Studio N Interview:
Part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642a8qejPGc
Part2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmJx7gtt63o
Part3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGlYBumFxBk
Part4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FgCrHXYHLs
Part5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_CjUq4RPLQ
Part6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2y8koKuX6g
Part7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfSG3bVXZrQ
Part8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSgrLzgrL2M

TV9 Interview:
Part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=513Il_2nstM
Part2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxbwZ3da3nc

NTV Interview:
Part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkLFis-U6tI
Part2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWWhDiBJdU
Part3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWR0Y1uArnc

ABN Andhra Jyothy:
Part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oeTJ8TyPhM
Part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqjR1Q-bodg

Save Andhra Pradesh!

Nalamotu Chakravarthy
http://www.myteluguroots.com/
http://www.facebook.com/people/@/226703252445
http://twitter.com/nalamotu
http://www.amazon.com/My-Telugu-Roots-Telangana-Bhasmasura/dp/0984238603/

Related posts:

1. Here’s the woman Mohan garu cannot stand!
2. Disgraceful Alterations to K.V. Ranga Reddy’s Autobiography
3. TV9 Interview

ప|| ఎక్కడి మానుష జన్మం బెత్తిన ఫలమే మున్నది |
నిక్కము నిన్నే నమ్మితి నీ చిత్తంబికను ||

చ|| మరవను ఆహారంబును మరవను సంసార సుఖము |
మరవను యింద్రియ భోగము మాధవ నీ మాయ ||
మరచెద సుఙ్ణానంబును మరచెద తత్త్వ రహశ్యము |
మరచెద గురువును దైవము మాధవ నీ మాయ ||
చ|| విడువను పాపము పుణ్యము విడువను నా దుర్గుణములు |
విడువను మిక్కిలి యాసలు విష్ణుడ నీమాయ |
విడిచెద షట్కర్మంబులు విడిచెద వైరాగ్యంబును |
విడిచెద నాచారంబును విష్ణుడ నీమాయ ||
చ|| తగిలెద బహు లంపటముల తగిలెద బహు బంధముల |
తగులను మోక్షపు మార్గము తలపున యెంతైనా |
అగపడి శ్రీ వేంకటేశ్వర అంతర్యామివై |
నగి నగి నను నీవేలితి నాకా యీమాయ ||

***********************************************************************

pa|| ekkaDi mAnuSha janmaM bettina PalamE munnadi |
nikkamu ninnE nammiti nI cittaMbikanu ||

ca|| maravanu AhAraMbunu maravanu saMsAra suKamu |
maravanu yiMdriya BOgamu mAdhava nI mAya |
maraceda su~mNAnaMbunu maraceda tattva rahaSyamu |
maraceda guruvunu daivamu mAdhava nI mAya ||

ca|| viDuvanu pApamu puNyamu viDuvanu nA durguNamulu |
viDuvanu mikkili yAsalu viShNuDa nImAya |
viDiceda ShaTkarmaMbulu viDiceda vairAgyaMbunu |
viDiceda nAcAraMbunu viShNuDa nImAya ||

ca|| tagileda bahu laMpaTamula tagileda bahu baMdhamula |
tagulanu mOkShapu mArgamu talapuna yeMtainA |
agapaDi SrI vEMkaTESvara aMtaryAmivai |
nagi nagi nanu nIvEliti nAkA yImAya ||

Related posts:

1. Mayabazar: Behind the Scenes of a Memorable Scene

I am not going to say anything about Veturi’s writing genius. Just some personal observations and musings.

I heard that Veturi attended Kolluru ZP high school in Guntur Dt. He is about a couple of years younger to my father. My father completed his SSC from the ZP High School in Donepudi, a neighboring village to Kolluru, and immediately served as the writer at Kolluru school. Even though I have no confirmation if this is true or not, it is very likely that Veturi was a student when my father was working there. beerakaaya peechu.

How would you feel if a genius like Veturi has good things to say about your Telugu? Wouldn’t you be in cloud nine? I was. I will share with you an experience with Late Sri Veturi, which dates back to Fall of 2007.

First, here is a stroke of genius by Sri Veturi in one of the popular songs (from Saagara Sangamam):

కుమార సంభవం లోని శ్లోకం:

వాగధ్ధా వివసంతృప్తౌ వాగాద్ధ ప్రతిపత్తయో

జగతః పతిరౌ వందే, పార్వతీ పరమేశ్వరౌ

వేటూరి విరుపు:

వందే పార్వతీప,  రమేశ్వరౌ

ఈ విరుపుకు జగమెరిగిన అర్ధం:

పార్వతీప = పార్వతి దేవి భర్త, శివుడు!

రమేశ్వరుడు = రమాదేవి (లక్ష్మి) భర్త, విష్ణుమూర్తి!

వేటూరి విరుపులో నేననుకున్న కొంటె అర్ధం:

వందే పార్వతీప, రమేశ్వరౌ = ఓ పార్వతి పై రమించువాడా, నీకు వందనం.

I first accidentally met Sri Veturi at Hyderabad airport on Dec 24, 2005. He was flying to Chennai and I was flying to Vizag with my family. I introduced myself as one of his biggest fans and gave him my card. He was very affectionate to me. I was very happy to talk to him, however brief it might have been. I took his autograph on one of my business cards. As his flight was about to leave, he gave me his cell phone number and asked me to call him so that we can talk more later.

In the Summer of 2007 I started reaching out to him to seek an interview for my show on TeluguOne Radio. I was told that he rarely gives interviews for anybody. When he first agreed, I was elated and I spent nearly four days to prepare a lot of questions for him. For various inexplicable reasons every appointment he gave me had to be canceled. After nearly two months of frequent calls, I wrote him a letter and got it delivered through the then director of TeluguOne Radio.  Click here to read that letter:

The TeluguOne rep asked Sri Veturi, on my behalf, if my interpretation of Veturi’s word play for the above traditional sloka in Saagarasangamam (vaagaddha viva samptruttaou…) is correct.  Even though Veturi read the letter by then, this query apparently got Veturi’s further attention. He first agreed that my interpretation is also correct and then read the letter a couple of times more.

After reading the letter he repeatedly said “విక్రమార్కుడు, బాగుంది! బాగా వ్రాశారు!!” I was also told that Veturi was very impressed with the way I wrote and presented myself to him. Of course, the guy who reported back to me could be trying to score some points with me by making it all up. But, I was on cloud-nine when I heard all this.

Later I tried a few times to get his interview, but either he couldn’t give me time or canceled the appointments. The last I spoke to him was in March 2008, when he canceled our appointment and politely told me, “Murali gaaru ivaala anukokundaa Rehamaan paata recording pettukunnamu. nenu interview ivvalenu sorry andi.” I was persistent for a while but eventually gave up, which is usually unlike me. I am a self-styled Raja Vikramarka. But, Vikramarka eventually prevailed, but I failed.

Today, Sri Veturi is in my thoughts. I, like millions of Telugu people around the globe, got inspired, solaced, soothed, and felt ebullient and elated by his work. The least I can do is take this time to recognize this great mind through this personal tribute.

However, not being able to chat with him for long is going to be one of the regrets of my life.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Related posts:

1. Telugu Cine Song Writer Veturi No More
2. A Phone, A Pal, and A Story – Part 5
3. Job Seekers, Pay Attention!

How does it feel like to be in love? For that matter what is love? Is love a tangible thing or an abstract idea? Is love merely a self reinforcing feeling where liking and/or attraction become strong and turned into something inexplicable, and therefore you love? I don’t know the answer to that,  but I do know this for sure: love is beyond simple physical attraction. Whatever may be its final manifestation, love germinates from an inexplicable liking to an idea, a thought about the person it is targeted at. It doesn’t matter if that person is real or simply fictional (raakumaari leka raakumaarudu).

When I was about 18, I loved somebody. That somebody is a work of fiction. To be more precise, she is a dead character in a novel. I am sure it is not just me. The words the author used to describe her thoughts made many teenage boys of my generation to fall in love with an “idea” called Ramya.

If your husband is in his 40s, and if he is (or was) in the habit of reading Telugu fiction, ask him if he read Yandamuri’s vennello aadapilla when he was a teenager. If he did, ask him how he liked Ramya’s character. Most men probably won’t be able to express or won’t admit it, but I can speak for many of them: they loved (the idea and mind of) Ramya.

This podcast is my rendering of Ramya’s last letter. Listen to the podcast and rediscover your love for Telugu language. And then: get back into the habit of reading more in Telugu.

Broadcast date on TeluguOne Radio: 2007-10-05

Audio Language: Telugu

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1. Interview With Yandamuri Veerendranath
2. Jonnavithula’s “My Telugu”
3. A Phone, A Pal, and A Story – Part3

http://www.koumudi.net/

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Sri SitaRama Kalyanam

Today is Sri Rama Navami, nostalgy drives me to remember how we  would celebrate it back home.Typically listening to the Kalyanam on  AIR was the biggest part.

Ushasri as most of you know was involved in the live moderation of the  commentary for several years, Ushasri.org were kind enough to upload  the audio of the kalyanam from 1986,please listen and enjoy.

http://ushasri.org/new/audio-sriramanavami.php

If you were wanting to know the meaning of the first poem in the  commentary, please follow my earlier post  at http://www.teluglobe.com/telugu/literature/telugu-sahiti-charcha

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1. Poetic Eccentricity on Rivers (Songs and Commentary)
2. సామద పుష్పంద యద ఝంకారములు కావు- Sahityam
3. Great Job Mastaru!

Imagines how language would have formed, poetry emerged, trend setters in Telugu Literature, what’s Telugu’s shall Reconcile with…

Related posts:

1. Welcome, Saradhi Motamarri
2. Conversation with Chakravarthy: ‘mana Telugu thalli’ Book and Telangana 1 of 4
3. Conversation with Chakravarthy: ‘mana Telugu thalli’ Book and Telangana 3 of 4

Maha Mrutyunjaya Mantram

Mrutyunjaya Maha Mantram

When a fruit is cut from a plant, a drop or two of the sap is released from the cut stem. However when a ripe fruit drops from the tree, there is no sap released, the fruit renders itself for others to enjoy itself and voluntarily detaches itself from the tree.
This is the essence of the Maha Mrutyunja Mantram.

When chanting the Mrutyunjaya maha mantram, one asks for the avoidance of the untimely death but just not death. Untimely death causes several hardships in the family,hence oh Lord please grant me death at a time when  I am done with my worldly duties.

The Maha Mantram is known to be a powerful one and is suggested to
recite atleast 3 times before leaving the house followed by the Shanti
mantram for a safe return.

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushthi Vardhanam
UrvaRukamiva Bandhanat
Mrytyor Muksheeya Mamritat ||

Shanti Mantram

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidam pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate
pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

The “pujari” in the temple says this when offering “Teertham”

Akala mrutyu haranam, sarva vyadhi nivaranam
samastha papa kshaya karam, sri uma maheswara
or Lakshmi narayana padodakam pavanam subham.

Let thy be cleared of untimely death and ill health, let all your sins
be cleared at the holy feet of Uma Maheswara.

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1. Hyderabad Political Conferences, Andhra Maha Sabha and “Andhra”
2. Naivedyam and Neerajanam Vidhanam
3. Financial Reform: In A Lot Less than 1000 Words

SaradhiM_Munduku-Podham-Venukanunchi-Mar07

No related posts.

Late Sri KV Ranga Reddy

Mallik Garu sent me Chapters 22 and 23 of Late Sri K. V. Ranga Reddy’s recently published autobiography in English. As soon as I read the excerpts, I could not resist but write this quick note. Here is another classic case of hate-mongering being indulged by the separatists.

K.V. Ranga Reddy was the first Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and the current Rangareddi district was named after him. He was also a signatory of the Gentlemen’s agreement.

Sri Ranga Reddy titled his book “An Autobiography” when he published it in 1967. His book has been renamed by the separatists, in their infinite wisdom, to “From the Struggle and the Betrayal: The Telangana Story”.

I doubt if there is any precedence to changing an author’s book title after his death. This is even more profound considering that this is an autobiography- which is a book of very personal nature written by an author about himself.

If this is not enough, the separatists have inserted a brand new Chapter-23 to the autobiography, a full 40 years after Sri Ranga Reddy’s death. I am sure you can guess the nature of the title by now: “Origins of Telangana discontent – Telangana agitation”. The translator claims that Chapter-23 was constructed based on the notes left by Ranga Reddy before his death in 1970. Interestingly, K.V. Ranga Reddy said he could not write his autobiography due to his poor eye sight and hence he dictated his autobiography to Sri Subba Rao, a relative of Andhra Pitamaha.

K.V. Ranga Reddy in 1967 wrote: “Had I given this to any other writer, I was afraid he would make it more ornamental and flowery, which was not my intention. Because of my poor eye sight, I dictated the information in a fact by fact manner, without any exaggeration, to my friend Sri Kommavarapu Subba Rao. My word and his pen flowed smoothly from the beginning to the end. Sri Subba Rao ensured there were no errors of language”

So how would K.V. Ranga Reddy, who was so keen about accurate representation of his views, if he were alive, feel about changing the title of his autobiography and blatant insertion of a new chapter to the book?

I found a couple more fascinating aspects in the two chapters.

Separatists have been extensively citing Lucien D. Benichou’s book Appendex 12 where it is written: “The ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement was violated in 1956 itself when Sanjiva Reddy, the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh refused to name any Telangana minister as Deputy Chief Minister saying that the Deputy Chief Ministership is like the unwanted sixth finger of the hand.”

Reading the excerpts of autobiography I was surprised to learn that it is in fact Sri Ranga Reddy, when asked by press correspondents why he was not given the Deputy CM said: “What is there in Deputy Chief Ministership, more than what I have now? It is like ‘angushth-e-sheshum’ (sixth finger).”

When Ranga Reddy said “more than what I have now”, he was referring to the powerful cabinet portfolios he was holding including Home, Revenue, and Prohibition.

Let me say this in unambiguous terms- not creating the Deputy Chief Minister position was a blatant violation of Gentlemen’s agreement. However, there seems to be behind the screens consensus, as there was no major outcry by the Nizam leaders against the violation of the agreement. The issue of Deputy CM was rectified starting 1960 when Sri K.V. Ranga Reddy became the Deputy CM under Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah, J.V. Narasing Rao under Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, and B.V. Subba Reddy under P.V. Narasimha Rao. The Deputy Chief Minister requirement became void with Indira Gandhi’s six-point formula of 1973.

In conclusion, I found Chapter 22 more interesting as it clearly explains the healthy working relationship between the #2 man in the cabinet K.V. Ranga Reddy and the #1 man N. Sanjiva Reddy. It provides insights into the decision making process between Ranga Reddy and Sanjiva Reddy, wherein over 75% of the recommendations made by the former were approved by the latter.

K.V. Ranga Reddy was keen on not making his autobiography ornamental and flowery and wanted to avoid all exaggerations. Sadly, the separatists have blatantly flouted the wishes of Sri Ranga Reddy in order to further their agenda of hate.

Save Andhra Pradesh!

Nalamotu Chakravarthy

http://www.myteluguroots.com

http://www.facebook.com/people/@/226703252445

http://twitter.com/nalamotu

http://www.amazon.com/My-Telugu-Roots-Telangana-Bhasmasura/dp/0984238603/

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2. Numbers do not Support Separatists’ Wild Claims
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Naivedyam and Neerajanam

Came across the Naivedyam and Neerajanam vidhanam which was used by my father, he would go over everyday just to make sure he did it right. Script could be a handy resource for nitya pooja.

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3. Why the name Sundara Kanda

The Bhagavad Gita

A king who was  a learned man in the vedas used to take care of his subjects very well to the like of his people.He had everything he wanted but had three questions bothering him for a long time for which he was looking for answers,he visited many places met many scholars to find answers to these questions.One day he decided to asssign this task to a scholar who was a very learned man in literature and philosophy.He summoned the scholar and gave him the following questions.

Where is god?

Which way is he seeing?

What is his work?

The scholar was asked to find answers for these questions and in return was provided with all the resources including food  for  that time.If he was sucessfull in providing answers he would be treated well in gold and silver otherwise would be banished from the kingdom.The scholar went home worried and tensed, he was a learned man but  not very practical and with this task at hand he got worried and finally fell sick. This man had  a farm which used to be taken care by kid who graze the cows and work on the rest of the chores.This young boy was  blessed with knowledge and had a very kind heart.He was a god loving kid and would spend most of the time singing songs

in praise of god. This young boy saw his master worried and decided would go help him out, but although the master was a learned man he was arrogant and egoistic to share his problem with a 12 year old but finally decided he would tell him.Once the boy heard the problem he assured his master to be at ease and relax for the rest of the time and to give him a note when it is time to see the king that he is sick and chose the boy as his representative to give the answers.

Time passed by and the day finally arrived, the king was very excited  to learn the answers, he summoned all the neighbouring kings and gathered a great audience to witness this event.The crowd was waiting anxiously to see the great scholar but he didnt show up instead  they saw a young boy walk towards the king and give him a note.The king read the note and felt it was appropritate to let the boy answer the questions as the scholar himself had requested for it and so asks the boy for the answers.

The boy with a smile replies back that since he will be giving him the answers and explaining these adhyatamic queries he gets the status of the teacher and that he needs to be seated on his throne while the king stands with his hands folded like an obedient student. On listening to this the king is confused and after discussing with his ministers he decides to do so as it is appropriate for the guru to be seated comfortably.The king steps down and lets the boy take the throne.

The king asks out loud “Where is God”, in response the boy requests for a jug of milk and asks the king if  there is butter in the milk, the king replies that  the milk has to ferment and churned later to separate the butter from it.The boy replies just this way God is there in the entire universe and he who practices and spends time in searching him will be sucessfull in seeing him but the persistence and the devotion are required just as extracting butter from milk.The audience is elated listening to this answer which was based on a simple comparison.

The next question was asked “Which way is he seeing?” The boy shows towards an oil lamp and asks the king which direction the flame is pointed at.Suprised ,the king replies its not pointed at any direction but the whole room is illuminated.The boy explains just the way the suns light is spread thourghtout the universe Gods reach is spread throughout which includes the human mind as well and so its best to keep the mind open to feel god within.

The crowd was pleased and thought “A Daniel come to judgement”, excited himself the king finally asked the last question

“What is his work?”.The boy replied he brought me a simple cow herd to sit on this lavish throne in comfort and took you the king of kings down to stand infront me with your hands folded, that is the kind of work he does,  whenever and whereever a decline of righteousness and predominance of unrighteousness prevails at that time I manifest myself personally.

The above story is an excerpt from the Vigyana Yoga(chapter 7) ,Bhagavad Gita as narrated by Sri Vidya Prakasanandagiri Swami .In chapter seven Lord Krishna gives concrete knowledge of the absolute reality as well as the opulence of divinity. He describes His illusory energy in the material existence called Maya and declares how extremely difficult it is to surmount it. He also describes the four types of people attracted to divinity and the four types of people who are opposed to divinty. In conclusion He reveals that one in spiritual intelligence takes exclusive refuge of the Lord without reservation in devotional service.

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సామద పుష్పంద యద ఝంకారములు కావు
భీష కుమ్భేంద్ర  బృంహితములు
వాయువునిర్గత పద్మ వరనేవులు కావు
తురవ నికరము తో ధుత్రజనము

లాకీర్ణ జల తరంగ సరములు కావు
ఆహాత్రు ధనుర్ముఖ్త శత్రు కమల కలహాల
కుసుమ కన్య నీవేద రానా రంగమున
మెడ వొట్టు వేగము వలదు  వలదు

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Hanuma Embracing Lord Rama

Why was this chapter in the “Ramayanam” named Sundara Kanda while the rest of the chapters  like Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda,Aranya Kanda,Kishkindha Kanda, Yuddha Kanda and Uttara Kanda were self explanatory.

Related posts:

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2. Disgraceful Alterations to K.V. Ranga Reddy’s Autobiography
3. What does Venkateswara mean?