Laldas Memorial Youth Association has
a history of 187 Years.
It was formerly known as " Sri Guru
Laldas Talimqana” and was registered as Laldas Memorial Youth Association in
the year 1984.
Once the then Maharajah of
Vizianagaram Sansthan, Shri Ananda Gajapathi Maharajah had been to Varanasi.
There the Maharajah happened to know the fame of Shri Guru Laldas. On an offer
Guru Laldas obliged Maharajah’s invitation to come to Vizianagaram and
establish a Talimqana. Since then the Talimqana gained roots in the name of
Guru Laldas Talimqana.
Shri Guru Laldas is a Brahmachari
(bachelor). He treated his disciples as his own children and taught the entire
skills of Martial arts to them. He trained them much in number with quality
education. Of them Shri Pilla Appadu Patrudu was the dearest disciple and won
the love of Guruji. Guru Ladas treated him as his own son and in the latter
years adopted him as his son. He gave him all the other education of the then
period along with the traditional martial art skills. Appadu Patrudu mastered
them. Soon his fame spread and seemed to overcome that of Guru Laldas. Thus he
became the successor of Guru Laldas and ran it successfully with all his
efforts.
The Talimqana ran under the
guidelines of the Vizianagaram Throne and being the son of Pilla Appadu
Patrudu, Shri Appachi Patrudu became the successor of the Talimqana. He turned
as a good scholar and mastered all the traditional martial art skills. Once on
an occasion The Ananda Gajapathi Maharajah had been to Sansthan of Mysore,
accompanied by Pilla Appachi Patrudu. There at Mysore, many performances and
competitions were held in connection to these martial arts. Warriors from
various places and Kingdoms came over to take part. Being young Appachi Patrudu
was appointed to compete on behalf of Vizianagaram Sansthan. There came a great
scholar of martial arts named ‘Acharya’. None were able to face him in these
martial arts. He won many awards and gifts from many Kingdoms and now came the
chance for Appachi Patrudu to face him.
Shri Appachi Patrudu saluted his King
and performed a skill named ‘Hale Mohammed’. In this skill, in a winkle of an
eye he had the ‘Yagnopaveet Savaran’ of his opponent, Acharya. To the audience
it seemed that ‘Acharya’ stood still. With this The Maharajah ordered Appachi
Patrudu to fight his opponent and finish off the fight. In answer Appachi
Patrudu said "the fight is over”. With this Maharajah got furious and commanded
in a severe voice, "stop lying. How can a fight be completed so early? Start
and finish off. It’s my order”. Then
Appachi Patrudu gave a slight jerk to Acharya’s body. It fell in two halves
across the Yagnopaveet line of Acharya with blood spilling out. Prior to it,
not even a single drop of blood oozed out. With that feat entire audience went
spell bound. This amazing performance of Shri Appachi Patrudu earned lot &
lots of fame to the Vizianagaram Sansthan and Maharajah applauded Shri Appachi
Patrudu. After returning to Vizianagaram, Maharajah made a big gathering and
the crowd praised the performance of Shri Appachi Patrudu. Maharajah too
praised him and awarded him with many gifts, and gave a special jewel to be
worn on the ankle called ‘Thoda’ along with Flagship award (Flag of
Vizianagaram Sansthan).
After Appachi Patrudu his son Gajendra
Patrudu took the succession. His prior name was Ganapati Patrudu. He developed
an art to control or stop the elephant using small pieces of stick/wood. With
this skill he was titled as ‘Gajendra Patrudu’. He too continued the same
tradition of the Guru Laldas teaching the Martial Art to his disciples with
great attention.
PILLA APPALASWAMY PATRUDU
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PILLA SURYANARYANA PATRUDU
(PRESENT MASTER)
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PILLA NARSINGA RAO PATRUDU
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Thus Shri Pilla Suryanarayana Patrudu won the succession from
his ancestors and leading it successfully. He is also training his sons Satyam
Patrudu & Syam Patrudu in these arts to carry over the tradition for the
future generations.
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