Coronation of Rajaraja Narendra: No one ready for 1,000-year celebration

Rajamahendravaram (East Godavari District):  A grand festival was organised at Rajamahendravaram in 1922 on the completion of 900 years of this event under the chairmanship of renowned educationalist and literary figure Kattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy. A special souvenir also published on the occasion.

Now the historical event completes 1,000 years. But upsetting that no one took the initiative to celebrate the thousand-year festival. Adikavi Nannaya University Vice-Chancellor Prof M Jagannadha Rao said in June this year that a 2-day grand festival will be held in August on the occasion of Rajaraja's coronation. He said that a report was prepared at a meeting and he would seek financial assistance from the Central government. But this did not materialise due to some reason.

Meanwhile, on July 23 and 24, Nannaya Bharat Millennium programme was organised in Rajahmundry. It was not a platform for the coronation ceremony, even though Rajaraja Narendra was praised on the occasion.

During his recent visit to Rajamahendravaram, Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao told the media that he demanded the State government for organising coronation celebrations of Rajaraja Narendra across the State. It is not appropriate to neglect Rajaraja, who served the Telugu language a lot, he noted.

Renowned historical researcher Rallabandi Subbarao, along with a few friends and promoters, in 1956 set up an antique exhibition hall related to centuries of history in Rajamahendravaram. Subbarao was its secretary and collected many inscriptions, coins, rocks, sculptures, bronze statues, palm scrolls, swords of kings and British weapons and stored them in the gallery. In this, a unique coin minted in 1022 on the occasion of Rajaraja Narendra's coronation has been preserved. The Varaha emblem of the Chalukya kings is also seen on it.

Assistant Director of Archaeology Department K Thimmaraju said that the coin stands as a witness of a great historical event of thousands of years and everyone should see it.

The city of Rajamahendravaram, Daksharama Bheemeswara Temple, Samarlakota Bheemeswara Temple, Pondugula Jalpeswara Temple, Bikkavolu Temples and Chebrolu Bheemeswara Temple were built during the Eastern Chalukya period.

Andhra Mahabharata, the first poem of the Telugus, also appeared during their time. A standing statue of Rajaraja is located in Rajahmundry.

Literary server Sannidhanam Sastri said that it is the minimum responsibility of the government and literary organisations to undertake a programme to commemorate Rajaraja Narendra, who did many things to the Telugu race.