Golden Nandi for Lord’s documentary

Tirupati: A documentary meant for devotees of Lord Venkateswara that explains every feature of Sri Vari temple and its importance secured Golden Nandi Award from the State government for 2015. The one-hour show was adjudged as the best documentary by TV Nandi Awards Committee that announced the results for three years 2014, 2015 and 2016 last week.

TTD’s Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) produced the documentary. Senior journalist and producer BV Ramana was instrumental in carrying out this project called, ‘Tirumala Daivam’. It presents all the nuances of Sri Vari temple in a holistic aspect. Starting from the origin from mythological ages it runs through the history, archaeology, anthropology, rituals, Utsavams, traditions and others comprehensively.

The SVBC had produced the documentary sometime around 2014-15 while National Geographic Channel also produced another documentary in 2017. It may be noted that ‘Tirumala Daivam’ secured the award despite heavy competition, more diversity in programmes and more channels. Speaking to The Hans India, BV Ramana said, “There was so much of literature on Tirumala in the form of stories, songs, slokas, Vedas etc., which everyone could not understand.

The very idea of taking this documentary was to bring all the available works into an attractive visual format so that devotees can be aware of every aspect belongs to Sri Vari temple. Every inch inside the temple tells a different story and had rich historical importance which many of the devotees do not observe in their hurry and anxiety to see the Lord.

The documentary brings all these details with visuals and narration”. The importance of cultural heritage, some of the experiences of pilgrims in the history and other things make the viewers understand the god and his power more effectively. Significantly, for the last three years, this documentary was being shown continuously at the sophisticated amphi theatre in 25th compartment of Vaikuntam-I Queue Complex, which was meant for VIP devotees.

Under the award, SVBC will get Golden Nandi and Rs 20,000 cash award and BV Ramana will be awarded a bronze Nandi and Rs 15,000 cash award. The documentary was supported by cameraman AK Muralikrishna, Guthula Ramesh Babu with editing and J Radhesh by contributing graphics while Ramana was responsible for resource and archival material, research and script.

It was not the first time that he won Nandi Award. In 2013, Ramana won the award for another one-hour documentary on renowned scholar Veturi Prabhakara Sastry, who brought many of Annamacharya Keerthanas into light. Being a native of Tirupati, he knows every aspect of Tirupati-Tirumala.

As the founder of Mosaic adventure commune which conducts trekking activities every Sunday, he brought into light many ‘Teerthas’ in the Seshachalam hills, elephant menace etc., He also brought out the rock paintings of Seshachalam and presented them at a national seminar in Sri Venkateswara University.

So far, he made 140 documentary episodes which includes “Mana Tirumala”. “Jataralu” and fillers for SVBC in the name of Vividha and Tirumala Darsini which explains the details of various places and amenities for pilgrims. He has been currently working on the historic places like ‘Veyyella Chandragiri, Gandikota, Kondapalli and Kurabala Bhakti tatwam. Also, contributed 10 books so far, which was possible only through the help of SVBC management, he averred.

By V Pradeep Kumar