeps visiting Andhra Pradesh to coordinate the samithi’s activities and this was his second visit to Viswa Viznana Adhyatmika Peetham which was striving to spread the fragrance of Telugu culture and traditions.

Peetham founder Umar Alisha said his discourses were regularly broadcast by the Mauritius state radio which has Mr. Narasimha Appadu as its chief Telugu programmer. Mr. Alisha further opined that Telugu language should be promoted by every citizen of the State if it were to withstand the onslaught of Western influences.

Courtesy: The Hindu

'Telugu' is the focus of Hyderabad Book Fair this year

Focus this year to be on Telugu , post the classical status

HYDERABAD: For bookworms of the twin cities, here is good news.

It’s time for the 23rd Hyderabad Book Fair. Conducted by the Hyderabad Book Fair Society, this year’s fair will be held for ten days starting December 18 at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road.

With Telugu language having been given the classical language status, the focus this year would be on Telugu literature, said S. Srinivasa Rao, president, Hyderabad Book Fair Society.

Over 50 stalls will be exhibiting Telugu publications at the fair.

The fair will also include many competitions for visitors such as ‘Book Hunt’, talking in Telugu for three minutes non-stop etc.

Mr. Rao further added that other programmes to encourage Telugu language too would be held.

Free passes

This year, the fair sees the participation of Dravidian University for the first time.

Of the over 200 book stalls to be set up, more than 110 stalls will be exhibiting publications in English Language.

Ten stalls have also been earmarked for daily newspapers.

A 10 per cent discount will be offered on all books. According to Mr. Rao, the society distributed over one lakh free passes to various educational institutions.

The entry ticket is a nominal Rs. 5 and the entry is free for students, teachers, children and journalists.

Twenty-five experts in the field of Telugu literature who helped protect the language and culture will also be recognised felicitated at the fair.

Courtesy: The Hindu

'Telugu must in all offices'

95 p.c. implementation in Nizamabad: Language panel chief

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Srikakulam, Chittoor districts placed second and third respectively

A.B. K. Prasad for steps to implement Telugu in full by February-end

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KADAPA: Nizamabad district is ‘numero uno’ in the State with a 95 per cent record in implementation of Telugu in all official correspondence followed by Srikakulam and Chittoor districts in the second and third place, Official Language Commission Chairman A.B.K. Prasad, said on Wednesday.

Four districts were implementing Telugu in official correspondence, Mr. Prasad told newsmen here. Quoting official claims, he said implementation of Telugu as official language was 66 per cent in Kadapa district and exhorted the officials to strive for increasing it to over 80 per cent.

Lauding district Collector M.T. Krishna Babu’s directive two days ago, to mandatorily forward all note files to him in Telugu, he said the official concerned responded positively though belatedly. The Commission would forward a report to the government suggesting action on districts which fail to enforce the official language.

The commission chairman complimented the district panchayat office for ensuring 85 per cent implementation of Telugu in its official correspondence. He lauded the efforts of Khader Basha, administrative officer in district panchayat office, though Telugu was not his mother tongue.

He advised other government departments in the district to emulate the district panchayat office.

Mr. A.B.K. Prasad was chief guest at the ‘Telugu Vikasam’ programme, a competition conducted for junior and senior assistants and supervisory staff in drafting note file in Telugu at Kalakshetram here.

British days

Addressing a meeting in the evening, Mr. A.B.K. Prasad recalled that British officers such as Charles Phillip Brown, Thomas Munroe and MacKenzie ensured all official correspondence in Telugu one-and-a-half century ago, for the understanding of the common man, but the penchant to use English has increased in recent times.

Official language was being effectively implemented in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra, but not so vigorously in Andhra Pradesh, he lamented.

Cautioning that lack of frequent use would lead to diminishing influence of a language, he said IAS and IPS officers should follow the stipulation of adhering to all correspondence in native language of any State within an year of their posting.

He wanted steps to ensure improvement in the implementation of Telugu by end of February. District Revenue Officer K. Madhusudan, said in his report, that implementation of official language was 81 per cent in Kadapa Collectorate and 82 per cent in the SP’s office, and the district average was 66 per cent. Efforts were on to draft land acquisition notices in Telugu, he said.

Poor implementation

The chairman lamented poor implementation of Telugu at 25 per cent in the Social Welfare and School Education Departments, 12 per cent in Annamayya project and five per cent in Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi project.

The State government’s service rules, a dictionary and 10 other books would be released in Telugu soon, he said. He gave away prizes to winners of the note file drafting and elocution contests. Joint Collector M. Girijasankar, Zilla Parishad CEO Venkataswamy and DEO G.A. Hemanath, Yogi Vemana University Head of Telugu Department Rachapalem Chandrasekhar Reddy participated.

Courtesy: The Hindu

తెలుగు బ్లాగుల దినోత్సవ కవరేజ్

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