Ravindra Bharathi was brimming with life as the audience enjoyed the songs being rendered in folk form by troupes hailing from different parts of Telangana. These songs were written by Suddala Hanumanthu, about six decades back, as protest songs against Nizam's rule. This event was the celebration of 101 anniversary of ‘Praja Kavi' Suddala Hanumanthu. On this occasion, an award ‘Suddala Hanumanthu Janakamma Janapada Kalapeetham' was presented to the present day balladeer Gaddar. Noted art film maker B. Narsing Rao was given this award last year on Hanumanthu's centenary event.
Kumarraiah and his troupe presented a song that described how Nizam's police treated people very badly. This was in ballad format with artistes taking roles too. Another troupe presented popular songs of Hanumanthu like Palabuggala Jeetagada reflecting the plight of the people. Another troupe described how thieves were looting the nation after it got Independence. A fourth troupe came out with a song rendered in Gollasuddulu format, describing how Nizam's men like the Patels and Patwaris exploited the poor. All these troupes belonged to Andhra Pradesh Prajanatya Mandali.
At a function arranged later, C. Narayana Reddy as the chief guest, spoke highly of Hanumanthu and called him ‘Vaggeyakara' as he wrote, composed and sang. Pasam Yadagiri, senior journalist, presided over the function and gave out reasons why and how the Kala Peetham was launched and how it plans to bring out the works of Hanumanthu into print, for the benefit of posterity.
On the occasion the Janapada Kala Peetham also felicitated veterans Ganagani Ilayya and Mabbu Ellayya who were members of Hanumanthu's troupe in their younger days. Suddala Ashok Teja, son of Hanumanthu and film lyricist gave their plans to bring out many more works of his father into circulation.
