Ramalingareddy Kattamanchi
Ramalingareddy KattamAnchi's (1880-1951) "Musalamma Maranam (Death
of Musalamma)" is considered to be the harbinger of New Age in the Telugu
literature. Some critics view that it arrived two decades before its
time. Similar to Kandukuri Veeresalingam, Kattamachi Ramalingareddy
was also influenced by English literature. Ramalingareddy took the
story line from a book entitled 'Anantapura Charitramu (History of Anantapuram)'
published by Charles P. Brown. This was a sad story of Musalamma, a
(superstitious) woman, who sacrificed herself to prevent a possible breach
in the reservoir and protect the village from the submersion. The literary
novelty in the novel: a) this was the first work that dealt with
pure social issues, b) the main characters in the story were not aristocratic
or royal, but they were commoners, and c) the story ends in death.
Thus, this work of Kattamanchi Ramalingareddy, influenced by English literature,
breaks away from the traditional Telugu literature and began a new era in
the Telugu literature.
Tirupati Venkata Kavulu
Tirupatisastri Divakarla(1871-1919) and Venkatasastri Chellapilla (1870-1950)
were popularly known with their first names Tirupati and Venakata as "Tirupati
Venakata Kavulu." These poets were famous for their expertise in the
poetic arts such as "Astavadhanam", "Satavadhanam" and "Asukavitam."
Like Kandukuri Veeresalingam, they deviated from the traditional literary
trend in which long complex and unnatural words were popular and wrote in
simple and common language that is understandable to common wo/man. They
even broke some of the rules of grammar. They opined that the literature should
change according the time, country, ruler/government.
These poets were experts in a unique Telugu literary art called "Avadhaana
Vidya," in which the artist shows ability to be attentive and reproduce various
literary tasks given to them by several people. Avadhanamu is several
kinds based on the number of tasks involved. Tirupati Venkata Kavulu were
experts in Satavadhanamu in which hundred tasks were performed. They
toured various Telugu kingdoms and cities and challenged the poets
in the courts. By undertaking these tours they rejuvenated the Telugu
literature throughout Telugu country.
Their dramas like "Pandavodyoga Vijayamu" etc., are popular even today.
Some famous verses from this drama such as
baavaa yeppudu vachchiteevu....
chelliyo chellako tamaku chesina yeggulu.....
alugutaye yerungani mahaamahitaatmudu....
jendaa pai kapi raaju....
santoshambuna sandhiseyuduve....
are popular even among the illiterate Telugus.
Their literary works include budhacharitramu, sravananandamu, panigraheeta
etc. During this period social maladies and practices like child-marriages
(balyavivahamulu) and sale of girls by parents for a bride-price
(kanyasulkamu) were rampant among Telugus. These poets criticised
those practices in their work paanigraheeta. Today these practices
are replaced by similar social ills like bridegroom-price or dowry (sale
of young men for a suitable price depending upon their economic, educational
and physical qualifications). This dowry is paid to the parents of bridegroom
as a gift in the marriage. Sometimes the dowry disputes lead to the
murder of the wife who underpaid or failed to pay the agreed price, so that
the husband may be resold. Despite the ban on dowry, this malady continues
to be a popular practice in India.
Tirupati and Venkata poets transformed Telugu poetry from the bookish language
to common man's language, released it from the influence of Sanskrit, (only
to embrace the yoke of English), brought it out from the pedantic circles
and courts of kings to the common man, and made it conversational and mainstream.
Sreenivasarao Vepachedu, 11/07/2000
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