Children from the Yanadi community perform at the 4th Sri Venkateswara Yanadula Samaradhana at Golagamudi, near Nellore, on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ARRANGMENT
In an initiative aimed at integrating the Yanadi tribal community into the social and spiritual mainstream, the fourth Sri Venkateswara Swamy Yanadula Samaradhana programme was held at Golagamudi near Nellore, with more than 200 members of the community taking part.
The event was organised by Chenchulakshmi Yanadula Jagruti Sevaa Samithi, Simhapuri Vaidya Seva Samithi and Jayabharat Hospital on Saturday, a day regarded as auspicious for Lord Venkateswara. The programme was first conceived in 2018 and, after a break during the Covid 19 pandemic, resumed in 2022. Since last year, it has become customary for members of the community to take up the Govinda Mala vow on this occasion.
The organisers said the objective of encouraging tribals to adorn the Govinda Mala was to help them give up drinking, gambling and other harmful habits, and to promote a disciplined way of life.
Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who attended the event along with his spouse and Kovur MLA Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy, highlighted the importance of education in overcoming social exclusion and stigma faced by the community.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Prabhakar Reddy urged the community members to lead a virtuous life and prioritise their children’s education. He recalled that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had allocated ₹9,190 crore in the Budget for tribal welfare to strengthen their social, educational, economic and political advancement.
Ms. Prashanthi Reddy, who is also a committee member of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, spoke about ongoing efforts to improve access to education and enhance livelihood opportunities.
Except for the elderly and persons with disabilities, several young members of the community undertook a pilgrimage on foot to Tirumala on Sunday to offer prayers at the Sri Venkateswara temple.
Published – February 22, 2026 07:24 pm IST
