Protesting folk artistes sing along in march to Tirumala

Tirupati: With the inspiration taken from Maharashtra Kisan long march, thousands of village folk artistes from Anantapur and Chittoor districts took part in a 125-km long march protesting against the Tirumala-Tirupati Devastanams negligence in allotting bhajan programmes at abode of Lord Venkateswara Tirumala hills.

The folk artistes long march, which was launched on September 21 at Madanapalle town in the Chittoor district, has reached Tirumala on Thursday morning. The march moved towards Tirupati via Vayalpadu, Pileru, Bakarapeta, Rangampeta, Srinivasa Mangapuram, Peruru and reached Tirupati administrative building.

For the last three years, Village Folk Professional Artistes’ Association has been demanding allotment of bhajan programmes on priority basis for them at Tirumala hill shrine through TTD Darma Prachara Parishath (DPP). After failing to impress the administration, with their various forms of proests like dharna, Akhandanama Sankeerthana, Bhajana programmes in front of TTD administrative building, the aggrieved artistes resorted to long march.

Among the demands, the folk artiste wants TTD to recognise the village bhajan folk professional artistes and issue identity cards to them. Another demand is to allot programmes for village folk artistes in Bramhotsavams procession too.

During their protest march from Madanapalle to Tirumala Hills, they staged dharna and performed bhajans with Annamayya keerthanas and folk devotional songs at several spots drawing the attention of the passers-by. 

A few folk artistes from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telengana have joined in the march at Tirupati on Thursday.  Folk artiste aged between 45 years and 70 years walked the 126-km march without footwear. In the evening they reached Tirumala shrine for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara.

The week-long folk protest long march was organised by the Chittoor District Bhajan Folk Artistes Association led by its state general secretary P Yadagiri, Amarnath Achary, S Munedra, Jagan, S Naryanappa (Karnataka), district leaders Kandarapu Murali, Kumar Reddy, Pullaiah, Jaya Chandra and others.