Tarigonda Vengamamba the 18th century poetess and a great devotee of Lord Venkateswara came into TTD's focus recently resulting in the launch of a project to keep Vengamamba's memories alive. TTD chose to propagate it throughout the state with a play on the life and times of Vengamamaba that was produced by a Surabhi theatre unit led by Jamuna Rayalu, noted actress and director. The unit staged this play as part of ‘Adhyatmikotsavas' held at Thyagaraya Gana Sabha last week, with TTD as one of its sponsors.
Vengamamaba's story is a bit similar to Meerabai who considerd Srikrishna as her beloved and wrote umpteen songs on Krishna- Vengamamaba too was a poetess who penned poetic works on Tarigonda Narasimha and also on Venkateswara. This was a refreshing play among those presented in the festival.
Vengamamba's deity is Lord Venkateswara (Raghava Sarma); she imagines him as her lover and wishes to marry Him. .
The story of the play brings the Lord also into play. As per the play, engamamaba first started writing some `Satakas' (hundred verses) on Lord Narasimha, the village deity. Her parents Krishnayya (R.Ramesh) and Mangamma (Rangasri) forcibly get her married to a young man, who dies soon therafter. The temple priest (Balagangadhara Rao) forces the parents to tonsure her head, as was the practice with widows those days.Vengamamaba fought against this and also claimed that her husband is actually Lord Venkateswara and not the one she was forcibly married to. She condemns widows being tonsured and deprived of ornaments and normal wear.
She also fought against caste divisions and espoused a secularist outlook, treating Muslims on par with Hindus. Due to her rebellion, the family is banished from the village.
She shifts to Tirumala, the abode of Venkateswara. She is allowed in even after temple hours, for the Lord to hear her lyrics and receive pearls from her. Later she frequents the temple's sanctum sanctorum through a separate route and performs ‘Ekanta Seva', praying to the Lord alone. She continues her writing, with some Yakshaganas and is said to have been the first to write even ‘Golla Kalapam' that is practiced by Kuchipudi artistes.
In the play she returns to her village to dedicate her work ‘Narasimha Satakam', to the temple deity. There she faces an argument with Pushpagiri Peetadhipati (Muralidhara Rao) and wins it. The play ends with the Lord's chariot stopping before her house and moving forward only after she comes in front of the chariot and offers harati to Him.
The errant priest suffers a paralytic stroke as a punishment for harassing Vengamamba and her family. The play closes with her death on an allotted muhurtham fixed by the Lord, only to attain Moksha (salvation). Her samadhi area where a school is also built is also a pilgrim centre.
There were plenty of roles , played by Kameswara Rao, Krishna, Venkateswara Rao, Aruna and others. All the artistes, including Yamini who played the younger Vengamamba, before the senior Jamuna Rayalu took over, presented their roles well. Iconic Jamauna Rayalu presented the role and verses with care and histrionic sense.
The play is being taken around the state, with TTD's support.
Music support was given by Yagjna Narayana and Madhava Rao and party. Rayalu provided technical support.
