The two-month marriage season for adivasis in Adilabad has begun with the puja of goddess Inderai at Indervelli mandal head quarter village on Ugadi and the next day. All tribal villages where in marriages are scheduled will sport a festive look until the end of May.

As per their tradition, the Gond adivasis offer prayers to Goddess Inderai before undertaking marriages. The Inderai temple at Indervelli is visited by Gond families from Adilabad, Gudihatnoor, Indervelli, Narnoor, Jainoor, Sirpur (U) and Utnoor mandals and also from some places in Maharashtra.

Tribal families from other places have temples of Inderai at different places where they go to offer prayers on Ugadi. Prayers are offered seeking the well being of the families which will unite through marriages in the season.

The process of wedding actually starts around Diwali festival every year during the Ghusadi dance festivals. All betrothals take place at that time while the marriage is performed only after the harvesting of rabi crops.

Every year an estimated 500 marriages take place across the district and tribal marriage parties can be spotted moving in long lines of bullock carts. The traditional mode of travel however, is being discontinued as more and more marriage parties opting to travel in lorries these days.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by S Harpal Singh / Adiblabad – April 02nd, 2014

Blazing sunrays ripple through numerous books, mostly English-language titles, heaped on the road at Gandhi Nagar making canyons of books for human browsers to walk through. One could call it Abids version of Vijayawada. But with a little variation: Footpath book sellers display their collection not just on Sunday but also on working days at the little space available close to Hotel Ilapuram.

Few years ago, this avenue was a favorite hunting territory for bargains and out-of-print editions. Once bustling tribe of old book sellers has shrunk to about 10 book-sellers who do a tight rope walk every day to eke out livelihood. Some have left the profession looking for greener pastures and there are very few new entrants.

Rambabu, a sentinel of these vanishing treasures and survivor of a once flourishing tribe of footpath booksellers in the city, stands sweltering to dust the books now and then with his homemade duster. “I have been in this profession for more than 20 years. Even this hotel (Ilapuram) was not constructed when I made debut in this profession, Rambabu recalls.

People still love old books despite change in life styles. Yeah, there is a tendency that the demand for text books is more. But, the business is not that worse, he says, “But we still have a faithful clientele for rare and antique books, out-of-print editions.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by G. V.R.  Subba Rao / Vijayawada – April 02nd, 2014

On the World Theatre Day for Children and Young People (March 20), Popcorn Theatre staged their first play, Amma Cheppina Katha (stories narrated by a mother), at Golden Threshold. The play was presented by the Theatre Outreach Unit of University of Hyderabad, who are trying to enrich Telugu theatre in the state.

The director of the play, Thiruveer, says that this was a perfect day to launch his theatre group as they plan to promote theatre for children in the future. He says, “You will not find many directors in Hyderabad who want to work for children’s theatre so I decided to take an initiative and direct plays for children,” said 25-year old Thiruveer, who is pursuing his M.Phil from Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.

Amma Cheppina Katha was a play based on the book Annadana Phalamu Katha (The results of donating food). The play talks about the reward one gets when he or she donates food to the needy. Children from Rainbow Home, a shelter home for underprivileged, attended the play and were seen enjoying it. After the play when the children were asked for their feedback, Geeta, a seventh standard student pointed out that the cast should have avoided the usage of English words in between, like “thank you” and “address” and the whole play should have been in Telugu alone.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Books/Art / DC / Neha Jha / March 24th, 2014

Visakhapatnam :

Legendary playback singer and movie artist Rao Bala Saraswathi Devi was honoured at Kalabharathi here on Sunday. The artiste’s first song ‘Thinne Meedha Sinnoda’ in 1943 was one of the first instances of playback singing in the history of Telugu cinema. The legendary singer continued for almost two decades more and she is still remembered for her melodious lullabies and sand songs.

Bala Saraswathi, who received the Ugadi Puraskara from the founders of the Seetha Ramaih Sangeetha Seva Trust, Velicheti Seetharamiah and Sujatha, thanked members of the trust for rendering some numbers she had sung almost seven decades ago. The troupe went on to render many of her later hits, including the numbers from Chenchu Lakshmi and Peeli Sandadi. Rao Bala Saraswathi noted that playback singing had undergone major changes over the last seven decades and added that she was delighted to witness these changes over the years.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / March 24th, 2014