Unusual and interesting Telugu literary works

 

From a Telugu and Sanskrit scholar Subramaniam Maaripodi

https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-pre-modern-Telugu-literature-that-isnt-the-translation-and-doesnt-have-religious-themes-as-the-main-focus

According to late Chaganti Seshaiah gaaru, a historian who published several volumes of History of Telugu Literature in Telugu - but who has unfortunately been forgotten by the last two generations - there were 1400 known names of Telugu poets that were born before 1800 CE, but the works of a large number of them were lost. When the debate came up long ago in a Google Group, one of the members said that he had researched on the topic, but could not find more than 300 Telugu titles that were written in the period between 1000 CE and 1850 CE and which are still readily available. We may add another 50 - 100 titles which perhaps exist but eluded his search. Some of these unpublished and unknown ancient Telugu works are still lying in the Saraswathi Mahal Library of Thanjavur (TN).

 

So, we may deem these 300 - 400 available books to be the sum total of the ancient literature in the Telugu language. Of them, some are very original and secular in nature. In this connection, I can only speak about a few published works.

 

Sasyaanandamu (సస్యానందము - सस्यानन्दमु - Pleasure of Farming) - Written by Kanaparthi Abbayya, a Niyogi Brahmin of the 14th century CE) deals with the science and practices of agriculture.

 

Ganitha Saara-sangrahamu (గణితసార సంగ్రహము - गणित सार संग्रहमु) OR Mallanna Ganithamu (మల్లన్న గణితము - Mallana’s Mathematics) : A text book of higher mathematics written by Paavuloori Mallana of 13th century. It is not a translation of any single Sanskritic treatise on maths but inspired by a host of them which were studied by Mallana as a student of the subject.

 

Andhra Bhaashaa BhooshaNamu (ఆంధ్ర భాషాభూషణము - आन्ध्रभाषा भूषणमु) : A treatise on Telugu grammar written by MoolaghaTika Kethana (మూలఘటిక కేతన - मूलघटिक केतन) of 13th century. Being the very first work on Telugu grammar - the book can be at best considered as a tentative attempt to describe the language in brief. Though not stated explicitly we can see that Kethana viewed Telugu from a Sanskritic viewpoint and described it in Sanskritic terms only. Little has changed in this field ever since. Even now - more or less Telugu grammar is being taught from his own viewpoint though his work is not a designated text book anywhere.

 

PalanaaTi Veera Charitra (పలనాటి వీర చరిత్ర - पलनाटि वीर चरित्र) - Written by Srinatha Mahaakavi (14th century - Minister of education in the Kondaveedu government for sometime) describes the blood-letting wars that took place between two royal families in the Palanaadu region of Andhra around 1100 CE. *

 

KaaTama Raaju Kathalu (కాటమరాజు కథలు- काटमराजु कथलु) - Written by a group of writers, describes the wars (and their background) that happened between King Manumasiddhi of Nellore and the Yaadava chieftain, KaaTama Raaju around 1270 CE. It is a heavy volume running into 800 pages. Some of the parts were written immediately after the wars concluded.

 

Prataapa Rudra Charitra (ప్రతాపరుద్ర చరిత్ర - प्रतापरुद्र चरित्र) - Describes the life and greatness of Prataapa Rudra the last emperor of the Kakathiya dynasty that ruled the entire United Andhra with Warangal as the capital. I have forgotten the author’s name.**

 

Sri Krishnaraaya Vijayamu (శ్రీ కృష్ణరాయ విజయము - श्रीकृष्णराय विजयमु) Describes the life and greatness of Emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raaya. I have forgotten the author’s name. Having been written long after the emperor died - this book contains certain historical inaccuracies.

 

KreeDaabhiraamamu (క్రీడాభిరామము - क्रीडाभिराममु) - Though labelled as ‘authored by Vinukonda Vallabha Raayudu’ there lingers a strong suspicion that it could have actually been written by Srinatha Mahaakavi himself in the name of the former. The book describes the contemporary fashionable life in the metropolis of Warangal the capital of Andhra Desa at that time (14th century). There is no story in it. The whole book is a conversation between a Brahmin named Manchana Sarma (मंचनशर्मा) and his Vysya friend TiTTibha Setty (टिट्टिभसॆट्टि) who came to see the metro. By the way there are very interesting snippets in it. For example, the existence of public art galleries, drama theatres and sale of cosmetics including hair removers etc besides the Telugu women’s sexual freedom in those days.***

 

Kalaa-poornodayamu (కళాపూర్ణోదయము - कळा पूर्णोदयमु) - A big book written by Pingali Sooranna of the 16th century. Patently original and absolutely independent in its theme, story and execution. So interesting and absorbing that some of the literary critics of the modern era went to the extent of crowning Sooranna with the title of ‘The First Novelist in Telugu’. But the entire narrative runs in poetry only.

 

Hamsa-vimsathi Kathalu (హంసవింశతి కధలు - हंसविंशति कथलु : 20 erotic stories, all of which deal with extramarital relationships of a tickling nature in the rural settings of the ancient Andhra. Frequently explicit, obscene and vulgar, though put in a classical style and metre. Patently original. From one of the verses in this book, we come to know that the ancient Telugu villages had public clocks to watch time.****

 

Chandrikaa Vilaapamu (చంద్రికా విలాపము - चन्द्रिका विलापमु) : A porn-cum-comedy story divided into 4 chapters. I have forgotten the author’s name. It sounds something like Koochimanchi Jaggana Kavi. The classic walked a few more steps than Hamsa-vimsathi Kathalu in the sense that the author had no qualms about using the common street-level taboo-words (బూతులు) in the midst of the classical-style- verses. The poem describes the licentious life of a local chieftain of North Andhra called Neelaadri Raaju and how he fell in love (lust) with a young prostitute named Chandrika , married her and consumated the marriage. A thing worthy of note is - at one point , the hero (or anti-hero) was desribed as a bisexual. *****

 

Sumathee Sathakamu (సుమతీ శతకము - सुमती शतकमु) - A modest didactic work written by an unknown author in 108 poems. Has been a compulsory text book for primary classes in all schools across Telugu states since a number of generations. The period is unknown - but it must have been written very long ago because the book does not contain a single Urdu word. People call it a book of morals. But I doubt if the author truly meant it like that because it rarely teaches morals and primarily describes or criticizes the trends in the society.

 

Vemana Sathakamu (వేమన శతకము - वेमन शतकमु) - Written by the most respected figure of Telugu philosophy , Vemana Mahaakavi (14th century) who renounced his Reddy kingdom and became a naked monk. Of the 5000 poems he wrote in all - only a few deal with religion , with the rest devoted to describing human nature and criticising the hypocrisies of his contemporary Telugu society. His poems too have been a compulsory part of the primary curriculum across Telugu states since several hundreds of years.

 

My comments

* This war was the genesis of caste structure of Andhra today. Krishna Deva Raya managed to create more social cohesion by merging Balijas, Yadavas and tuluvas (South Canara mercenaries in AP one of whom was his father) and Kapus into the Balija caste.  Interestingly his mother was Balija courtesan called Nagala Devi hence some Kapus claim KDR as their own even as generally they distinguish themselves from Balijas. But after the fall of Vijayanagar there was a gradual dissolution to status quo ante

** This story is unusual in that it follows a fantasy scenario where Prataparudra did not drown in the Narmada but actually lived and was recognized as a manifestation of Shiva by Allaudin Khilji's mother and converted to Veera Shaivism!

*** Vatsayayanas Kamastura also notes that Telugu women had considerable sexual freedom. Though this was often exploited by Satavahanas of whom the author does not seem to be a fan

****Couldnt find more info on this. Perhaps a mechanical contraption involved bells. Hence use of the word "ganta" (bell) when denoting time - aidu gantalu (five o clock)

***** LOL WTF? I wonder how much of alternative sexual lifestyles are under reported by conservative compilers over the millennia