Comments by people like YOU!

I am a visitor to US. You are evidently doing an excellent job. Please
keep it up.
With good wishes to you and all the members of your organisation.
 
Rajendra Prasad
 

I am visiting US. I attended your Siliconandhra function on
Ugadi along with my daughter's family . It is excellent and very well
organized. We are very happy to see that Siliconandhra is doing a great
work to keep the tradition of Telugu.

With blessings.

Rama Krishna Velpuri
 

Anand garu

ee saari siliconandhra program vochche avakaashamu labinchi,
nenu,
Amrutha vochchamu. chaala baaga anipinchindi. koddiga late gaa
vochchamu, anduvalla kuurchune sthalamu kooda doraka ledu. maa
mitrulu
chaala mandi vochchaaru. andaru chaala baaga undi ani, mee
samsthani
kooda mecchukunnaru.

mundu mundu, mee samstha inka kotta kotta karyakramaalu
cheyagaladani
aashistu...

itlu mee
Prasad
 

 Gowravaneeyulaina PrabhakarRao gariki,

saamskrutika sainikula (mee) "kavisammelanam" Adyantamu
aalhaadangaa, manoranjakangaa saagi satsampradaaya reetilo sabhanellaa
alarinchindi.

idi aahwaanitulaku, sabhaasadulaku mariyu sabhanirvaahakulaku
oka madhuramaina smruthi ni nilipindi. 

naati chitrabhanu ugaadi sambaraanni, uttama saahityaabhimaana
sadruchula vanti sangeeta,saahitya, drusya, kaavya, kavitaa vallari to
melavinchi,  "ugaadi kavisammelanam " ni vijayavantangaa
nirvahinchutaku
meeru salipina visista krushi ento slaaghaneeyamainadi.

dwiguneekrutamaina utchaahamuto siliconandhra marinni krongotta
kaaryakramaalanu nirvahinchi andari mannanalanu pondaalani
aakaankshistoo.....

mee

-Sarath.
 

 Anand,
unfortunately we missed attending the function as we
were in LA that weekend. I heard a lot of great things
about the function. I saw the pictures and they are
wonderful.
 
Please accept my hearty congratulations to all the
hard working organizers and participants. What else
cheers Telugu folks most other than starting the
Telugu new year in the true traditional way bringing
back our nostalgic memories and feelings.

Mee aundariki maa
CHITRA BHANU SAMVATSARA SHUBHA KANKASHALU !!!

- Manohar Mahavadi

 

chitra bhaanu Subhaakaankshalu.
ugaadi kavi sammELanam anTE naaku paata rOjullO AIR
nunchi raavaDam gnaapakam vastoo undi. alaanTidi meeru
america lOnE punah sRshTi chEyagalagaDam entO goppa !
mee andarikee naa sahaaya sahakaaraalu eppuDoo
unTaayi.

 Madan Parigi
 

 Congratulations on what seems to be an excellent
event. I just saw all the pictures and browsed through
the souvenir.

A few years ago, reviewing the Philadelphia Ugadi
celebrations/Competitions, vemuri wrote that they
rivaled TANA conference, and gave him a better value
for the money and time spent. I think the same could
easily be repeated here.

Even though I haven't been able to attend one of these
events (one of these days, I will!) I thank you for
the your effort in producing an authentic cultural
experience for the telugu people in the Bay area.

 
There is one thing missing. akkirAju cEta dhOvati
kaTTincaDam!

Ramakrishna Pillalamarri
 

 Congratulations to the Silicon Andhra team. I heard from a
colleague
that  it was a well-orchestrated and high quality event. The web
site
and the updates are awesome. Great job folks!

Regards
Krishna
 

 Dear Anand,
Shobha and I were impressed with you and your organization's
ability to
bring such rich cultural programs that we never even anticipated
would
happen in USA. Congratulations to you and your team. Keep up the
good work,
we need these programs and concepts to take hold of our younger
generation
in California.

Congratulations again!
Regards!
Rao
 

 Hard work usually pays off. You all worked very hard and the
fruits of your efforts were evident on Saturday. There were people
lined
up outside all the way to the front of the temple to have a glimpse of
the program. Someone told me that there was line for prasadam and
wanted
me to tell all of them that there was nothing yet. I went and started
telling people in the line. Guess what 75% of the people in the line
just wanted to wait to get a chance to see what the program was all
about.


Some feedback from the audience:

1. Lots of people thought it would have been a good idea if we
charged a nominal fees like $2 or $3 for the program.

2. Some people thought that there should have been a donation
box in the entrance - one for Sirivennalagaru and one for the
organization itself.

3. A lot of them thought it was an excellent idea to have
something like this in the temple and not somewhere else in another
auditorium. The event being held on the ocassion in the temple was
thought as a very good idea.

Surya wanted me to mention this:

We personnally thought that the crowds came for the event being
held on the ocassion in the temple. It is an excellent idea and the
program went extremely well. Anusha did a great job on her speech.
There
was a big gasp from the audience. We will develop and bring the
pictures
over the weekend.

regards,

Surya & Sheela

 Anand garu,

Namaste! I attended the kavi-sammelanam on ugadi roju and
thouroughly enjoyed it. SiliconAndhra is becoming very popular in the
recent past and a lot of people
are really looking forward for your programs, which offer
Vyvidhyam and Nuutanam.

One small feed back..

  1. Accomidation seems to be an issue during this programm,
which made quite a lot of people to take-off early.
  2. Sound system is not upto the mark and hence left the
audience baffle at a time. At times it is in-comprehensible.

  Since your programs are very qualitative in nature and I do
not think, people would mind purchasing tickets. This can also help
your
org to conduct the programs in decent auditorium with good seating
arrangements and sound system. Not that I don't like the setup in the
temple, but that place was not sufficient to conduct your programs.

 Pl. take this input in earnest and excuse me for unsolicited
feed back.

 Chitra Bhanu Samvastra Subha-kankshalu to you and your
wonderful organization.


Your org is adding Quality to this Silicon valley  Aandhra
Samajam! Keep up the good work and I am really looking forward for your
future events.

-Murty Dasaka
 

 Anandgaru,

    Really wonderful event. I can not express my feelings.  I
was discussing with my wife all the way back to my apartment. I
couldn't
sleep that night, believe me. I was trying to recollect most of the
nice
ideas like aa-mail, ee-mail, nEnU O sainikuDinE,
amaavaasya anantaram paadyami rOju nindu vennela -
siri vennela velluva, emi rAsinArE ani pinchE sinAre
kavita, mADugulavAri kavita modalainavi (nAda
svarAniki mugdulayyi nATyam chEsE nAginulavOle)
vInulavindaina rOju maruva taramA?

    golusu kavitalaku inka spandana vunDEdi. kAnI nEnu
kurchunna sthAnAniki okE oka golusu kavitaku
sambandinchina article vacchindi, adI O 10 nimushAla
mundu.

ilAnTi kAryakramAlaku eppuDU AdaraNa vunTundi.

Hats off 2 the program and organization
SuSri.
 

  I attended this Saturday 4/13/02 Ugadi "Kavi Sammelanam" at
Livermore Temple. I would indeed congratulate every person in
the Silicon
Andhra team who put a hand in it. There is no doubt that it
takes lot of
co-ordination and effort. I understand how such events can go
out of hand.
Here is some constructive feedback (this is not to take away any
of the
excellent overall effort) :

1. Always keep the lights off in the audience. It a) Focuses
audience on the
stage b) keeps them from looking around c) does not distract
what the
organizers are doing d) does not distract with off and on lights
on the
eyes. I noticed that one of the organizers needed lights to see
the overall
program plan/script. That is fine. He/She could get a torch etc
in future.

2. Never EVER serve the food INSIDE the hall as the program. I
think you
realized that half way through the food service and right-fully
shut it
down.

3. Pre-dinner programs should not run more than 3.5 hrs. I think
you did a
good job trying to keep to it (although in the end people
started to move
away).

Good job

Regards
Srinivas Pattamatta
 

 Hat's off to SiliconAndhra for bringing forth such a beautiful
Sammelan

to the heart of America. I also happened to listen to the video
message

from Sri. Sirivennala. I am extremely happy to know that program
was

a grand success.

Congratulations and Best Regards,

Mallik Bulusu
 

 Kiranprabha garu: glad to know that the commitment and effort
by you and
others has paid off handsomely. It's a great feat to gather 1000
people for a
literary event!
The web site is spectacular.
Ramarao
 

 Congrats! Went off well, yet another program with great
success.

Wish you all the best for all the endavours.

- Varadha family

 

We have recently attended one of your functions.we were very
happy the way you organised.pl let us know your future programs.

 Srinivasa

 

panduga kada ani temple ki vellamu alayamlo kanapadina swagatha
thoranalu chusi vatini vennati lopaliki vellamu ugadi program ni
thelsiala kurchundipoyamu.chinnapudu kavi sammelanma ante bore ga feel
ayevallam kani kothha rakam kavi sammelanam chupinchar silicon andhra
ki
thanks chputhunnamu andru panchelu tho thiruguthunte
aschryamanipinchindi.india lo kuda ila kattukovadam
thggipoyindi.Hiligts
emitante multimedia shows .poetic world of kiranprabha chala chala
bavundi anda ragam kavitha bavundi asalu evaru cheyani kothha prakriya
india lo vunna vallani phone dwara sabha madyaku thevadam anedi meru
chesi kotha prayyogam inni chusaka mee gues book lo sign cheyakunda
vundalekapoyanu.mothhaniki ee ugadi mako thiyyani jnapakam.

 Ragini
 

 

Attended the Ugadi Celebrations event. It was just excellent.

It would be nice if you can organize some Vedic Chanting as well
sometime.

Besh wishes,
Surya
 

 It is a wondeful Ugadi day to see so much teluguness and
literature at one place. Your efforts and organising descipline can not
be appreciated simply.

Although it was disappointing initially to know that Sirivennala
is not coming, I enjoyed the show done by Kiranprabha and other poets.
Euttaram, Chedekkina, nirishana, cenare song etc. are good.

Poems in Sujanarajani are also superb. But I did not understand
"vikruta vedanti". It would have been helpful to me, if you have given
one line explanation of context like you did for some poems. Many poems
I can undrestand are touching heart deeply.

Multimedia shows are very good. It takes lot of effort. Chitra
kavitalu (e.g. Gajendra Moksham) are amazing. Singers sung ugadi songs
very well.

I do not see how doing sanman to temple main priest fits in this
program. It looked like political or influential. Atleast, you did not
convey why you are doing sanman to him. This is not a saint sammelanam.
Doing Sanman to the other priest who did Panchanga patana and
recitation
is apt to the situation.

Not to take wind away from your sails, I just wish you good.
Keep it up.
 

Monna gudilo mee program india bajar vadda flyer
andukonivachhanu.flyer chusinapudu kavi sammelanama ani anukonnanu na
mrs mata kadanaleka vachhanu ugadi bala ahwanam vini
santhoshinchamu.kani modati kavitha chadivinathanu kavitha vini program
antha ilane vuntundemo ani bayapadi veladamanukonnamukaniEvuthharam
kavitha vini chala hayiga vupiri thisukonnamu.tharuvatha kiranprabha
kavitha prapancham lo ni amma kavitha chudagane maa amma tho ventane
matladalanipinchindi.Mamuluga chadivithe antha vinapadedi kademo screen
meeda show chusi kavitha baga gurthuvundi.Anandragam show kudabavundi
kavitha evaru rasro cheppaledu.Andarini gurthinchadam mee siliconandhra
prthyekatha ani {meru awards ichhina varini chusaka
}anipinchindi.Chedugarelu kavitha avida bhavmemoto maa
karthamkaledu.Ante malant vallantha ekkuvipoyarana.Idi maa
abhipryamenandi.Mothhaniki ee ugadi maaku kothha ruchulu chupinchindi.

Ravi
 

We heard about SiliconAndhra thru our friends last year and
attended the Andhra Culutral Festival function which was superb. Then
itslef we decided to attend all SiliconAndhra functions without fail.
Attended Ugadi Kavi Sammelanam. To sum it up in one word, the entire
show "EXCELLENT, EXEMPLARY". All of you are really commendable for your
organizational skills as well as putting up such a great show with lot
of confidence. We thought there may be 50 – 100 folks at most. But
stunned to see the whole auditorium is filled completely with people
sitting on the floor or wherever they can find a space. To be honest,
we
did not believe that you will start your program on dot 5 PM. But to
everyone’s surprise, you did. Keep it up.

We all need to congratulate the individual who took so much
pains to make sure we hear from the stalwarts of Sahityam. With the
time
of Ugadi, we are sure this person must be trying patiently to get them
on line. Also, it seems there is another individual standing near the
podium coordinating the program. He did a splendid job in managing the
entire show. Because of such excellent show management, we enjoyed it
so
much. Our initial thought was to go to temple and attend the program
for
half hour or so. But your show really made us to stick to our seats for
all 4 hrs or so. Apart of from these, we are sure, like you said, the
very dedicated army of Sahityam did a great job.

Even now, it is still unbelievable to see such kind of show in
Silicon Valley. Been in the country for more than 15 years and lived in
the east coast etc. Living in the CA for the past 10 years. First time
we have witnessed such a magical evening of kavi sammelanam combining
the modern technology with traditional sahityam. You really took us to
next level by bringing Dr. Reddy garu, Sirivennela sastry garu, Sri
Sarma garu online literally. Although we are disappointed not seeing
Sirivennela (actually we do not know who he is or never heard of him,
until we got your email), but your program filled in everything and
made
sure his absence is nothing.

The Ugadi songs and music are wonderful. All singers sang with
one voice. Marepalli Sastry garu’s poem, panchanga sravanam are
great.
Kiran Prabha’s Kavita Prapancham is very good. It touched our hearts.
We
actually enjoyed the song by new singer, not remember seeing him at
December function. Subramanyam’s prardhana is very good. But his
recitation of chitra kavitvam looked like he is teaching a class.

Couple of areas for improvement:

1. It is quite amazing to see all wearing panchas. Actually we
think, the guys are looking more handsome in the panchas. Also, we are
disappointed to see Raju (we think that is the correct name, wearing
glasses) and someone else, the first guy to read his poem, who actually
put us to bed almost, on the stage not wearing the panchas.
2. The poem, Ananda Ragam was excellent. It reminded me and my
wife of our yester years. Anand did a great job of reciting it. But it
would have been helpful if the poet’s name is mentioned. Next time
you
may want to show the poet’s picture, if the poet is not reading the
poem.
3. The sound of Sirivennela’s video is bad. It became very
difficult to understand even for us who is sitting in the middle. If we
had difficult time of hearing, imagine about folks in the back.
4. Also, we felt there is no need to have the lights on audience
all the time. By turning the lights off, it would have been easier to
keep our attention on the dais rather than turning the lights off and
on
several times.

We thank all of you at SiliconAndhra for giving us a memorable
evening to cherish for a long time. Wish you all good luck with your
upcoming events.

Madhu-Concord