Noted balladeer Vangapandu Prasad Rao on Monday said that modern ways of life had an adverse impact on Telugu folk literature.
Mr. Prasad and his troupe presented a demonstration on folk dance and songs, highlighting the dialect of the north Andhra region at the two-day seminar on ‘folklore knowledge and impact of globalisation’ that began at the Adikavi Nannaya University (ANU) here.
ANU Telugu Department and Telugu Janapada Vignana Parishad Amaravati are organising the seminar. Singing the song ‘Em Pillado Eldamostava’, the 75-year-old balladeer observed, “Folk literature, song and dance have the ability to enlighten the society. However, folk literature is missing its link with the village life. My song Em Pillado Eldamostava is being sung in around 50 languages, proving the need for the protection of the Telugu folk literature. Reviving the glory of folk literature is the need of the hour.”
ANU Registrar B. Ganga Rao said many folk songs, once being sung by villagers in agriculture fields in the Godavari districts, have been lost, owing to the change in the way of life.
He put the blame on the lack of patronage for folk literature. T. Satyanarayana of ANU Telugu Department and other teaching staff were present.