Tarikonda Venkamamba
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Tarikonda Venkamamba (alternate spelling: Vengamamba) was a staunch devotee of Lord Venkateswara in the 18th century. She wrote numerous poems and songs.
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[edit] Early years
Vengamamba was born into a family of Nandavareeks sect of brahmins in 1730 A.D. Her father was Krishnayamatya and mother was Mangamamba. She was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara from childhood and her devotion made the villagers believe that she was insane. Married at a very early age, she lost her husband Venkatachalapthi and became a child-widow. However refusing to accept anyone but the Lord as her husband, she did not part with her symbols of married lady.
She studied yoga sciences under Prof. Subrahmnayudu and became a yogini. As she faced resentment of the local priest in Tarikonda, she shifted to Tirumala and was accorded welcome by the priest and the descendents of Annamayya as they had heard of her devotion already.
[edit] Venkamamba's harati
Moved by her devotion, it is told that Lord Venkateswara allowed her to enter the temple after closure of the temple doors to hear her poems and songs. Venkamamba recited poems and took 'harati' of the Lord each night and paid pearls as fee to the Lord. Observing pearls in the sanctum sanctorum over a period of time, the priests investigated and found that Venkamamba was coming to the temple after closure and censured her by removing her to a cave in Tumburakona from the hills, a distance of 15 miles. Such was the Lord's pleasure with Venkamamba, it is said that he created a secret passage from the cave to the temple which was used by Venkamamba to continue her service. The practice of penance and night harati contibued for 6 years and when the priests realized the love of the Lord for Venkamamba, they realized their folly and requested her return. On her return, she was allowed to participate in Ekanta seva and take the final harati of the Lord for the day.
The area around her samadhi was later converted into a school with the samadhi still open for pilgrims' worship in the school playground.
[edit] 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 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).
[edit] 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.
[edit] Tollywood
In 2006, veteram director K. Viswanath announced a movie on the life of Venkamamba and the project was launched in November 2006[1][2]
