The morning haze covered the city of Destiny like a blanket. The sun rays gently lifted the morning haze; two winged visitors , basking in the warmth of sun parched on a high on the rocky creek that lay at the shore. The visitors are Great knot and her baby listed as an 'endangered' species. It has its breeding habitat in Tundra in northeast Siberia. These friends went to the different coasts in southern Asia. It is warm here. said the mother knot. off course, but we are alone here. we should have gone with our friends. replied the baby knot. "They went to the undisturbed stretch of the Kakinada beach but I love this city." While the mother bird was speaking ...
A journalist was waiting patiently as he zoomed his lens on the birds, waiting for the "perfect" shot. The mother bird saw the man behind the bush. The mother bird said fly and fluttered her wings, soon rose into the sky the baby flew along with the mother. Flying close to mother the baby wondered " oh! this huge rock looks like Dolphin." "Oh ! come on my dear, this hill is called the Dolphin nose.
Oh beautiful city of destiny
Once witness to the British tiranny
oh Jewel of the east coast
How many beaches you host?
Dolphin nose what a hill
that offers wonderful thrill
Oh dolphin shaped rock
India's oldest dock
You had witnessed the war
in eighteen o' four (1804)
Between British and the French
Let's fly over the city until Lunch
Dolphin's nose is a huge rocky head which is 174 meters high and 358 meters above sea level. The powerful beacon of the light house set on this rock at sea directs ships 65 km away. In 1804 British and French forces fought the Battle of Vizagapatam near this hill. Visakhapatnam has the coast line of 135 km that hosts several beaches. The city is surrounded by beautiful villages and green fields. The two Great knots flew over the "City of Destiny" and the "Jewel of the East Coast" renowned for being home to the oldest shipyard in all of India. They have watched the plethora of manmade wonders and in the evening they were flying over the municipal auditorium
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As it is getting darker and darker the electric bulbs hanging on the Municipal auditorium were shining brighter and brighter. The auditorium stole the look of a dancer with curvaceous body. It was enticing the beholders like a nymph with the lips of bimba fruit and lotus eyes. The interior of the auditorium was so spacious that a foot ball ground could be fit in that. With red carpets , beautiful wall panels with rich designs and lighting the interior is vying with the exterior. The soft red carpets are rendering people barefooted. craving for the touch of the carpets some people are walking barefooted on the carpets. Even the sofas near the dais look like they belong to the Sri krishna devaraya's royal court. The chairs are not ordinary . they are designer chairs. Nothing is ordinary there because the auditorium hosts an extra-ordinary programme with extraordinary men.
The auditorium was filled with men of letters , poets, writers and scholars. They all came with their families , wives and children, One can imagine how interesting could be the program? How talented is the man who is going to take their interests? The hall was filled with people sporting multi-coloured gear. They are sat in the relaxed setting. The hall looked like a tulips garden with people in gear.
Basava arrived at the auditorium in white traditional dress. All his friends attended the dramatic literary discourse where the real life scholars appear on stage to play the roles of great poets of the court of Sri Krishna devaraya.
The thief -face drew nasty comparison between Telugu and English underscoring the beauty of the latter. The comments did not escape the ears of Basava who sat two rows behind him. He fired like a gun " who is this colonial ghost who is unworthy of worthy words demonstrating his worth with worthless talk." The thief face became dazed. Basava saw him and fired a second round " The thief face lost his face and became faceless, when you talk baseless you become faceless. Basava's friends were flabbergasted with series of rhetorical reproaches. Basava has a paradigmatic change in attitude and manners. They looked at his clothes. He is wearing traditional white dress. He looks like pearl.
The time was about be 6 O' clock. The Literary Drama that mirrors the court of the famed Hampi Vijayanagar King whose love of literature flickers like a flame through the history , whose contribution to literature is unparalleled, whose encomium on Telugu still flow like a perennial river in the hearts of Telugu people, is about to begin. Bharatavarsha whose poetic prowess made rounds in the visual and print media has drawn the attention of noted celebrities to the program. The front row was filled with the media reporters with cameras on stands to record and telecast the program. It shows the significance of any program. After the media in the first row seated were Bharatavarsha's mother Malini, Varsha's sister Manjusha, Malini's friend Damini, Basava's sister Ramya and her friends.
Behind them Agastya , Vidisha, Kesava Raghava, Bairredy were seated. In the third row seated were Basava's mother and father Buchhamma and Sarraju, Vidisha's mother and father Ahalya and Seshachalam, "The comely Basava was unable to sit calmly." said Vidisha. " Yes with his attire and satire on miscreants he looks like an authentic scholar of Telugu." said Manjusha. Bunny looks very funny in this attire said Raghava. " No more I am Bunny , I am the spirit of Shiva and the son of Bucchamma I am Basava" It was an amazing scene for his parents.
The curtain rose showing the stars of the night. The eight poets in the court of Krishna devaraya appeared in seated in old styled court seats specially made for the program. The King was also present in addition to the eight. "This is a concept drama is named after the king's court Bhuvanavijayam which had been popular in 1952 strikes back" said a journo to the camera man. suddenly following the signal of Bharatavarsha Basava and Kesava got on to the stage. The two stars disappeared from the clouds of audience appeared on the stage.
The program has to be introduced to the audience. Basava started addressing the audience. No sooner did he start speaking than the mike got mute. somebody on the stage said " call the electrician he will correct the mike" Basava yelled in a language hardly in the reach of the ordinary. It is the grand old Telugu language of the olden days. "Basava unleashed" shouted Agastya. He is least expected to speak in this language. The rhythmic classical beat of the language tinged with humour sounded like " I came dashing on to the dais wearing a new dress to address the audience, but I can't. Come like lightening to redress mike problem. Remove the mess and bless the program. The Electrician came like a lightning and adjusted the mike with lightning speed.
Basava began speaking "Bharatavarsha a renowned scholar and in Telugu and masters in History rose to fame by dint of hard work is organizing this Literary program which had once shone like a diamond. He ready to bite the bullet for glorification of his mother tongue which has been extripated by media by its own people. I bow to the noble soul the president of Telugu Literary Organization Mr. Paidiraju. It is a great opportunity for for scholars and greater opportunity for the lovers of Telugu to feast their ears and the greatest opportunity to dilettante and dabbler like me to stand beside the towering fame of Telugu Bharatavrsha. Scholars presence is always a motivation. It is an inspiration that drives away ignorance. Long live Telugu!!! Victory! Victory !! Victory!!! to Telugu.
Hardly had Basava finished than the astrology scholar, Pandit Chandrasekhar adumbrated the concept of Bhuvanavijayam. Bhuvanavijayam was the name of Royal court of Hampi king. In 1952 a wealthy man called Anjaneyulu had the idea of a hosting the grand literary discourse of of the Royal court of Srikrishna devaraya. He chose real time great poets to represent the 8 jewels (poets) of 16th century instead of drama artists. Renowned Telugu poets of that time period Viswanatha Satyanarayana were invited to participate in that program. High court then justice acted as the King. Unlike the drama artists the poets came without make-up and without script. The script was needless because they were poets themselves and the discourse was extempore. Since then Bhuvanavijayam was played all over Andhra and abroad where Telugu diaspora prevailed. Newyork, Pitsburg, Newjersy, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles , San Francisco. Bhuvanavijayam rang like a temple bell and Telugu raged like fire but later when education was Anglicized the decline of Telugu began. It reached abyss when entertainment was anglicised. Now we relaunch the program with the help of Bharatavarsha. I hope this program will inspire the Telugu people and reanimate Telugu. Victory to Telugu!
When Paidiraju finished Kesava started playing Mrudangam ( double headed drum), Bharatavarsha sat beside him with Veena ( stringed instrument like lyre) Basava started singing the prayer song which is a part of tradition. The program thus began traditionally entertained the audience thoroughly. Bharatavarsha played the role of Peddana, the grand old timeless poet. The scene of poet Krishna Misra who visited the Bhuvanavijayam was played quite naturally. Krishna misra who challenges the king into poetic discourse and demands that the king should touch his feet if he can not win. Thus Krishna Misra insulted the King. The soldier in proximity quickly pulls his sword to cut the poet's head. But Krishna mishra never withdraws. He was as aggressive as before. He says poetry is a war of words not of swords, if the king is talented enough he should be ready for a verbal war. The king faces utterly insulting words of the poet. Krishnaraya your name is propagated as a scholar king. If it is not a lie come forward to attack me , don't send your soldier onto me." If you can't put your head to me feet , you have a choice you can have your head made of gold and offer it to me . I will wear it on my foot." At that point enters Allasani peddana , who was not yet a court poet. Peddana ( Bharatavarsha ) finds fault with Krishna misra. "If you have no court manners and etiquette you can not be considered a scholar" Krishna misra beats back " You are not a court poet yet, you are an out-sider you don't have the status to argue with me." Krishan devaraya appoints him as court poet instantly and a fierce battle follows. It was all extempore Bharatavarsha in playing for Peddana argued with a renowned scholar and famous film writer Gopalakrishna. The argument was quite esoretic and moving. It stole the hearts of the audience. Though Timmana, Dhurjati, Surana, Tenali Ramakrishna were played by versatile writers that did not catch the ears of the audience. The fierce argument between Peddana and Krishna misra went viral in the media. Everyone of the audience knew that they are using their own talent not repeating what is recorded in the history. Gopalakrishna was 60 Bharatavarsha was merely 24. The audience thought that The ram was dashing a mountain. Bharatavarsha proved otherwise. He kept the fame of Allasani Peddana, (1510-1575AD), who is known as Andhra Kavita Pitamahudu or Grandfather of Andhra Poetry. The programme ended.
Bharatavarsha family and friends were moving to the hotel near by on foot. Bucchamma and sarraju were shell shocked to see the paradigmatic change in Basava. while accolades are showring on Basava and Bharatavarsha, Raghava's friend Aditya spoke against Telugu, " What purpose this language serve? why should one learn Telugu at all? Look Raghava has gone to the US. I am doing in films. if you do it films you will rule" Bairreddy, and Sandeep supported him. An upcoming actor Naresh who was going with them said to Aditya" Look , I don't know your name , my father was a minister , I went to the Us. I also acted in four films as hero's friend. My father's tenure is over , he is not a minister. He is not ruling. I went to America and did all odd jobs. much against my will. I never ruled not spent lavishly. Indians in America spend very niggardly life to save dollars. And finally films , yes I acted in films , only four films and my film career stopped. Remember a good poet like Bharatavarsha rules the hearts of people.
When they reached the hotel they all sat at the tables. The dishes took them into a new world. There was a pleasant chat at each table. Bharatavarsha, Basava, Kesava, Agastya were at a table. Telugu University administrative officer who was eating at Bharatavarsha's table invited Bharatavarsha to attend the program - Discussion on novels, He also invited kesava for playing mrudangam.
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