January 16, 2014

Tataji's poem in the 1934 compilation Golkonda Kavula Sanchika

A glimpse of history for those who may not know it. Mudumba Venkata Raghavacharyulu writing in the Golkonda Patrika's ninth Ugadi edition commented "there are very few Telugu poets in the Nizam state" (నిజాము రాష్ట్రములో ఆంద్ర కవులు పూజ్యము).
Suravaram Pratap Reddy considered this to be the result of lack of awareness. As this was not the first time such opinions had been expressed by the residents of British India, he decided to dispel the notion once and for all.

Suravaram invited Telugu poets in Hyderabad state to contribute poems to a collection called Golkonda Kavula Sanchika (loose translation: a compilation from the poets of Hyderabad). Several conditions were placed both on the contributions themselves as well as the poems. Only poets from the Hyderabad state were permitted.

The response was tremendous: poems poured in from ten districts (including Gulbarga & Raichur). The poets hailed from as many as 20 different castes.

Dr. Phaneendra, a poet and an avid blogger, recently published a blog post with excerpts from Golkonda Kavula Sanchika. He included the contributions of three family elders whose poems were published in the compilation. VST Sayee, a commenter on the blog, kindly provided a link to a recent version of the book.

Gottimukkala Radhakishan Rao, my paternal grandfather, was a teacher, poet and an astrologer. Tataji's closely associates included several luminaries such as Garlapati Raghava Reddy, Udayaraju Sheshagiri Rao, Cholleti Narasimha Sharma and the Kaloji brothers. His students included Palla Durgaiah, PV Narahimha Rao, C. Narayana Reddy and the Dasaradhi brothers.

According to family anecdotes, Tataji was one of the contributors in the compilation. I could find Tataji's Telugu poem from the link quite easily thanks to the help.

The poem is titled వసంత ఋతువు (vasanta rutuvu, i.e. spring) based on Kalidas's ritusamhara. I am providing a rough transliteration (using web based tools) as well as a screenshot below. I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Phaneendra and Mr. Sayee for helping to uncover our family's role in an important historic milestone.

వసంత ఋతువు
కొదమ తుమ్మెద గమి ధనుర్గుణము చేసి
ఫుల్ల చూతాంకురముల సమ్ముల జేసి
కాముకుల డెందముల జీల్పంగా దలంచి
చావ! చనుజెంచె యోజ వసంతుడదుగో
రమ్య దీర్ఘికాంబులకు రత్నకాంచి
కావితతికి విలాసినీ గణములకు
సోమరుచులకు పుష్పిత చూతములకు
నొసగు సౌభాగ్యమీ వసంతోదయంబు
కర్ణములయందు నవకర్ణికారములను
కలితచంచల నీలాల కమ్ములందు
ఫుల్లనవమల్లికాశోక పుష్పవితతి
దాల్చి వెలయింతురౌ ప్రమదాజనమ్ము
చందనాద్ర హారంబులస్త సములందు
వలయముల నంగదంబుల బాహులందు
నవ్యకమనీయ కాంచుల నడుమలందు
తరుణులు ధరింత్రు కామసంతంప్తలగుచు
కామశిథిలంబు లైనట్టి గాత్రములను
వాడె యుచ్చాసచేవీడు బంధములను
గలిగి దగ్గరనేయున్న కాంతులందు

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