Tarikonda Venkamamba
Encyclopedia
Tarigonda Vengamamba was a poetess and staunch devotee
of Lord Venkateswara in the 18th century. She wrote numerous poems and songs.
s in 1730. Her father was Krishnayamatya and mother was Mangamamba. Since childhood, she was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara and her devotion made the villagers believe that she was insane
.
Married at a very early age (common practice in those times), she lost her husband
Venkatachalapathi and became a child-widow. However, she refused to accept anyone but the Lord as her husband and continued to dress as a married woman(such as wearing mangalsutra, non-white clothing, bottu/bindi).
She studied yoga sciences
under Acharya (professor) Subrahmnayudu and became a yogini
. As a result, she faced resentment of the local priest
in Tarikonda, and shifted to Tirumala. She was welcomed by the priest and descendants of Annamayya
, all who had heard of her devotion prior to her move.
s as fee to the Lord. Observing pearls in the sanctum sanctorum
over a period of time, the priests investigation led to Venkamamba. Their punishment was to exile her to a cave
in Tumburakona, a distance of 15 miles from Tirumala.
The legend goes on that He created a secret passage
from the cave to the temple which was used by Venkamamba to continue her devotional service. The practice of penance
and night harati continued for 6 years. Eventually, the priests realized their folly and recognized Venkamamba's devotion and dedication, and requested her to return. Upon return, she was allowed to participate in Ekanta seva
and take the final harati of the Lord.
The area around her samādhi
was later converted into a school with the samadhi still open for pilgrims' worship in the school playground.
On her return to Tirumala
from Tumburakona caves, Venkamamba composed Vishnu Parijatham, Chenchu Natakam , Rukmini Natakam and Jala Krida Vilasam and Mukthi Kanthi Vilasam (all Yaksha Ganams), Gopi Natakam (Golla Kalapam-Yakshaganam), Rama Parinayam, Sri Bhagavatham, Sri Krishna Manjari, Tatva Keerthanalu and Vashista Ramayanam (Dwipada), Sri Venkataachala Mahatyam (Padya Prabhandam) and Ashtanga Yoga,Saram (Padyakruthi).
TTD's Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel is telecasting a tele serial named "TARIGONDA VENGAMAMBA", on the life and times of Vengamamba. The serial is produced by Duraiswamy Raju and has Meena Durairaj playing the lead, portraying Vengamamba.This tele serial has been received excellent response, and stands next to Siva Narayana Teerthulu, which has K. Viswanath playing the lead and K.Raghavendra Rao's Shrushti, which are also being telecasted on TTD's Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel.
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
of Lord Venkateswara in the 18th century. She wrote numerous poems and songs.
Early years
Vengamamba was born into a family of Nandavareeks sect of brahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s in 1730. Her father was Krishnayamatya and mother was Mangamamba. Since childhood, she was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara and her devotion made the villagers believe that she was insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
.
Married at a very early age (common practice in those times), she lost her husband
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
Venkatachalapathi and became a child-widow. However, she refused to accept anyone but the Lord as her husband and continued to dress as a married woman(such as wearing mangalsutra, non-white clothing, bottu/bindi).
She studied yoga sciences
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
under Acharya (professor) Subrahmnayudu and became a yogini
Yogini
Yogini is the complete form source word of the masculine yogi- and neutral/plural "yogin." Far from being merely a gender tag to the all things yogi, "Yogini" represents both a female master practitioner of Yoga, and a formal term of respect for a category of modern female spiritual teachers in...
. As a result, she faced resentment of the local priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in Tarikonda, and shifted to Tirumala. She was welcomed by the priest and descendants of Annamayya
Annamacharya
Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya was the official songmaster of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, and a Telugu composer who composed around 36000 keertana songs, many of which were in praise of Venkateswara, the presiding deity of the temple...
, all who had heard of her devotion prior to her move.
Vengamamba's Harathi
Moved by her devotion, it is told that Lord Venkateswara allowed her to enter the temple after temple hours to hear her poems and songs. Venkamamba recited poems and took 'harati' of the Lord each night and paid pearlPearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s as fee to the Lord. Observing pearls in the sanctum sanctorum
Sanctum sanctorum
The Latin phrase sanctum sanctorum is a Latin translation of the biblical term: "Holy of Holies" which generally refers in Latin texts to the Holiest place of the Tabernacle of Ancient Israel and later the Temples in Jerusalem, but also has some derivative use in application to imitations of the...
over a period of time, the priests investigation led to Venkamamba. Their punishment was to exile her to a cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
in Tumburakona, a distance of 15 miles from Tirumala.
The legend goes on that He created a secret passage
Secret passage
Secret passages, also commonly referred to as hidden passages or secret tunnels, are hidden routes used for stealthy travel. Such passageways are sometimes inside buildings leading to secret rooms. Others allow occupants to enter or exit buildings without being seen...
from the cave to the temple which was used by Venkamamba to continue her devotional service. The practice of penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
and night harati continued for 6 years. Eventually, the priests realized their folly and recognized Venkamamba's devotion and dedication, and requested her to return. Upon return, she was allowed to participate in Ekanta seva
Seva
Seva may refer to:*Volunteer work; selfless service; work offered to God *Seva , in Indian cuisine, a snack food made by deep-frying strands of chick pea flour dough flavored with chili powder, salt, and sometimes coriander...
and take the final harati of the Lord.
The area around her samādhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
was later converted into a school with the samadhi still open for pilgrims' worship in the school playground.
Literary works
Her first poem was Tarigonda Nrusimha Satakam and it was followed by Nrusimha Vilasa Katha, Siva Natakam and Balakrishna Natakam as Yakshaganam and Rajayogamrutha Saram, a Dwipada Kavyam. These works were completed when she was in Tarikonda.On her return to Tirumala
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple ), is a Hindu temple in the hill town of Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It is around from Chennai, from Hyderabad, and from Bangalore....
from Tumburakona caves, Venkamamba composed Vishnu Parijatham, Chenchu Natakam , Rukmini Natakam and Jala Krida Vilasam and Mukthi Kanthi Vilasam (all Yaksha Ganams), Gopi Natakam (Golla Kalapam-Yakshaganam), Rama Parinayam, Sri Bhagavatham, Sri Krishna Manjari, Tatva Keerthanalu and Vashista Ramayanam (Dwipada), Sri Venkataachala Mahatyam (Padya Prabhandam) and Ashtanga Yoga,Saram (Padyakruthi).
Ekanta Seva
Since the Lord accepted Venkamamba's devotion, her harati has been incorporated into Ekanta Seva performed to the Lord each night. A descendent of Venkamamba pays pearls as fee and the harati is called Venkamamba's harati.Movies Based On Life Of Tarigonda Vengamamba
The Movie VENGAMAMBA is released in 2009 by Duraiswamy Raju and has Meena Durairaj playing the lead, portraying Vengamamba. M.M.Keeravani rendered Excellent Tunes to Vengamamba Krutis and placed them in Movie. They included the complete Vengamamba Harati in it where one can hear it in this Audio.TTD's Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel is telecasting a tele serial named "TARIGONDA VENGAMAMBA", on the life and times of Vengamamba. The serial is produced by Duraiswamy Raju and has Meena Durairaj playing the lead, portraying Vengamamba.This tele serial has been received excellent response, and stands next to Siva Narayana Teerthulu, which has K. Viswanath playing the lead and K.Raghavendra Rao's Shrushti, which are also being telecasted on TTD's Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel.