Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051207310300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati

Tirupati utsav from May 28

Staff Reporter

Poets, the elite and others to be involved

Poets, writers urged to describe the evolution of Tirupati

Travel operators/taxi drivers asked to narrate their experiences with pilgrims

TIRUPATI: `Tirupati Utsav' to be conducted from May 28 by TUDA to showcase the cultural and spiritual significance of the temple town, will have a surprisingly disparate group of stakeholders.

Efforts are on to involve women from various fields, litterateurs and the elite, taxi drivers and the businessmen having their shops since decades in the areas thronged by pilgrims.

Director of TTD Employees Training Academy (SVETA) B. Subramanyam Reddy, has appealed to storywriters and poets of the town to make contributions that not only present a comprehensive picture of Tirupati to the present generation, but which are also reflective of its true glory.

The idea is to recall the development scenario of Tirupati and Tirumala under the Vijayanagara empire, the Muslim and British rule and the role of Tirupati in the freedom movement.

DPP member Venkata Sharma, secretary P. Chenchu Subbiah and scores of writers and scholars like M. Bhaskara Naidu, K. Sarvothama Rao, A. Vibhishana Sarma, P.R. Rangarajan, Julakanti and Azmul Basha have already started brushing up their thoughts for the event.

Similarly, TUDA chairman B. Karunakar Reddy has invited taxi owners/drivers to be part of the event.

This section has been identified because of their close movement with devotees, right from their entry into the town till their departure.