ATLANTA TELUGU SAHITYA SAMSKRUTHI ORGANIZED TRIGALAAVADHANAM AND RELEASES A TELUGU BOOK

By Ravi R Ponangi

Atlanta, GA: Telugu Sahitya Samskruthi, Atlanta has recently conducted a literary fete in Telugu language and performed a unique Literary event called Trigalaavadhanam. The event was held in ABC Party Hall, Suwanee. Telugu Sahitya Samskruthi, Atlanta is a forum founded by Ramesh Valluri that work towards enriching Telugu Language.

Ravi R Ponangi (with mic) coplimenting organizers for arranging Telugu Literary fete

Avadhānaṃ is a literary performance that is very popular among Telugu speaking community. It is a literary fete popularized by Telugu poets in modern times. It involves the partial improvisation of poems using specific themes, meters, forms, or words. The true purpose of an Avadhānaṃ is showcasing, through entertainment, of superior mastery of cognitive capabilities - of observation, memory, multitasking, task switching, retrieval, reasoning and creativity in multiple modes of intelligence - literature, poetry, music, mathematical calculations, puzzle solving etc.
Avadhānaṃ requires immense memory power and tests a person's capability of performing multiple tasks simultaneously. All the tasks are memory intensive and demand an in-depth knowledge of literature. The tasks vary from making up a poem spontaneously to keeping a count of a bell ringing at random. No external memory aids are allowed while performing these tasks except the person's mind.

Promoters Sita and Ramesh Valluri with writer Rachalapalli Babu Devidas from India

In Trigalavadhanam, three avadhanis in three different Languages perform concurrently and taking questions from Pruchchakas (questioner). This is considered as one of the most creative, extremely difficult literary performance that not only test the poetic skills but also the depths of Human IQ.
Avadhānaṃ or concentration is a faculty of mind. And for it to become an art, Avadhānaṃ has been categorized into Astaavadhanam, Sataavadhanam, Sahasraavadhanam and now added Trigalavadhanam, having been performed for the first time in the world here in Atlanta, It has gone into the records for being unique, very complicated to concurrently take 8 different poetic questions from Pruchchakas who try to distract the concentration of the Avadhani.

Visiting Telugu scholar from India

First time in the history of Avadhānaṃ, 3 poets have performed 3 ashtavadhanams (Trigalaavadhanam) in 3 different languages on the same stage simultaneously. "Avadhana Prachanda" Sri Paladugu Sricharan performed in Sanskrit, "Avadhana martanda" Sri Syamalananda Palaparti performed in pure Telegu dialect and "Avadhana vedanda" Sri Nemani Somayajulu performed in Telugu literary language which is a mix of both Sanskrit and pure Telegu. Ramakrishna Yerrapragada, a well-known writer from India moderated Trigalaavadhanam.
At this function, a new book "Aksharaarchana" written by Pandit Devidas from India is also released and he was awarded the title "Arsha vidya nishnata". Dr. B. K. Mohan, a famous Cardiologist and litterateur in Atlanta released the book and presented first copy to the writer Pandit Devidas and other scholars on the dais.

The book akshararaarchana is a great display of Pandit Rachaalapalli Devidas's knowledge in the field of devotion "Bhakti" based on Vedanta. Unlike a normal satakam, which is a collection of over 100 poems that are similar in meter (called "chandas" in Sanskrit), Pandit Devidas has used a variety of meters. He has a knack of putting his point with great expressions (called "samaasa" in Sanskrit) following all the rules of poetry. Each poem has a deep meaning filled the yearnings of the poet. Each poem is a free and direct communication with Goddess Parvati and as a child talks to his mother. He tried to express his distress with the life in this material plane and begs for salvation. He has written many other books and this book is another gem that is added to his.
All attendees enjoyed the poems rendered by the scholars and Telugu speaking community members attended this Telugu literary meet in large number.

Telugu book Aksharaarchana, containing 100 poems released on the occassion