Kaloji Narayana Rao

A giant of Telugu letters Kaloji Narayana Rao (9 September 1914 – 13 November 2002) born in Madikonda village of Warangal district Telangana. Real name is Raghuveer Narayan Lakshmikanth Srinivasa Ramraja Kaloji popularly known as Kaloji or Kalanna is a well known freedom fighter of India and a political activist of Telangana. He is known for his contributions in the social and literary. 

Honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 1992, the second highest civilian honour in India for his excellent service in the literary and social, Kaloji brings grace and distinction to the award. He is a recipient of Tamrapatra in 1972. He received the award for the best translation of the 'Jeevana Gita' work in 1968 and Ramakrishna Rao Burgula first posthumous tribute was congratulated in 1981. He was honored with 'Praja Kavi' title.The Telangana government honored kaloji birthday September 9 as Telangana Language Day

Read More

Bidri Craft

Bidriware is a renowned metal handicraft that derives its name from Bidar, presently in Karnataka. It was believed to have originated in 14th century AD during the reign of Bahamani Sultans.

The term 'Bidriware' therefore represents the manufacture of a unique metalware that is named after

the region of Bidar. The Bahamani sultans had ruled Bidar in the 14th–15th centuries. Bidriware was first practised in ancient Persia and then it was brought to India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s followers. The art form developed due to a mix of Persian and Arabic cultures and after the fusion with local style, a new and unique style of its own was created. The Nizam of Hyderabad introduced the art form in Aurangabad, which was part of Nizam’s Hyderabad state before 1947.

Bidriware is an eight-stage process. Those are moulding, smoothening by file and the process of designing by chisels. It is then followed by engraving using chisel and hammer where pure silver inlaying is done. It is subjected to smoothening again, followed by buffing and finally oxidising by making use of soil and ammonium chloride. Bidriware is therefore manufactured from an alloy of copper and zinc metals, in the ratio 1:16 by means of casting.

Initially the presence of zinc ushers alloy a deep black color. Firstly, a mould is created using soil and this is made malleable by adding castor oil and resin. The molten metal is later poured to create a cast piece followed by smoothened through filing. The casting is further coated with a strong copper sulphate solution to gain a temporary black coating. Then the designs are etched freehand over this using a metal stylus.This is eventually secured in a vise and the Bidri craftsmen make use of small chisels to engrave the designs over this freehand etching. Fine wire or even flattened strips of pure silver are clearly hammered into the grooves.The item is then filed and buffed, as well as smoothed to remove the temporary black coating. This results in a silver inlay that is not that clearly distinguishable compared to the gleaming metallic surface, which is now completely silvery white.

The Bidriware item is now completely set for a final blackening process. Here, makers use a special variety of soil that is available only in select places. This is mixed with ammonium chloride and water for producing a paste. The mixture is further rubbed onto a heated Bidri surface that darkens the body without affecting the silver inlay.The paste is clearly rinsed, revealing a shiny silver design looking stunning and resplendent against the rest of black surface. The oil is applied as a finishing touch for the product to strengthen the matt coating. The finished product is now shining black with a brilliant silver inlay.

The makers of Bidriware create designs like flowers, leaves and also geometric designs, stylized poppy plants, human figures etc. In some countries there is a great demand for the design of Persian roses and also the passages from the Holy Quran in the Arabic script.Bidriware was also used for making paanholders, hookahs, and vases as well as bowls, ornament boxes, earrings, trays and other jewelry and showpiece items.

The world famous artistic metallic Work which was on a decline few decades ago is currently on the revival path following the introduction of several innovative designs and new patterns.The designs represent Indian to international themes in tune with latest home and lifestyle needs and interior spaces. Bidar in Karnataka state and Hyderabad in Telangana are the popular centres for Bidriware in India and it is also practised in some of the other centres across India. Due to the striking inlay artWorks, Bidriware is considered an important export handicraft item from India’s handicraft market and seen as a prized symbol of wealth. This native art form has also gained the Geographical Indications (GI) registry.

http://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/about/arts-crafts/bidri-craft.html

Read More

Palakuriki Somantha

Name: Palakuriki Somantha or Palakurti Somanatha (1160 AD to 1240 AD)
Birth Place and Residence : Palakurthi Village, Palakurthi Mandal, Jangaon District in Telangana State.
Parents: His father was Siva and his mother Parvati.
Teacher : Ivatuuri Somana
Books : Basava Purana and Panditaradhya Charitamu.

In his first book Anubhavasara in Telugu and even in his other Telugu work Basavapurana he mentions his mother is Parvati and father is Siva. 

Somanatha mentions in his Basava Purana Avatarika that he was a disciple of Kattakuri Potidevara. In the Introductory passages of his Panditaradhya Charitra, Somanatha mentions that he was the disciple of grand son of Balideva Vemaradhya.Somanatha's literary guru was Karasthali Viswanatha.

Life Period of Somantha

Maha Kavi Palkuriki Somanatha lived in Palakurthi between 1160 AD to 1240 AD. He was one of the most noted Telugu language writers of the 13th century. He was also an accomplished writer in Kannada and Sanskrit languages and penned several classics in those languages.

The main historical evidence for determining the date of Somanatha, remains his literary works and the works of his disciples like Pidaparti Somanatha, and others.
Basava Purana is a 13th-century Telugu epic poem. It was written by Palkuriki Somanatha. It is a sacred text of Lingayat. The epic poem narrates the life story of philosopher and social reformer Basava or Basavaṇṇa (c.1106–67/8), the founder of Lingayatism. Basaveswara was the Prime Minister in the court of Kalachuri Bijjala (1130–1167 CE) who ruled Kalyana Kataka. Bijjala in turn was originally a subordinate officer in the court of Kumara Tailapa III (1151 - 1156 AD) during the reign of Someswara III (1126 - 1138 AD) of Chalukya dynasty who was defeated and captured in 1137 A.D and later released by Prola II (1116 - 1158) of Kakatiya dynasty. This is clearly known from the Hanumakonda inscription. Therefore It Is evident that Sijjala and Basaveswara, Tailapa and Prola were contemporaries in 1137 A.D Ganapatideva (1199 - 1262) mentioned Somanatha in his "Sivayogasara".

Basava Puranam: In fact, Somanatha was a rebel poet and wrote literary works in original Telugu (Janu Telugu) neglecting the grammatical rules prescribed by Nannaya, the ‘Aadikavi’, during his days. Janu Telugu is Telugu that has the least Sanskrit diction and can be easily understood by commoners. Before Somana, there was no single poetic work in Telugu on contemporary social events. He wrote ‘Basava Puranam’ which was in ‘Janu Telugu’ in Dwipada (two lined verse) with the inspiration of Veera Saivism. It was a masterpiece appreciated by all poets and was translated into Kannada.

Panditaradhya Charitamu: Telugu book written by famous Saiva Poet Palakurki Somantha. This is a biography of saiva preacher Panditaradhya. This book gives some religious perspective during that period.

The presence of the samadhi at Palkuriki indicates that Somanatha led his last days in his native place and after his death a samadhi was constructed and a temple was made on it. Inside this temple a linga and nandi are installed. This linga is known as Somanatha linga.

Read More

Samudra lingapur waterfalls

Samudralingapur waterfalls is located near samudralingapur Village in Yellareddipet Mandal in Rajanna Sircilla District of Telangana State, India.

Read More

Vontimamidi or Ontimamidi lodhi waterfall

Vontimamidi lodhi or Ontimamidi lodhi waterfall is located in Mangavaigudem village, Venkatapuram mandal of Mulugu district in Telangana State.

“People who want to visit this waterfall must take the help of the local tribals as they are aware of the paths in the forest. The tourists must also be prepared to walk in knee-deep slush and through the slippery boulders carefully to reach to this ‘heaven on earth’,”






https://telanganatoday.com/one-more-stunning-waterfall-comes-to-light-in-mulugu-district

Read More

Parkal Massacre - September 2, 1947

On September 2, 1947, a patriotic desire to hoist national flag in

Parkal, then a small village in Warangal district, had ended a brutal massacre committed by Razakars.

Nizam’s men pumped bullets into people who had gathered in the town to hoist the tri-colour

The memories of the carnage are still remembered by the elders who witnessed the incident at that time. The incident has been referred to as the ‘Jallianwala Bagh’ of the south by former Premier P V Narasimha Rao.

It may be recalled that after Indian Independence on August 15, 1947, erstwhile Nizams of Hyderabad denied joining Indian Union and also enforced suppression against hoisting the tri-colour employing tyrannical army of Razakars. Anguished at not being allowed to hoist the national flag, the residents of Parkal and surrounding villages planned to raise the flag on September 2 to celebrate the Independence and gathered near a ground in Parkal. But an official of Nizams’ regime Ziauallah Khan cautioned the public to disperse.

But the public charged with patriotic fervour went ahead to hoist the flag. Then the Nizam’s police resorted to lathi charge and then opened fire killing people indiscriminately, explained nonagenarians Basani Murari and Reguri Chandra Reddy who witnessed the incident. “The Razakars ambushed those who wanted to hoist the flag and fired at them killing about 13 persons at Parkal and nine persons at other places,” they told The Hans India recalling the tales of dictatorial rule of Nizams.

“Everyone wanted to be liberated from Nizam’s tyranny as they are not allowed to hoist the national flag though the country was liberated from the rule of the British,” said freedom fighters P Veeraswamy and P Vaikuntam. According to Vaikuntam, Razakars tied three people to a tree and shot them brutally at Rangapuram village and they looted gold and money and molested women at Laxmipuram and set the village on fire.

“The history of Parkal massacre and other such incidents has to be included in the school text books and Telangana Liberation Day should be celebrated officially. The State government should take initiative in this direction,” they urged. “Successive governments have failed to acknowledge the Telangana Liberation Movement and honour the martyrs by officially celebrating Telangana Liberation Day. It is sad that even in separate Telangana it is not happening,” they lamented.

In 2003, former Union minister and present Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao had built a memorial called ‘Amaradhamam’ at Parkal paying tributes to the massacre victims. The memorial was built in memory of his mother by Chennamaneni Chandramma Trust of Karimnagar. Incidentally, the back cover of the book titled ‘Uniki’ authored by Vidyasagar Rao and released by President Pranab Mukherjee some time back, features a picture of ‘Amaradhamam’ as a mark of respect to those who laid down their lives to fulfil their desire to hoist the national flag.






http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Commoner/2016-09-02/Nizams-tyranny-recalled/251862
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/when-razakars-unleashed-terror/article5087486.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/elders-recount-parkal-massacre/article611312.ece

Read More

Gollavagu River

Origin : Mamidighat, Mandamarri Mandal, Mancherial District in Telangana
Outflow : Godavari River

Length : Around 40 Km
District : Mancherial

Mandals : Mandamarri, Naspur, Bheemaram, Chennur, Nennel

Start : Mamidighat

End : Konampet Village

Gollavagu river is in Mancherial District and it flows through below Villages. It also has several streams as tributaries.

• Mandamarri
• Mamidighat
• Naspur Mandal
• Singapur
• Bheemaram / Bhimaram Mandal
• Reddipalle
• Dampur
• Burugupalle
• Bheemaram / Bhimaram
• Ankushapur
• Maddikal
• Kothapalle
• Chennur Mandal
• Suddal
• Kachanpalle
• Angarajpalle
• Raipet
• Nennel Mandal
• Konampet

GOLLAVAGU PROJECT
This is a Medium Irrigation project constructed across Gollavagu near Bheemaram Village & Mandal, Mancherial district under G basin. The main objective of the Project is to irrigate 9,500 Acres of ayacut in Bheemaram and Chennur mandals.

Read More