January 28, 2008

Over 600 Telugus living in New Jersey attended the Sankranthi Celebrations organized by The Telugu Fine Arts Society at the Sri Venkateswara Temple auditorium on January 26, 2008. The community center overflowed with record attendance and the happiness and cheer the event generated was unprecedented.

This year marks the 25th year for these annual celebrations by TFAS that the focus on presenting talent of the children. There were over 170 boys and girls, ranging in age from 4 to 18, participating in classical and folk dance, classical and light vocal music, instrumental music, mono action, fancy dress, and magic show.

Children attending Telugu classes run by three weekend schools participated in competitions of recitation of Telugu poems from Bhagavatham, Sumathi Sathakam and Vemana Sathakam. Rangoli and Bommala Koluvu competitions also attracted a large number of entries from adults as well as boys and girls.

The program began with a dance in praise of Lord Ganesha.

Uppala Alekhya and Angara Himabindu handled stage management with clockwork precision and conducted the four and half hour long program with announcement and commentary entirely in Telugu.

Kasinadhuni Sambasivarao distributed the prizes to winners. Prizes and trophies were donated by the Kasinadhuni family and Dr Satyaveni Rao. Eleswarapu Ramakrishna, President of TFAS, in his remarks to the audience, observed that the day’s event, with large participation by the young children talented in Indian Fine arts and Telugu language, was a vindication of TFAS founders’ mission to establish and propagate Telugu language and culture among the children in the USA.

TFAS trustees Utukuri Vigyan Kumar, Vemula Rohini Kumar, Nemana Satyanarayana, and Uppala Anantha Sudhakar made meticulous arrangements for the program. Gedala Damodar, Kasinadhuni Radha, Manju Bhargava, Seethala Ramakrishna provided immense help with registration of participants and ensure smooth flow of the multiple events and distribution of certificates to the participants.

Delicious home cooked food contributed by the families- Pulihora, Daddojanam, various vegetable preparations, and several desserts were served in buffet style. The program ended with the singing of India’s national anthem.