Wikipedia
Penamakuru is a village located in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, India ( Thotlavalluru Mandal).
Bharatha Yuvajana Sangham, a youth welfare organisation, will conduct the 27th Games Meet - 2013 to mark Sankranti from January 9 to 15 to prevent illegal activities such as gambling and cock fights, in Penamakuru village of Thotlavalluru mandal in Krishna District.
After conducting various games at Penamakuru during Sankranti for 26 years, the sangham has decided to conduct district-level chedugudu and shuttle badminton competitions to draw the attention of youngsters toward games rather than cock fights and gambling during the festival, said T. Mareedu, Bharatha Yuvajana Sangham president.
Explaining about the games, he said chedugudu (kabaddi) competitions will be held between January 4 and 9 and shuttle badminton competitions will be organised between January 10 and 14 at Penamakuru. Other events like rangoli competitions, chess, running, musical chairs for women and children will also be conducted. The BYS initiated the events in the village in 1980 to prevent the illegal activities like cock fights, and gambling during the festival, he said.
Underlining the development aspects of agriculture, industrial sectors, people and their professions in the village, the State government carried out a seven-page syllabus about Penamakuru in Social Sciences textbook of Class VI both in English and Telugu mediums in the current academic year.
Unlike other villages in coastal districts, many youngsters who are well educated and professionals working in corporate firms in various places, are busy in making shuttle badminton courts, decorating the venues where cultural activities will be held in Penamakuru village in Krishna district. What more! Children aged between 6 years and 15 years are seriously practising dance for devotional and patriotic songs to perform on the venue.
All these activities take place every year in Penamakuru village that comes under Vijayawada police commissionerate to divert the attention of youngsters and students to games and cultural events rather than illegal activities of gambling and cockfights during Sankranti. Having a big experience in organising such activities in the village for more than two decades, Bharat Yuvajana Sangham, a youth welfare organisation, is all set to conduct the 28th annual games meet at Penamakuru to mark Sankranti.
``A few years ago, many youngsters and children, clad in murky clothes, had indulged in illegal activities like cockfights and moodu mukkalata (rummy) during Sankranti. Ever since, the Bharat Yuvajana Sangham started in organising games meet, we changed the mind sets of youngsters not indulging in illegal activities. They are totally changed now and participating games. Some youngsters participate in the games and cultural events and other take responsibility in organising those activities during Sankranti in Penamakuru,’’ explains M Raj Kumar, an MBA graduate and president of Bharat Yuvajana Sangham.
In 1980, former sarpanch of the village M Nageswara Rao had created the trend by organising such games and cultural events in protecting Sankranti festival and its tradition while preventing illegal activities of gambling and cockfights. Attracting to these new trend in the village, youngster who finished their high education in various streams and working in various corporate firms in different place in the state and other places in the country have started a youth welfare organisation-Bharat Yuvajana Sangham. They have been continuing the games meet in Penamakuru to prevent illegal activities. To attract many youngsters, the Sangham members utilise social networking sites such as Facebook and keep uploading their activities. This year, all the villagers, students and youngsters will take an oath not to take part in or encourage gambling and cockfights during Sankranti.
The pledge will be administered by educationists and village elders.
“It will be a cheerful festival for my family and others of Penamakuru. For every Sankranti, my friends and relatives are keen to visit my village to participate in games and cultural programmes. After the Sangham’s activities in preventing illegal activities intensifying, no illegal activity took place in Penamakuru.
The highlight of the events are closing ceremony in which children, youngster hone their skills and perform cultural events. We will continue the trend in my village forever,’’ vows OA Prasad, an MCom, whoworks for a leading consultancy in Vijayawada.
Director-general of police B Prasada Rao has directed the commissioners and superintendents of police to be vigilant against holding of illegal activities such as gambling and cockfights.
To prevent illegal activities such as gambling and cock fights, the Bharatha Yuvajana Sangham, a youth welfare organisation, has decided to conduct 30th Games Meet - 2016 during Sankranthi from January 13 to 16 in Penamakuru village of Thotlavalluru mandal in Krishna District.
With 29 years of experience in conducting various games at Penamakuru during Sankranthi, the Sangham has decided to conduct kabaddi and badminton competitions to draw the attention of youngsters towards games rather than to cock fights and gambling during the festival, Timothy Mareedu, president of the organization, said.
Kabaddi and shuttle competitions would be held between January 13 and 14, at Penamakuru. Other events like rangoli competitions, chess, running, musical chairs for women and children will also be conducted.
Following age-old traditions is good to conserve our heritage and culture, but at the same time people must move with the changing time and stop illegal activities such as cockfighting, playing cards, and gambling during the Sankranti festival season, said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) V. Geeta Devi.
Highlighting the importance of Sankranti festival and its culture, she asked villagers in Krishna district to prevent others also from participating in such activities. She was the chief guest at the 26th games meet organised by the Bharat Yuvajana Sangham, a youth welfare association in Penamakuru village.
She said that people should not indulge in illegal activities during the festive season.
“The youngsters should take the responsibility of curbing these illegal activities in villages,” she added.
Later, she distributed prizes to winners in various games such as rangoli, chess, caroms, running, and shuttle badminton. She also presented cash, memento, and medals to meritoriousstudents, who secured top marks in Class X in the ZP High School, Penamakuru.
Former sarpanch Mareedu Nageswara Rao, Vuyyuru market yard committee member M. Srinivas, Vuyyuru Circle-Inspector Kasi Viswanath, Thotlavalluru SI V. Rama Rao, Akruthi metla managing director T. Srinivas, Mareedu Madhusudhann Rao, and Timothi were present.