iBAM Competition 2024
A. Purpose:
The purpose of the Bhagavatham Aanimutyalu poetry recitation competition is to encourage children of all ages to learn Bhagavatam Padyaalu and benefit from the cultural enrichment and personality development they derive from it.
B. Resources:
Click on the below "Bhagavatham Aanimutyalu" link to go to the Skandhaalu and audios of the poems
Or 'copy-paste' the below link to go to the website
http://bhagavatamanimutyalu.org/
- after going to this page -> click on "భాగవతం ఆణిముత్యాలు" which takes you to all స్కంధాలు.
Click on this below link to go to the Consolidated Master Word doc for "Text of the Padyaalu."
Consolidated Master Word Document
The Competition is restricted to the 504 poems (పద్యాలు) from "భాగవతం ఆణిముత్యాలు" ONLY.
C. Registration and Dates:
This is an online contest. *** REGISTRATION IS FREE.
Registration is open till August 17th, 2024.
Please find the registration form here.
(Please click on this 'here'☝️ link. It will take you directly to the Registration Form)
(The above link is for North America Registrants only)
Please contact respective country global coordinators for Potana Round dates.
In North America - "Potana" Round / పోతన ఆవృతం will be conducted on August 24th and 25th, 2024.
Gajendra Round / గజేంద్ర ఆవృతం will be September 27th (North America Time) through September 29th (North America time) 2024. This year "Gajendra Round" will be conducted in Live Zoom. Announcement of the Gajendra Round Winners will be Telecast through YouTube approximately by October 15th, 2024. A small portion of the video of each Winner's Recitation will be shown on that day in YouTube.
D. Potana Round:
1.The First Round of the Competition, i.e. Potana Round, is open for all those currently residing in North America Continent (USA and Canada).
Potana Round Registrants outside USA have to contact their Local coordinators for registration.
2. Bhagavatam Aanimutyaalu Competition is for age groups mentioned
below (age as of 1st August, 2024).
a) Group 1: 6-9 years; b) Group 2: 10-13 years
c) Group 3: 14-18 years; d) Group 4: 19-50 years
e) Group 5: 51+ years
3. 'Potana' (పోతన) Round: *The two options for poetry recitation are indicated below: Participants can choose either Option -1 or Option -2. They cannot take part using both options.
Option -1: "Sandarbham" ("సందర్భం"/ Context), and "Taatparyam" (భావం/తాత్పర్యము/meaning of the poem) in Telugu
Each participant should :
1. introduce himself / herself
2. say the 'Sandarbham' ("సందర్భం"/ Context) of the padyam
3. recite the 'Padyam' (పద్యం/poem) with clarity,
4. say the 'Bhaavam' (భావం/తాత్పర్యము/meaning of the poem) in Telugu (తెలుగు) only. There will be a penalty for using English if they select this Option 1.
Participants are encouraged to express the 'Bhaavam' in their own words; it need not be replicated from the website; but the meaning of the whole poem and the essence has to be justified. They will get bonus points for expressing bhaavam in their own words.
Option - 2: - 'Sandarbham' and 'Taatparyam' in English. (this option is for Potana round only)
Each participant should :
1. introduce himself / herself in English
2. say the 'Sandarbham' ("సందర్భం"/ Context) of the padyam in English
3. recite the 'Padyam' (పద్యం/poem) with clarity,
4. say the 'Bhaavam' (భావం/తాత్పర్యము/meaning of the poem) in English
There will be a penalty for using Telugu if they select this Option 2.
General Guidelines for Potana Round Poetry recitation:
1. In 'Potana' round they can recite కంద/ఆటవెలది/తేటగీతి/మత్తేభం/శార్దూలం/ఉత్పలమాల/చంపకమాల/సీసపద్యం (along with its associated ఆటవెలది or తేటగీతి') of their choice. Their poem selection has to be from "భాగవతం ఆణిముత్యాలు" poems only. Note: A different poem has to be selected by the previous winners of both Potana and Gajendra rounds of all these years. This applies to all the winners from all countries.
2. The objective of the competition is to encourage children and adults to learn and enjoy as many poems from Bhagavatam as possible.
3. If a child, who was last year’s winner in any age-category in the top 3 ranks, intends to participate again this year and repeats the same poems recited during previous competitions, then that child can be disqualified from awards.
4. Each participant should say his/her name, age, grade, what poem and from what 'skandham' he/she is going to recite.
5. When Registering for the Competition, just provide the 'Skandham' number and 'Padyam' number from the website and copy the first line of the poem in the Registration Form. You don't have to send the audio or video version.
6. If required, the iBAM team has the right to conduct a second round of competition in any age group before choosing the 'Potana round' winners.
7. Winners of each country's 'Potana' Round' will be awarded prizes by the respective country team only.
8. Top Winners of "Potana" Round from each age group from all countries will proceed to Global Gajendra competition.
E. Elocution Segment (English only):
- This segment is for Potana Round only. The purpose is to spread the essence of Bhagavatham among children not just through poems, but also through short stories and through learning about several characters.
- This segment is for 6 - 18 years age groups only. This is open to all - even if they don't take part in Poem Recitation Competition, they can take part in this Elocution Segment.
Topic: "My Favorite Character in Bhagavatam"
- The participants pick a favorite character from Bhagavatham and explain in their own words as to why they like the character. They could use examples to support their choice. No other guidelines. They have to explain in English only.
- Time limit is 3 minutes. In these 3 minutes, they can explain how they perceive their favorite character.
- There is no separate registration form. There is an option to participate in the Elocution segment in the same registration form that they can use for poetry.
- Any registrant from the same age group can take part in both Competitions (poetry recitation and elocution).
F. General guidelines for Global Gajendra (గజేంద్ర) Competition:
Organizers' decision is final.
- In 'Gajendra' Competition - contestants can not repeat the same Poem / పద్యం recited in 'Potana' Round; and can not repeat the same poem which was recited in previous Potana and Gajendra Rounds also.
- The contestants should be prepared to recite
a. A 'seesapadyam' / సీసపద్యం along with its associated ఆటవెలది or తేటగీతి'; and explain 'sandarbham'/ సందర్భం and bhaavam /భావం' in Telugu only.
b. A "vrutta" padyam /వృత్త పద్యం and explain 'sandarbham'/ సందర్భం and 'bhaavam' /భావం in Telugu only. These are the వృత్త పద్యాలు - ఉత్పలమాల, చంపకమాల, మత్తేభం, శార్దూలం. The selection has to be from these four kinds of వృత్త పద్యాలు.
కంద, ఆటవెలది, తేటగీతి పద్యాలు should not be selected.
- Judges, at their discretion, will pick one of these two poems and will ask the participant to recite one poem.
- Winners of Gajendra Round / గజేంద్రస్థాయి will be awarded prizes/certificates.
- For all additional questions on Global Gajendra competition, please write to
- Further details about "Gajendra Round" will be provided to Potana round winners.
- All Gajendra Competition participants will be informed latest by 8th-10th September 2024.
