California, Jan 16: The ‘Bakersfield Telugu Association’ of South California (BakTA) has observed the Sankranti festivities in a grand manner at the local Chinmaya Mission. More than hundred Telugus have participated in the festival with their children. Cultural programmes were performed and cuisine of Andhra was served. Messages of AP leaders were read out. 

The programmes started with playing of the audio messages of state leaders. State Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Tamilnadu governor Rosaiah, balladeer Gaddar, film personalities, legendary artist and film director Bapu, writers Gollapudi Maruti Rao, Jonnavittula Ramalingeswara Rao, artist Bali, poet Ramajogaiah Sastry, Prof. Jaya Dev, novelists Yandamuri Veerendranath and Vasundhara have sent special messages greeting the Telugus. The messages were shown through a slide show. ‘Tarjumalo Tikamakalu’ (Confusion in Translation) a humorous drama written by Surendra and enacted by Gogulapati Madhu, Srilakshmi couple, Nagasuri Krishna and Sunita couple has thrown the audience into rippling laughter. Another play ‘Vaidyudu – Rogi’ (Doctor and Patient) has also sent laughter waves. Bellam Haripriya and Kasula Geeta enthralled the audience with their songs. Sri Kant won the first prize in a contest for longest Telugu speech not marred by English words.