TELANGANA STATE HAS A NEW TELANGANA TALLI; BRS OPPOSES IT

 

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Telangana State has a new Telangana Talli; 

BRS opposes it

  C R Gowri Shanker Follow on Twitter|   Published: 9th December 2024 11:40 pm IS 

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who is trying hard to establish his mark in the Congress-ruled State, has installed a new Telangana Talli (mother goddess for the people of Telangana) at the Dr. B R Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat complex coinciding with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s birthday on December 9.

Reddy, who unveils the new 20 feet statue, dumped former Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao’s crowned Telangana Talli which was a symbol of the Telangana movement along with the song “Jai Jai He Telangana” written by Ande Sri.

CM Reddy said the old statue symbolises the aristocratic characters and hence the JNTU, Fine Arts department has been entrusted with the responsibility of designing the new statue as per the wishes of the Telangana people.

Congress government’s new Telangana Talli reflects a simple Telangana woman draped in a green saree with a golden border and red blouse, bottu (vermillion) on the forehead, wearing green bangles, right hand displaying Abhaya mudra, symbolising protection, and peace, maize in the left hand, toe rings symbol of married woman, etc.

The statue has been designed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University’s Prof. Gangadhar and his team. It’s made of bronze costing Rs 5.3 crore.

KCR’s Telangana Talli was a more sophisticated woman, al Bharat Mata, draped in Pink coloured saree with a golden border, wearing a gold crown with Kohinoor diamond, ornaments, gold waistband, Bathukamma in the left hand and corn in the right hand, toe rings, symbolic of married women, signified the filigree ornaments of Karimnagar. She wore a gold waistband.

The new statue does not have a crown and the Bathukamma pot too has been done away with, giving way to an open palm. The colour of the saree has been changed from Pink to Green.

Congress alleged that KCR/BRS Telangana Talli looked more “affluent, crowned, jewellery wearing Talli.

Curtains on one-year celebrations

Unveiling the statue brings down the curtains on the “Praja Palana-Praja Vijayaotsavalu” celebrations of the one-year rule of the Congress government led by A Revanth Reddy in Telangana State.

It coincides with the birthday of Congress MP and former AICC president Sonia Gandhi, with the mobilisation of about one lakh Self-Help Group members besides Congress workers for a grand public meeting.

Immediately after coming to power, the Chief Minister announced the installation of a new Telangana Talli statue and ordered changes in the Telangana movement song Jaya Jaya He Telangana, changes in the emblem, etc.

Dismissing BRS’ charge that Congress was trying to erase BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao’s legacy and mark in administration, the Chief Minister refuted the same saying he was trying to revive the Telangana glory and sacrifices of the T martyrs which were undermined by KCR for personal aggrandizement.

Telangana Talli was an important part of the statehood agitation and it was replaced with Telugu Thalli, also known as “Andhra Mata”, in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

During the agitation, the pictures of Telangana Thalli adorned almost all protest groups, and the Goddess was often cited to drill home the point of statehood. The statue and household song united the Telanganaities in their struggle for a separate State.

Interestingly, the Chief Minister often refers to Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi as the “Mother of Telangana” and one who gave Telangana statehood.

BRS, BJP flay govt decision

CM’s decision has earned the wrath of BRS and it has also moved Telangana High Court against the decision of the Congress government to replace the statue and also against the installation of a new one in the Secretariat.

BJP too flayed the Congress government and accused it of placing the “Abhaya Hastam (Congress hand symbol)” in the statue.

KCR, who met party MLAs and leaders at his Erravalli farmhouse, reportedly criticised the government’s decision to change the statue and called it “foolish.” He said the government should focus on solving public issues and that “government is trying to undo what we have done.”

Revanth defends change

CM defended the decision saying they have replaced “aristocracy and dictatorial mentality (KCR).”

KCR adopted a multi-pronged approach–agitations, lobbying, politics, art and culture, and cuisine among others during the Telangana movement to achieve Statehood.

As a part of this strategy, he installed the Telangana Talli statue as a symbol of Telanganities replacing the Telugu Talli of the united Andhra Pradesh. Scores of Telangana Talli statues were installed across the State during the T movement.

He also dedicated a song…Jaya Jaya He Telangana written by Andesri. The move had a tremendous impact on the people and they swayed to the song and dance while offering prayers to Telangana Talli all through the agitation.

Revanth Reddy sent invitations to former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay, poets, artists, and others for the installation of the statue.

While arrangements for installing the new Telangana Talli statue are being made, poet and writer Juluri Gowri Shanker moved the High Court to stall the installation. He claimed that intellectuals, writers, poets, and artists oppose changes in the statue, saying they are an attack on the existence of Telangana.

 

C R Gowri Shanker

C R Gowri Shanker is a senior journalist based out of Hyderabad. he has served as a Political Editor for Deccan Chronicle. With great insights on the political landscape of the country.