Metro India News | Hyderabad 

A life lived behind layers of performance took center stage on Saturday as Nenu Chindula Yellamanu (I Am Chindula Yellamma) was launched at the Mini Hall, Ravindra Bharati. The book chronicles the journey of Yellamma, a female artist of the Chindu Bhagavatam tradition, who shattered gender norms while preserving a centuries-old art form.

Authored by noted folklorist and Chindu scholar Dr. K. Muthyam, the book has been translated into English by his daughter, K. Pratyusha Yamini. For Pratyusha, the work is more than a translation—it is a tribute. “My father always urged me to translate his writings so that they could reach beyond Telugu readers. After his passing, I decided to bring his work to life in English, beginning with Chindu Yellamma, a story deeply close to our hearts,” she told Metro India.

The event was graced by Prof. Surya Dhananjay, Vice-Chancellor of Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University. Other dignitaries included MLC M. Kodandaram and Mamidi Hari Krishna, Director of the Department of Language and Culture, Government of Telangana and Tula Rajender among others.

Dr. Muthyam, known for his deep engagement with Telangana’s folk traditions, spent years researching and documenting Yellamma’s life. He traveled with her troupe, capturing not only her performances but the cultural pulse of Chindu Bhagavatam itself. His writing blends biography with social commentary, offering insight into the struggles of women performers and the shifting identity of folk theatre in modern India.

The book includes rare photographs, anecdotes, and archival treasures, tracing Yellamma’s journey from village rituals to national stages like Apna Utsav in 1986. Today, her legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren—many of whom are active Chindu artists, carrying forward a tradition rooted in resistance, performance, and pride.