The Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Andhra Maha Sabha of Puducherry on Sunday promises to be a gala affair with the attendance of N. Chinarajappa, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, besides several other dignitaries. The Andhra Maha Sabha will also be reiterating its request for a direct train service between Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.
With one of its enclaves, Yanam, being located inside Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry has more than 50,000 Telugu-speaking people, including a student population of around 5,000.
Origins of the Sabha
The Andhra Maha Sabha owes its origins to the efforts of the late Dr. Nallam Satyanarayana who had come to Puducherry from Yanam as a young student and went on to become a reputed surgeon here.
Feeling the need to establish an association for Telugu speakers to keep alive the traditions and language, the Andhra Maha Sabha was established in 1965 by Dr. Satyanarayana during Vijayadashami celebrations. It began with ten members and now has 400 members, said Dr. Nallam V., son of Dr. Satyanarayana, and president of the Andhra Maha Sabha. It is one of the few cultural associations with its own premises, and a library. The Sabha conducts social and cultural activities, including marriages for poor people, medical camps, helping NGOs and orphanages. It also has a women’s wing.
Ugadi (Telugu New Year) and Vijayadashami are some of the major celebrations for the Sabha.
Puducherry has always attracted Telugu-speaking people and there has been a steady migration over the years, including large numbers from Yanam who had come here for studies, said Dr. Nallam. The community has integrated well into the Puducherry society, establishing businesses and working in different professions here. However, many in the community and younger generations have forgotten Telugu, and the Sabha strives to keep alive the language and culture of their ancestors.
Several political leaders in Puducherry come from Telugu-speaking families in Andhra Pradesh. These include Lok Sabha Member of Parliament R. Radhakrishnan and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament N. Gokulakrishnan who will both be attending the Golden Jubilee celebrations on Sunday.
“The unique aspect of the Andhra Maha Sabha is that anyone who has an affinity for Telugu language and culture can become a member and be part of its committee. The Andhra Maha Sabha has existed here harmoniously. We have associations for different communities in Puducherry and we also have an inter-cultural association where all of these come together. Puducherry can be a model for other places in India to show how these different communities and religions co-exist peacefully,” said Dr. Nallam.
At the Golden Jubilee celebrations on Sunday, family members of the first committee of the Andhra Maha Sabha will be felicitated. Associations of other communities will also be felicitating the Sabha.
Cultural programmes will include Kuchipudi dance and mythological drama (scene from Sri Krishna Tulabharam) in Telugu. There will also be a special Telugu Bhojanam (lunch), said Sabha members.
