A feast to remember; Telangana style Vanabhojanalu by Greater Atlanta Telangana Society

The Greater Atlanta Telangana Society (GATeS) hosted its much-anticipated Annual Vanabhojanalu 2025 on Sunday, August 10th, bringing together hundreds of families from across the Atlanta metro area for a memorable day of culture, tradition, delicious food, and community bonding. Held in a serene outdoor setting with perfect weather and a picturesque venue, this year’s Vanabhojanalu became one of the biggest community picnics of the year, as families reconnected, made new friends, and enjoyed the warmth of Telangana culture under the open skies.

A Day That Started with Devotion

The day began bright and early at 7:00 AM, with the GATeS Executive Committee (EC), Board of Directors (BOD), and volunteers arriving at the venue to begin setup. The event officially commenced with a traditional pooja, performed with heartfelt devotion and reverence, seeking blessings for a joyful and successful day. Following the pooja, all committed volunteers jumped into action, kicking off the onsite cooking — a hallmark tradition of Vanabhojanalu that embodies both authenticity and community spirit.

The venue quickly filled with the aromatic scents of spices, signaling the start of a grand culinary experience. A special Raksha Bandhan celebration brought a heartwarming cultural moment, tied Rakhi’s in a beautiful display of love, tradition, and unity. Thank You Morning Volunteers Team.

A Feast to Remember

In true Telangana style, the Vanabhojanalu event featured an impressive and mouthwatering array of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies, all lovingly prepared fresh and onsite by the dedicated GATeS volunteer team. From the early hours of the morning, the air was filled with the aroma of traditional recipes being brought to life. The grand feast included flavorful mutton curry, succulent chicken curry, a variety of vegetable curries, hearty sambar, and the tangy delight of pachi pulusu.

To complement the curries, volunteers served steaming hot bagara rice and plain white rice, along with a uniquely crafted, wholesome millet sweet that quickly became a favorite among guests. Breakfast items like upma and freshly brewed tea energized early attendees, while refreshing watermelon & Juice helped everyone cool off under the summer sun. And to complete the meal on a sweet note, soft and syrupy gulab jamoons delighted children and adults alike.

The delicious aromas, authentic Telangana flavors, and the visible love and effort poured into every dish made the food one of the most praised aspects of the entire event. Attendees couldn’t stop raving about the taste, freshness, and nostalgic essence of every bite. Thank You Cooking Team – Nanda Chatla, Madhu Nambeti, Naveen Vujjini and Volunteers.

Fun, Games, and Culture for All Ages

The entire day was filled with family-friendly games, kids’ activities, music, and interactive moments that kept everyone entertained. Children enjoyed designated entertainment areas, while adults took part in traditional games, and bingo, adding joy and liveliness to the day. Gifts and medals were presented to winners and childrens. Thank You Jyothsna Palakurthy, Geetha Narannagari and Volunteers.

Winners: Sakshin – 1st Place, Lithvik – 2nd Place (Sack Race), Adwitha – 1st Place (Spoon and Ball), Lithvik – 2nd Place (Spoon and Ball), Mahesh, Advaith – Senior Leg Rope Race Winner, Sakshin & Advaith – Junior Leg Rope Race Winners, Anooksha, Navya – Women’s Leg Rope Race Winner. Congratulations to all Bingo winners as well.

A Milestone Moment: Launch of Bathukamma 2025 Flyer

Adding to the day’s significance, the GATeS Women’s Team and all attended women proudly came together to launch the Bathukamma Signature Event 2025 flyer in front of the community. The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause, reflecting the growing excitement and support for the upcoming festival.

Thank You Future generation children, Leadership team and all attendees, Jyothsna Palakurthy, Geetha Narannagari, Harika Battini, Swapna Vujjini, Sadhana Gandra, Saritha Goud, Saileela Gadipalli, Swathi Gandra, Shailaja Kushnapalli, Spandana Althati, Radhika Gandra, Geetha Sravanthi, Sindhu Reddy, Sneha Gaddam, Siritha Polasani.

Recognition and Heartfelt Appreciation

The event was a reflection of the tireless efforts of the GATeS Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and the entire volunteer team, who had been planning this celebration for weeks. From food procurement, logistics, and communications to setup, cooking, and crowd management — every aspect was meticulously organized and executed.

A special thank you goes to the volunteers, who worked with unwavering dedication from the crack of dawn, embodying the true spirit of seva (selfless service). Their teamwork, enthusiasm, and passion were instrumental in making Vanabhojanalu 2025 a resounding success.

A Superbly Received Event

The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. The community appreciated not just the flawless execution, but the genuine atmosphere of warmth, belonging, and cultural pride. Many remarked that the event felt like a home away from home, a testament to the strong bonds within the Greater Atlanta Telangana community.
The success of Vanabhojanalu 2025 has only further strengthened community unity and raised the bar for future GATeS events.

As GATeS continues to be a cultural anchor for the Telugu community in Atlanta, this event reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to preserving tradition, fostering togetherness, and celebrating heritage. GATeS Team extends its heartfelt gratitude to Leadership, all supporters, sponsors, volunteers, south-side team, all attendees and all organizations teams. Here’s to many more vibrant celebrations of culture, community, and connection in the years to come.

Vanabhojanalu Memories Capture

The vibrant energy and beautiful moments of the day were perfectly captured by 3rdI Raghu (404-510-8983), whose stunning event photography truly brought the spirit of the occasion to life. From candid smiles to action-packed races, the photographs reflect the heart and soul of the celebration. The coverage received wonderful feedback from attendees, many of whom praised the quality, creativity, and ability to freeze such meaningful memories. Looking back, it was a day filled with community spirit, laughter, and lasting memories — and thanks to 3rdI Raghu, those memories will be cherished for years to come.

Volunteers: Vijay Kumar Vinjamara, Ravinder Dasarapu, Anil Kushnapalli, Balanarayana Madda, Naveen Battini, Naveen Vujjini, Prakash Panuganti, Sharath Gandra, Shekar Gudi, Ramana Gandra, Madhukar Reddy, Ramakrishna Gandra, Kirthidhar Goud Chekilla, Ranjith Kodati, Chandrashekar Althati, Nanda Chatla, Dinesh Donthula, Raghuveer Reddy, Girish Pinumalla, Rajesh Chilkamari, RajShekar Reddy Mallela, Veera Reddy Palnati, Anil Chintala, Prabhakar Madupathi, Madhu Nambeti, Chandra Sirigiri, Ajay Mudduluru, Aravind Kanaparthi, Jyothsna Palakurthy, Geetha Narannagari, Ganesh Valluri, Siva Vanga, Srinivas Garlapati, Sudhakar Reddy, Neha Kushnapalli, Ashwika Gandra, Vainavi Battini, Samvedya Gandra, Vedasini Battini, Sohan Gandra, Sreeha Kandi, Advaith Gandra, Mahesh Gudi and Yashas Gandra.

GATeS Team 2025: President: Naveen Battini, Board Chairman: Naveen Vujjini, Vice President: Ramana Gandra, General Secretary: Kirthidhar Goud Chekilla, Treasurer: Raghuveer Reddy, Cultural Secretary: Jyothsna Palakurthy, Technology Secretary: Ramakrishna Gandra, Media Secretary: Anil Kushnapalli, Event Secretary: Geetha Narannagari, Sports Secretary: Sharath Gandra. Board of Directors: Vijay Vinjamara, Chandrashekar Althati, Madhukar Reddy, Hemanth Palla, Ranjith Kodati.

GATeS Advisor Team: Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Dr. Satish Cheti, Prabhakar Boyapalli, Goutham Goli, Karunakar Asireddy, Kiran Pasham, Dr. Venkat Veeraneni, Srijan Joginipally, Sreedhar Nelavelli, Ratnakar Elugunti, Nanda Chatla, Narender Reddy, Sridhar Julapelly, Anil Bodireddy, Thirumal Pitta.

GATeS Past Leadership: Late G.S. Reddy Garu (Founder), Ratnakar Elugunti, Srijan Joginipally, S.Prabhakar Reddy, Dr. Venkat Veeraneni, Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Mahesh Nilagiri, Narender Reddy, Prashanthi Asireddy, Dr. Satish Cheti, Nanda Chatla, Sreedhar Nelavelli, Thirumal Pitta, Anil Bodireddy, Rahull Chikyala, Anitha Nellutla, Kishan Tallapally, Chittari Pabba, Sunil Gotoor, Prabhakar Madhupathi, Janardhan Pannela, Srinivas Parsa, Sandeep Reddy Gundla, Chalapathi Vennamaneni.