Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy laid the foundation stone for a statue of 'Telangana Thalli' (mother) in the state secretariat complex on August 28, 2024.
Credit: X/@revanth_anumula
Hyderabad: Political tensions are escalating in Telangana as the newly designed Telangana Thalli (Mother Telangana) statue awaits its unveiling. As soon as Congress came to power last December, the Revanth Reddy government decided to change the state emblem, the design of Telangana Thalli, and the initials from TS to TG.
The chief minister is now all set to unveil the newly designed Telangana Thalli statue on December 9 in the state secretariat, coinciding with the birthday of Congress top leader Sonia Gandhi. Congress leaders often refer to Sonia Gandhi as Telangana Thalli, also known as Thalli Soniamma, due to her role in carving out Telangana from the united Andhra Pradesh during UPA II.
While the original Telangana Thalli depicted the goddess with a crown, holding maize corn in one hand and Bathukamma in the other, the new statue aims to portray a rural working woman, reflecting the everyday life and spirit of Telangana’s agrarian society.
The BRS working president, K T Rama Rao, has criticised the new image of Telangana Thalli, stating that it lacks the spirit of Telangana.
KTR, in a social media post, pointed out that the crown, a symbol of Telangana's pride and self-governance, had disappeared. The traditional floral festival Bathukamma, which represents the cultural heritage of Telangana, was also absent. The anklets on Telangana Thalli’s feet, a symbol of tradition and culture, were not present. "Charminar and Kakatiya Kala Thoranam in the Telangana transport logo, which were iconic symbols of Telangana’s architectural heritage, were missing,” KTR said.
Interestingly, in the new design, Telangana Thalli shows her hand, akin to the election symbol of Congress, to shower blessings.
The state cabinet in February had decided to change TS to TG in vehicle registrations and official correspondence and make changes to the Telangana Talli statue and government emblem. The Cabinet also approved the popular song ‘Jaya Jaye He Telangana,’ written by poet Ande Sri, as the state’s official song.
The previous BRS government designed both the Telangana Thalli statue and the state emblem. Government sources pointed out that the previous BRS government's Telangana Thalli statue depicted the ruling class, prompting the Revanth Reddy government to make changes after consulting with stakeholders and experts, with the aim of showcasing the 'real' identity of a common Telangana woman.
Revanth Reddy once said that connotations of royalty should be erased from the state emblem, and accordingly a new emblem will be designed. BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao had shown personal interest in designing the Telangana Thalli statue after the state bifurcation in the place of the Telugu Thalli statue of combined Andhra Pradesh.