Veena Making~Bobbili

Introduction:

Usage:

The word ‘veena’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘????’ or ‘veeda,’ and ‘Vanyateiti Veena’ is the etymological interpretation of this word, which implies- “that which creates a sound is called the Veena.” This stringed instrument is extensively used and appreciated all over South India. Not only the melodic tunes created by this instrument, but also the exquisite designs and patterns engraved on its body, mesmerize everyone in the audience.

Instrumental music has been an integral part of Indian history and culture since time immemorial. This is evident from the countless treatises on music and famous sculpturesof musicians in places of worship.

The Saraswathi veena has become synonymous with Indian culture and tradition. The famous Carnatic music that is played on these veenas transcends the boundaries of time and space and captures the hearts of several music lovers all over the world.The veena is considered to have ancient origins, however, one must note that in ancient Indian texts, all string instruments were referred to as ‘veenas.’ In today’s age, the veena that is played is considered to be a product of history that continues to be modelled and shaped.

The musical instrument, ‘veena’ is used for playing different Indian music styles. The veena is the only Indian music instrument which has several varieties and these varieties can be used for playing different styles of music. Usually, the veenas are known by the place in which they are made, such as Tanjore, Mysore, Thiruvananthapuram, Rampur, Bobbili, Pithapuram and Bandar Veenas. In ancient times, a veena simply implied ‘a stringed instrument’ with 3 varieties, namely- plucked, bowed and struck. However, as time progressed, the veena came to denote ‘fretted instruments.’ The different types of veenas are as follows-

1. Rudra Veena: This veena is closely associated with the Hindu god Shiva. Since ‘rudra’ is another name for Lord Shiva, the Rudra Veena implies ‘a veena dear to Shiva.’ This veena is usually used for Hindustani classical music in North India. However, the usage of this veena has majorly over the years. In the early 19th century, introduction of the Surbahar allowed the musicians to more easily present the Alap sections of slow dhrupad-style ragas. This resulted in the decline of Rudra Veena and its popularity. In the present day, Asad Ali Khan is claimed to be the master of playing this instrument and he is passing down the tradition to his son. Other famous masters include- Faridi Desai, BahauddinDagar and BeenkarSuvirMisra.

2. Saraswathi Veena: This veena is named after the Hindu Goddess Saraswathi whose statues and icons are usually depicted holding this instrument. This veena is most commonly used for the Carnatic Music of South India. The design and model of this veena are extremely special and created with fine, intricate details. These are carved from a single wooden piece and lavishly decorated.

The foot-fret board is two and a half inches and it merges entirely into a large wooden resonator that is placed on the right side of the musician. This is also supported by a smaller gourd placed on the left side that serves as an anchor for the instrument. Specially treated wax is also used for this purpose. The left side contains 5 of the 7 main pegs of the instrument. The right side of the instrument is the core and it acts like a resonator that helps in amplifying sounds and holding notes for longer durations. This further contributes to creating a deep and sonorous tune of the instrument.

3. Vichitra Veena: This veena is used for Hindustani music and is considered to be similar to the Carnatic gottuvadhyam or chitra veena. This instrument is played with the help of a slide and contains no frets. It was often used to accompany the Dhrupad style of singing and as a result, not much intricacy or embellishment was allowed around the notes. Dr. LalmaniMisra, who developed technique of playing this instrument and created Misrabani compositions helped in preventing this veena from fading into oblivion. Further, it was his son, Dr. Gopal Shankar Misra, that helped in making the repertoire universal.

Chitra Veena: This veena is usually used in Carnatic music in South India and many times, it can also be used as a solo instrument in Carnatic music. It is also known as- gottuvadhyam, chitravina, chitra vina, or mahanataka vina. The Chitra veena literally means ‘block instrument.’

In its general form, the Chitra veena resembles the Saraswathi veena, however itconsists of 21 strings wherein 6 are used for the melody, 3 are the drone strings, and 12 sympathetic strings. It is also fretless which makes it extremely close to vocal standards.

Even though the Chitra veena has its own set of uniqueness, the tuning of this veena is similar to a sitar and the method of playing is similar to that of a lap guitar. Apart from its main usage as a musical instrument, these days the veena is also used as a decoration piece or gifting item. Miniature versions of the veena are made and sold in the market for this purpose. These have gained significant popularity, especially in South India, since the veena is the an essential part of Carnatic music and can be seen as a cultural symbol.

Significance:

The veena occupies a central position in Carnatic music, therefore it has a rich cultural significance. Moreover, various festivals are also celebrated in South India that promote artists who play the veena and draw upon crowds from all over the word.

The wooden resonator, acoustic cavity, top-plate with the bridge, and strings with twenty four fret supports placed in a logarithmic manner- these are the main components of a veena. The direct sound is radiated by a plucked string and the energy is transferred through the bridge to the top plate to the acoustic cavity and finally to the wooden resonator.

The wooden resonator and acoustic cavity play an integral role in the process of sound radiation. The acoustic cavity consists of its own independent dynamic properties and further  adds an additional stiffness to the overall system. The acoustic waves excite the structure when the acoustic impedance of the air cavity is close to the structural impedance. Thus, the vibration of the structure introduces acoustic pressure inside the air cavity. This phenomenon continues under coupling conditions which depend upon the acoustic and structural natural frequencies and spatial match of the mode shapes. This is termed as structural-acoustic coupling. Thereby making the acoustic cavity and wooden resonator two significant components that can be analyzed and studies as a whole structural-acoustic coupled problem.

The frequency range of the veena is 80 to 6500 Hz and it spans over three and a half octaves.In 2001, P.P. Rao studied the musical notes produced on Veena which are based on the physical and mathematical formulations associated with the vibrations of stretched strings andC.V. Raman studied the geometric significance and effect of bridge on sound radiation.

The music produced by the veena and is beautiful geometric designs not only have a cultural significance but also an academic significance in our country.

The Geographical Indication (GI) tag given to these veenas has also helped in ensuring their authenticity and preventing counterfeit products to take over the market and reduce their profits. This tag also makes these veenas extremely popular and significant, not only in India but all over the world.

Myths & Legends:

It is believed that sound resides in every nook and crevice of this universe, within all moveable and immovable objects, possessing the same quality as space or ‘aakash.’ Thus, various Indian musicians and masters defined sound as ‘nad’ or ‘nad brahma’ or ‘cosmic sound.’ The speed or gati of the music also play an integral role in music creation and the same are used in music in the form of swar (note) and laya. Thus, music is considered to be a natural art that emerges from the very birth of human beings.

Since the vocal cord has been granted to each and every individual by God, it is believed that the vocal cord is the primary and natural source of music. Our ancient masters have termed the vocal cord as ‘gatra veena’ or bodily instrument for this purpose. Thereby, all stringed instruments were created and envisaged on the basis of the human vocal cord.

According to another point of view, music has been created by Brahma who is the creator of the Vedas. After this creation, Brahma handed over the art form to Lord Shiva who then handed it over to Saraswathi. This is why Saraswathi is also referred to as ‘Veena Vandini.’ Narad, who was a great Gandharva sage, learnt the art from Saraswathi and taught it to other Gandharvas and the Kinnaras. Then Bharat, Hanuman and others mastered this art and propagated its usage all over the world. The term ‘Gandharava’ was used as a synonym for music or 35 sangeet. Tumbaru, a great sage, was believed to be the best amongst the Gandharavas. There are many references to other great Gandharvas such as Kambal, Ashvatar and Narada and their expertise at playing the Kachchhapi Veena.

Goddess Saraswathi is considered to be one of the most important figures for music in Hindu mythology since she symbolizes knowledge and a love for music. There are various prayers that have been devoted in her praise of her.

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥१॥

शुक्लां ब्रह्मविचारसारपरमांद्यां जगद्व्यापनीं
वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणीमभयदां जाड्यांधकारपहाम्।
हस्ते स्फाटिक मालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम्
वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्।।

“Salutations to Devi Saraswati, Who is pure white like Jasmine, with the coolness of Moon, brightness of Snow and shine like the garland of Pearls; and Who is covered with pure white garments, Whose hands are adorned with Veena (a stringed musical instrument) and the boon-giving staff; and Who is seated on pure white Lotus, Who is always adored by Lord Brahma, Lord Acyuta (Lord Vishnu), Lord Shankara and other Devas, O Goddess Saraswati, please protect me and remove my ignorance completely.”

History:

The Indian culture has an extensive historical background that depicts the evolution of music and in particular, the significance of the veena. These historical facts can be derived from excavations, inscriptions and seals found at the site of the Indus Valley Civilization and other ancient scriptures with specific references related to music of that time.

In the pre-Vedic civilisation, the excavation site showed traces of a flute, a stringed instrument similar to the veena and a music instrument made out of leather. In addition to this, there were also some figurines of dancing women extracted from the site of the Indus civilization. The conclusion drawn from this was that these individuals were civilized and cultured and made use of instruments for their amusment and used dance as a form of expressing joy and happiness.

The Rig Veda, which is the oldest of all Vedas, contains references about a stringed instrument such as the Veena. During that time, it was referred to as ‘Van’ and this ‘van’ was the source of all veenas that came into being later on. The Vedas also contained references of the different types of ‘van.’ Vans from one-string (Ek Tantri) to hundred-string (Shapt Tantri) were prevalent at the time. In the initial phase the strings were made up of ‘Munj’ (one type of grass). The 13 wooden frame of Van was made from Udundar or Gullar wood and it was covered by red skin leather of ox or bullock. The ten holes were made below the wooden frame, through which the strings made up of ten grass threads inserted. “From this ‘Van’, later on, one-string, two-string, and seven-string Veenas were made.

After the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda Samhita provides us with a description of music. In this text, for the very first time, the word ‘veena’ has been used. Therefore, it was during the period of this text that ‘van’ came about to be known as ‘veena.’ Since that time, the veena and its prevalence has continued.

It is believed that the human vocal cord is god-gifted and hence is called the ‘devi veena.’ The Manushi (man-made) veena is modelled after the devi veena and is also called as the Daravi Veena. The Aaranyakas contains a detailed description of manufacturing methods, types, shapes, and various parts of the Veena made from wood. For example, the methods of making the Tumba or a gourd-like portion of a Veena, dand (stick), its holes and the strings are mentioned.

Various historical figures are also known to have a close association with the Veena. Charumitra, the maid servant of Tishya Rakshita, the wife of King Ashoka, was known to be an excellent Veena player.Samudragupta, who was Chandragupta’s son, was also an excellent veena player. It was also said that during this period, the magical power of music increased manifold and classical music started gaining widescale acclaim.

All the way from the sculptures found in Barhut and Amaravathi to today’s commercial trade- the veena has been an extremely fascinating instrument for sculpting. In different time periods, the veena has been depicted in different shapes and sizes. Therefore, the construction and design of a veena offer significant evidence of the time period it was built in.

The earlier Veena was in the shape of a boat or a bow. It was a harp-like instrument with open strings (called Jya) made out of guts. This instrument is mentioned in Tamil literature and is described as ‘Yazh’. Even by the 7thcentury AD, we find an evolution in the early Veena, held vertically, with a resonator at the base, and plucked open strings. This is the ‘Parivadhini Veena‘ for which the Kudimiyamalai inscription of music lessons in the seven root ragas was designed by Rudracharya at the command of the Pallava King Mahendra Vikrama Varman I, in Pudukkotai, Tamilnadu.

Therefore, we can conclude that the veenas have a rich historical significance in Indian culture, especially in South India.

Design:

The veena has a total of 7 strings wherein 4 of them are the main strings that pass over the feet and are attached to the pegs on the neck and the remaining 3 are used for drone and rhythmic accompaniment. These strings pass over an arched bridge made of brass and lie flat over the top of the body and aresecured to the main bridge.

The position for playing the veena is usually cross-leggedwith the instrument held tilted slightly away from the player.The small gourd on the left rests on the player’s left thigh and the left arm passing beneath the neck with the hand curving up and around so that the fingers rest upon the frets. The palm of the right hand rests on the edge of the top plank so that the fingers (usually index and middle) can pluck the strings. The drone strings are played with the little finger.

The veena’s large resonator is placed on the floor, beyond the right thigh. Sometimes the performer sits cross-legged upon the ground as before but holds the veena vertically. M.S. Subbulakshmi, a renowned singer with the placed the body of the instrument in front of him or on his lap. This method of playing is more popular in Andhra Pradesh.

Like the sitar, the left hand technique involves playing on the frets, controlled pushing on the strings to achieve higher tones, glissandi through increased tension, and finger flicks, all reflecting the characteristics of various ragas and their ornamentation (gamaka). Modern innovations include one or two circular sound holes (like that of the flute), substitution of machine heads for wooden pegs for easier tuning, and the widespread use of transducers for performance amplification.

The famous Seshanna and Subbanna of Mysore, Venkataramana Das of Vizianagaram, Dhanammal of Madras and the Karaikudi brothers Subbaraniier and SambasivaIyer, have been the greatest exponents of the veena in the south.

Though the traditional Veena making is followed by the craftsmen, they also adapt to changes that are demanded by the customers. For the past 15-20 years, the peacock Veenas have been manufactured by these craftsmen.

Along with professional and ornamental Veenas, these craftsmen also make Swarnamandal, Tambura, Tabla set, Violin and Sitar. They have also started making some products in rosewood as demanded by the customers. These craftsmen do not experiment and primarily focus on creating new things on the demands of the customer.

In order to maintain a continuity in our cultural heritage and preserve this unique craftsmanship, the Craft Development Centre was set up in 1994 for the manufacture of Bobbili Saraswathi Veenas in different designs and the ‘Gift Veenas’ in different sizes and designs. This has ensured that our traditional handicrafts do not decline in the face of modernization and global trends.

Challenges:

In rural India, gender stratification and sex preference are the most fundamental problems that impact the lives of the citizens. Even though education is provided to both male and female children, in a case where the resources are less, the males are given more preference. However, one cannot deny the progress that has taken place. These days women are seenhelping their family in work. They act as the actual backbone and driving force for the development of the family and are seen helping their male counterparts in fields,shops, households, and other places.

Introduction Process:

The process of making the Bobbili Veena is an intricate and detailed process that requires a sharp eye for detail and geometric accuracy.

Raw Materials:

The process of making the Bobbili Veenas involves the following raw materials-

• Jackfruit tree wood: Veenas are known to be made of pasana wood that comes from the jackfruit tree. This is considered to be an extremely light weight wood and the sound produced from it is much better than other types of wood. It also possesses qualities like excellent reverberation, clear grain lines, great durability and minimum swelling in moisture which makes it a perfect choice for veena making.

It can either be acquired from the local deposits maintained by forest officials or by nearby local settlements. The craftsmen usually purchases about 15”x15”x15” size of jackfruit wood in order to make the belly of the veena. This selected block is checked for cracks and naturally formed holes. More blocks are also purchased for making other parts of the veena. Rosewood is commonly used for making the turning pegs (or birada) by turning of the wood on the lath machine.

• Pumpkin- This is used as a resonator and it helps the musician in two ways. First, it is used to increase the duration of the note played and second, it is used for balancing the Veena to stand still when musician is not holding it. The fibrous matter of the pumpkin is removed and dried in the sun for 3 days, after which it is carefully stored.
• Rosewood- This is a C-shaped piece of wood that keeps the strings away from the belly. A bronze plate is located on the bridge where the strings run over and are directly connected to the other end of the veena. This bridge helps the strings to be tight and maintains the specific length and tightness to create the respective note. The bronze plate does not allow the sound to cushion down through the wooden bridge to the whole body.
• Lac- The designs and patterns are engraved onto the polypropylene. The process of solid lacquering is preferred and it is carried out by one’s hands. In the application of lac, the lac sticks are softened and attached to the plastic with the help of heating. The lac is then applied to the engrained surface to fill it up and produce patterns. Usually, red and green colour is applied in line with the pattern. After drying, the product is given a smooth finish and the excess lac is removed.
• Polystyrene- Plastic sheets are used for making patterns on the body of the veena where the design has been carved out. Initially, elephant tusks were used for this purpose, however, keeping the economy in mind, a change was made to plastic.
• Brass Wire and A smaller, round, sound box (suraikkai) is attached at the other end beneath the finger-board. The Brass metal is fixed to the dandi (finger board) which holds the pumpkin, thus acting like a bridge.The use of Brass Bell has excellent reverberation qualities and helps in improving the tonal quality also adding aesthetic value to the Veena.
• Wood polish- This is used to add shine to the veena and polish it.
• Bee wax
• Charcoal

Tools & Tech:

• Bench Vice: This is used to hold the wood or any material for working on it.
• Chisels: This is used to carve or remove material for making designs.
• Hammer: This is used to deliver blows on an object/hammer the object.
• Cutter: This is used to cut the sheets in the required size.
• Planning Tool: This is used to even out the surface.
• Hand Drill: This is used to make holes on to the objects.
• Files: This is used to remove materials and smoothen the surface.
• Emery Paper: This is used to remove the rough surface on the contours.
• Brass and Steel String: When struck, this is used to produce sound.

Brass Fret: The strings on the Veena rest on this. These brass frets are bought from the blacksmith in the desired proportions. The frets are set to half steps in two octaves.

Rituals:

process:

The process of making the Bobbili Veena is an intricate and detailed process that requires a sharp eye for detail and geometric accuracy.

The process for making the veena includes several steps that require a great degree of concentration and accuracy.

First, the wood is cut into the required veena size which is approximately 4-5 feet in length. The most unique feature of the Bobbili veena is that it is made out of a single wood and thus, is also called ‘ekvandi veena.’ Sometimes, the wood is available in pieces and therefore, the whole veena is made by joining three parts together to give the same performance and design.

The primary resonator of the veena is the Kundu (belly). The callipers are used to ensure uniform thickness on the body, not more than half an inch. This uniformity is made to ensure that a good performance of the resonance is produced when the string is plucked. The callipers ensure an even distance between the segments behind the belly. The inner circle is then marked on the kundu and hollowed out with the help of a hammer and chisel. The kundu is then ornamented with designs.

The plank is made out of jack wood and has a uniform thickness of 1”. It is attached to the kundu by using nails and a hammer and joined to the base. This helps in enhancing the reverberation quality of the veena.

The dandi is placed on the finger board. The length of this dandi is two times that of the veena and is tapered upwards, smoothened and connected to the burra. This U-shaped dandi accommodates frets that are supported by two bee wax walls and a 6 inch screw is used to connect the bell with the resonator. Both the ends of the dandi are connected to the kundu and burra. The joint is also glued to make it strong and void-less to ensure stability and performance. Four holes are made on the dandi wherein three are for the tuning pegs which are located on one side the dandi and one is for under the dandi to hold the resonator.

The hollow space in the dandi is carved out carefully to ensure uniform thickness all across. This is done with the help of a hammer and chisel. The features are worked upon with the fine pointed chisel and finally smoothened with sand paper.

Bobbili veena is given a Yali / lion head similar to what the ancestral artists have created for temples and illustrations. To add to the function, a small box is created for the pluckier behind the burra. After burra is sculpted, holes are made at regular intervals alternatively on either side of the burra to hold the tuning pegs.

Rosewood is used for making the tuning pegs by turning on the lath machine. Rosewood is used since it is delicate, soft and easily mouldable. It also has a high coefficient of friction and helps in holding the strings and stopping them from slipping. These tuning pegs can be made in different sizes and designs either using manual lath techniques or lath machines. The different types of pegs ensure correct tension and tuning of the veena. Rosewood is also used to make a bridge that is spread like an arch with bell metal plate at the top.

The Thumba is a spherical form fixed to the lower base of Dandi to give support. For a professional Veena, thumba is made out of a hollow pumpkin. Incase the required sized pumpkin is not available, the thumba is made of aluminium sheet.

The Raw bee wax is procured from the market and mixed with charcoal in a ratio of 1:2 for achieving the desired consistency. The mixture is heated at the temperature of 70-80 degree centigrade in an iron container, over home-made earth. When the mixture melts completely, it is left to cool for few minutes, then taken out in a container.Cold water is poured over it simultaneously.As the mixture is non-relative to water, it cools the mixture very fast and meanwhile a 18” long coil is made by the coiling process and hammered respectively. Finally, it is spread in two ¼ inch columns on the two sides of the Dandi.

The veena has 7 strings- The 4 major strings from left to right are as follows-Anumadaram, mandaram, Pancnam and Sangam.Anumadaram and Mandaram, are made of Brass with Gauges of 24 and 22. Pancnam and Sangam are made of steel with Gauges of 28 and 32 respectively.The other three minor strings are known as Tadam. There are primarily employed as a compliment to Laya or Rythm. Plastic sheet is then cut according to the length of the required area of kunda and dandi. Then the plastic part is glued on the engraved portion using fevicol or fevibond. The inlay work is done on the dandi, kunda, tunner and yali. The required designs are engraved on the plastic sheet.

Firstly a chisel is heated up, to heat the lacquer and then applied on the plastic surface. Now the molten lacquer is dabbed with the soldering iron on the engraved plastic.Red and green lac are used. At first, red lac is applied on the floral parts and then the green is applied at the leaf part. After the lac solidifies, it is rubbed with a scrapper leaving the colour in the engraved portion.

Once all the parts are joined and ornamentation has been done, the finishing of the product takes place. For the finishing of the product, wood polish is applied. This helps in giving shine to the product.

Waste:

Cluster Name: Vadada/Bobbili

Introduction:

Vadada is a village about 20 kilometres from Bobbili Mandal. There are about 15 families who sustain their livelihoods by making the Bobbili veenas. Women are not allowed to work since they are considered to be placed in a lower social strata as compared to men. These families are being supported by the Andhra Pradesh government through the provision of rashan and insurance cards. These families are also being provided loans but are expected to pay them back in a duration of 1.5 years.

History:

In the 17 th century, Pedda Rayudu established the Bobbili kingdom. Later on, he was defeated  by an alliance of the French and the Vizianagaram King.
The most popular king was Thandra Paparayudu who was also referred as ‘Bobbili Puli’ which ‘The Tiger of Bobbili.’ However originally, the name ‘Bobbili’ was ‘Pedda Puli’ in Telugu, which meant ‘the Great Tiger.’ Over the period of time, this became Bobbili. There
is a new Statue of Sardar Thandra Paparayudu in the town centre that was established in 1989.

This town was almost wiped out during the war of Vizianagaram which ended in transit massacre. Because of the valour of the natives during the war, the name ‘Bobbili’ conjours up the images of self-respect and sacrifices in the Telugu world even today.

In the present day, Bobbili is a bustling market town and has The Palace, the College, and the Guest House just outside the town. It also has a thriving Handicrafts co-operative making the miniatures of the South Indian Musical instruments.

Geography:

Environment:

Infrastructure:

Vadada is a small town with total population of 5000 individuals. It has about 1200 houses  where 15-20 families are involved in the craft of veena making. In 1956, a society for making and distribution of Veenas was setup by 25 craftsmen from Bobbili and Vadada. The
miniature Veenas or Gift Veenas began in 1980.

The infrastructure for public welfare includes facilities like banking, ATM’s, hospitals, transportation, and hotels. Bobbili is also well facilitated with roads and railway communication facilities. The NH-43 to Raipur passes through the town giving an opportunity for trade improvement. As the area borders Orissa, a significant amount of of transportation is available for interconnecting the two states. There is also a well-developed
bus stand of APSRTC. The town is strategically located on the Madras- Tata broad gauge railway line, connecting all important and major towns and cities of the nation.

Government has been taking initiatives to improve the lifestyle of people living there. There are 4 government hospitals and 22 private hospitals in Bobbili Mandal. There are also 89 Anganwadis which are government self-help centres for feeding children and providing
employment to women. There are many government departments present in this Mandal such as A.P transport company, AP Housing Corporation, Mandala education office and other healthcare centres.

Architecture:

Culture:

Apart from the religiosity and worship of the main deity, Brahmendra Swamy, Bobilli has its own tradition of festival making, where the rituals are performed over 9 weeks. The 9 th week plays an important role in gathering people at temples and a common belief in throwing fruits
at the Priest, who is carried by a chariot with all the village followers. Festivals celebrated here majorly are:

1. Desha Thalli Utsavam
2. Tholella Sambaram
3. Shri Shri Shri Daadi Thalli Ammavaari Sirimaanu UtsavaM

The Chariot making is done one day prior to the actual ritual, wherein a group of people belonging to a particular caste of Vegetable sellers start the model construction. The building materials include a kind of wood which is drawn from the locally available, Pachi tree.
In the construction process a branch of about 30 feet is raised against the wooden branch having a v-groove made of same wood. These are tied together so that they hold the weight of the a person sitting at the other end. The common practice of throwing fruits at the priest is
believed to be for the better living and welfare of the society. Though it seems to be appalling, this practice is continued for about 150 years of village history.

People:

The people in this small town are religious and celebrate temple festivals with great joy and  happiness.

The main deity worshipped here is Brahmendra Swamy, who is believed to be formless. The Venugopala Swamy Temple has been in existence since Bobbili was founded, but the present temple was built by Chinna Ranga Rao. It is located close to the Royal Residence and is one
of the most revered temple in Bobbili. It is the only temple in the region where the Gopuram is higher than the main temple. The Vasant Mandapam stands aloof in the placid waters of a lake. The idol from the temple of Lord Venugopala Swamy is brought to the lake anually to
celebrate the onset of spring. Legend has it that the Lord enjoys a day of solitude with his wife here. Post sojourn, the idol is installed in Dola Yatra Mandapam on the banks of the lake for a day and then carried to the main temple. The Mandapam was constructed by Maharaja
Krishna Das Ranga Rao, in 1825.

Famous For:

Apart from the veena making craft, this town is also famous for its religious practices and festivals such as the Chariot making.

Gallery

Craftsmen

List of craftsmen.

Documentation by:

Team Gaatha

Process Reference:

Cluster Reference: