Krishnapriya from Guruvayur with the picture of Vengamamba

An artist named Krishnapriya from Guruvayoor, Kerala painted a picture of Bhaktakavayatri Mathrusree Tharigonda Vengamamba. Artist Krishnapriya dedicated a 36 x 30 inch mixed media painting of Vengamamba at an important function held at the Vengamamba Memorial Trust under Tirumala Tiruppati Devasthanam, Tirupati to mark the 207th death anniversary of Vengamamba. Like Kururamma of Guruvayur in Kerala and Meerabhai in Rajasthan, Vengamamba in Telugu was a devotee of the Lord Venkateswara and an ascetic. Vengamamba’s life span is estimated to be from 1730 to 1817.
Meditating on Venkatesa since childhood, they mostly lived in the pooja room or Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Tarigonda. Her parents got her married at an early age, but her husband died soon after. Later, after receiving mantradiksha from the Guru, They returned to Tarigonda and continued their penance. But society began to shun a woman whose husband died as a widow. But with the Lord’s loving protection and Vengamamba’s steadfastness, they continued their austerities. From the cave at Tumbura Kona, which was far away, they reached to the closed Thiruvenkita temple at night and regularly performed their beloved ‘Muthyala harati ‘ to the Lord without anyone knowing. When devotees realized this, their inhibitions disappeared. Their pooja was accepted.Wrote several prayer poems. Many people received the blessings of that ascetic. Finally they attained ‘Jeeva samadhi ‘ and became Devatha. Before that they adopted a male child as per the instructions of Bhagavan. It is that son’s line that even today comes to the Tirupati temple to perform Mutyala Harati (Aarti with pearls) instead of Vengamamba. Vengamamba’s Annadanam (food donation) is also continuing now in Vemgamamba Hall.
It is very interesting that Krishnapriya, who drew the picture of Vengamamba, is also a devotee of Krishna. Krishnapriya has been a devotee of Krishna since childhood. Krishnapriya, the native of Guruvayur and now resides in Thiruvananthapuram, was the recipient of the 2023 Raja Ravivarma Chitrakar Samman National Award. With a deep devotion to Lord Krishna, this painter transcends conventional notions of beauty to create masterpieces that vividly celebrate the diverse fullness of human experience and inner thought. This artist donating to charity wherever possible reveals the artist’s commitment to using art as a force for good.
In recognition of her contribution, Krishnapriya was honored by Sri Rajagopal, Program Officer for All Projects of Thirumala Thiruppathy Devasthanam. The event also saw the presentation of the first copy of Vengamamba’s biography in Telugu, written by Julakanti Balasubramanyam, by P.V. Balaji Deekshitalu, Project Lead of the Tarigonda Vengamamba Vangmaya Project and SVETA Course Coordinator. The biography was given to Krishnapriya as a token of appreciation for her dedication and artistry. The function was graced by the presence of Tarigonda Kainkaryar Sri G S Vishvamurthi Garu. Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba, a saint poetess renowned for her spiritual contributions and literary works, was celebrated during the event for her role as an early advocate for women’s empowerment. Her life and works continue to inspire generations, standing as a testament to her resilience and commitment to overcoming societal challenges of her time. The event was well-attended, with Thirumala Thiruppaathi Devasthaanam officials, locals, and students coming together to honour the legacy of Vengamamba and to celebrate the artistic contributions of Krishnapriya.