Sphoorthi Theatre

My childhood memories revolve around Marriam Timma Sagara-MTS Colony Karwar Road Hubli. I have lots and lots to share. One such is Sri Ramanavami and Margazhi Masam Bhajana Ghosthi.   Margazhi month usually begins on December15/16 every year ends either on following January 12 or 13th. This bhajana group consists of Chief exponent in Bhajans-Late Shri Bagvathar Subramanian mama,  late Srinivasan mama (fondly called cheenu mama) , late Shri P . Krishnamaurthy mama (known as PK mama),They are the main singers and rest are Nadamuni mama, Late Shri S.Venkaraman mama, Sugandhvanam mama, late Sri Gopinath mama who used to render melodious  Purandara dasara kritanas. My faourite being "Guru purandara darase..", "Ranga ninna kondaduva mangala swara", "Ranga bharo.." and many more All  addressed fondly as 'Mama' with affection !! In fact it was PK mama who initiated the Sri Ramanavami celebrations in the month of March/April which would conclude wit...

Why are Women  continuously raped in India? What is happening in India? India is no more a safe place for daughters, wives, mothers and women. I am surprised when Parliamentarian speaks about no more skirts for girls as a remedy for gang rape. Why say no to girls or draw a dress code for girls alone, why not talk about attitude change and emphasis on “Women and girls to be treated with respect”. Rape in India is a common crime committed that goes unheard and unnoticed. The huge haul cry slowly wanes down with no justice made to the victim. The offenders freely move on. In most cases, the victim either commits suicide or dies due to serious injuries in an abdomen, intestines, and genitals due to the assault. Is this something new in India? No, not at all….. Similar crimes like Segregation against women as well as Eve teasing and rape in India are known issues. When it is reported, the local police give less importance or neglect or pressurize victims of rape to withdr...

 The World Telugu Conference - WTC is a conference organized in Tirupati - the Temple town for continuance of Telugu language in the world. Literary achievers and Scholars across the globe attended to share their viewpoint and notions about Telugu language and its present state.  The first of its kind was held in 1975 in Hyderabad under the instrumentation of   the then Minister of Education, Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao. This is the fourth conference organized. Nevertheless, this conference viewed by many native Telugu speakers as gala get-together party among native and NRIs.  T elugu literary figures and cultural organisations from Telangana in Andhra Pradesh boycotted the fourth World Telugu Conference, which got underway at Tirupati on Thursday. Poets, writers, artists, academicians and other noted personalities from the Telangana region stayed away from the three-day event, terming it as an attempt to suppress the movement for a separate Telangana ...

Last January, my post on "Boom Boom Mattukarans-Gangireddu" received good viewers all through the world going through and is placed as one of the popular posts. “Boom Boom Mattukaran or Gangireddu” as they are popularly known in South India, especially in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Boom Boom Mattukaran or Gangireddu- “the bull’s play” is a very popular form of dance. Quite common to watch in rural areas and of course in nowadays in urban areas like Hyderabad (question of survival) it is a common site in every village. This is perhaps one of the very few rural entertainments that have survived through times. A bull, that is decorated with multicoloured cloths and ornaments moves from one house to the other led by its master who plays the 'Nadaswaram' or the “Sahanayi” during Pongal-Sankranti festival to Dusshera festival for a period of 6-8 months in a year. Bulls are trained to dance or perform acrobatics to entertain the crow...

There is a common burning and tension erupting talk in the society-It is of Marriage Institution. We come across both pros and cons effect of this institution. These days Live-in relation is mushrooming in most of the cities especially with people working in IT sectors and Call centres. Hey! What's wrong with it??? We want to know each other well and then decide of Marriage and Kids. Marriages in Indian tradition is very vibrant, colourful, with lots of customary things going on adding meaning to it, family, friends and relatives, music, band and children, eateries, fun-plays, arguments, quarrelsome and fights  with few unexpected sudden arising customs from grooms side and of course huge expenses. Marriages of celebrities is a huge part of discussion for commoners during tea time. Recent "SAIFEENA" wedding, Snageet, Nikah!!! Most of the Indians now wish to have lavish wedding spending crores for food court, function halls, ACs, TVs, Blow u...

I participated in a National Seminar Organised by P.S Telugu University, Hyderabad on “Indian Literature and Dalit Culture” on October 29-31, 2012. One session dealt with the Mayalaya Dalits condition and subjudication to various kinds of atrocities especially women. Can one imagine such things being imposed in a country like India which stands for rich culture, tradition, and heritage? More so with Kerala state-God’s own Land. We today oppose to various fashion shows, Miss Universe, Miss World Contests, and undervalue if girls are dressed in jeans, or short skirts with spaghetti tops and so on. One paper by Ms. Maria Kutty Joseph moved me. It was like suddenly shocking jerks I received. I had read some aspects about Kerala Culture, dress, food, status of women and so on. I never imagined the torture on women especially lower caste women would be so horrible in the19th century or prior to it. No doubt, Brahmin women also underwent the same sorts of torture within four walls....

Kal means stone and Anai means bund-ancient dam built on Kaveri river. It is at Triruchirapally in Tamil Nadu state. It is at 24 KM from Tiruchirapally. My recent visit to Sri Rangam, I got an opportunity to visit the Kallanai . Kallanai was built to divert the water of Kaveri across the Kollidam the fertile delta region for irrigation. It was built by the around the 2nd Century AD. The dam constructed by Chola King Karikal Valaven is an excellent study model for modern engineers including Sir Arthur Cotton. This is considered one of the oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structures in the world, which is still in use. Rajendra Chola (1014-1044). He was victorious upto the banks of River Ganga. Gangaikonda Cholapuram is the name of the place, 61 kms. from Tiruchirapalli, where he built a temple for Brihadees’vara to commemorate his victories. Gangaikonda Cholapuram means, ‘the city of the Chola who took the Ganga’. After his victorious campaign, he did not ask for trib...