VIZIANAGARAM: Palli Nallanayya, Vizianagaram municipal corporation commissioner, is a passionate guardian of the Telugu language and North Andhra’s rich folklore, using his poetry, songs, and public narrations to inspire future generations. Through his creative works, he preserves the region’s cultural heritage. He earned the prestigious Gidugu Ramamurthy Award from the Andhra Pradesh government on Telugu Language Day for his remarkable contributions to Telugu art and literature.
Born to Palli Appayya and Laxmi Narayanamma in Ramadasupeta village, Srikakulam district, Nallanayya’s passion for Telugu culture was ignited in childhood.
Despite lacking a formal degree in Telugu literature, his love for the language drove him to compose over 250 songs and numerous poems celebrating North Andhra’s heritage, traditions, and dialects.
Nallanayya’s works vividly capture the region’s essence. Compositions like Srikakulam Vaibhavam, Vizianagaram Vaibhavam, Visakhapatnam Vaibhavam, and Uttarandhra Vaibhavam highlight customs, festivals, temples, tourist spots, and heritage sites of North Coastal Andhra. He penned songs on Stala Puranam (legends of temples) and prominent religious sites nationwide, including churches and mosques.
His public narrations like Uttarandhra Ammammalu (Grandmothers of North Andhra) and Srikakulam Tatayyalu (Grandfathers of Srikakulam) showcase elderly clothing, jewellery, food habits, and linguistic accents, preserving cultural legacy. Nallanayya’s songs address social issues and government initiatives.
Poignant lyrics on sanitation workers’ struggles and traditional crafts gained popularity on YouTube. He wrote 15 songs promoting municipal programs like Swachh Bharat, waste segregation, and water conservation, raising public awareness and supporting revenue collection. Nallanayya nurtures arts, investing personal funds to support theatre and folk artists, encouraging mythological dramas.
His contributions earned accolades like the Rajatha Kireetam and Kavi Srestha awards. Reflecting on his journey, he told TNIE, “Telugu is a language with music in its sound and beauty in its script. My love began in the 10th standard, inspired by teacher Sri Mokkapati Venkataratnam. Songs connect people, so I write about temples, government programmes, and North Andhra crafts with its unique accent.”
He credits the emotional response to his poem Vrudda Vedana, published three decades ago, for fuelling his creativity. Nallanayya is releasing a book, Nallanayya Venna Muddalu, compiling poems and songs. “As a municipal commissioner, I serve the public; through writings, I serve my mother tongue,” he said. Urging youth to preserve Telugu culture, he added, “Our traditions, literature, and legacy of greats like Gurajada Apparao and Gidugu Rammurthy must be passed on.”