Rare Koya ballads to be documented

An effort to preserve the rare Koya tribal ballads is being made by the Centre for Dalit and Adivasi Studies, University of Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Bhadrachalam.

As a part of this, a two-day programme is being organised on November 2 and 3 at various places in Khammam and Warangal where the ballads will be recorded.

The first programme is on

Documentation of Performance of Sammakka Saramma Ballad by the Doli performers (a sub-caste of the Koya tribe), on November 2 at the Sammakka Saramma Temple premises, Manuguru, near Bhadrachalam.

Jayadhir Tirumal Rao of Koya Adhyayan Vedika said six ballads were available in Khammam and Warangal districts and they include

Bapanamma Katha (Bondigudem, Khammam); Gadi Kama Raju Katha (Kunavaram, Khammam); Gaaderaju Katha (Toggudem, Khammam), Chekku Chedalamma (Shivalamma, Khammam) and Gujjeti Musalamma (Soppala, Warangal).

Gorre Ramachandraiah, Gorre Venkateshwarlu, Gorre Rangaiah, Gorre Satyam, Polamari Narasimha Rao, Bapanaiah and other singers from the Doli community who are well-versed with the koya puranam s will present their performances, which will be documented in the audio-video format, Prof. Tirumal Rao said.