Srinivas Rao Rayasam's Blog
May 24, 2024
Gurajada Venkata Appa Rao: The torch bearer of Modern Telugu Literature
I have had the honour and good fortune of translating Gurajada’s Telugu short stories (he wrote only five, out of which I translated three) into English and including them in my book ‘The Great Telugu Masterpieces Volume (1910-1947)’.
Gurajada Venkata Apparao (1862-1915), popularly known as ‘Gurajada’, was the first writer to usher in the modern era of Telugu literature. He started as an English poet in 1882. His English poem ‘Sarangadhara’, written in 1882, made him one of the first Indian-English writers in India.
One of the hallmarks of Gurajada’s writing was how he represented the complex culture of his time by using Urdu and English words in conversational Telugu. This pattern can be seen in his magnum opus “Kanyashulkam”, a play that is a sarcastic yet poignant take on the then-prevailing social practice of selling girls for a price and not letting widows remarry but use them as unpaid servants at home. It also touched upon so many other superstitions and shady practices prevailing in society at that time, especially in Brahmin families. In this play, Gurajada used the vernacular the way it was spoken by different communities. One can also see the liberal use of Urdu words prevalent in society (words like behadbee, kummak, aabroo).
Over a literary career spanning more than three decades (from 1882 to 1915), Gurajada left an indelible mark on Telugu literature. His path-breaking drama 'Kanyashulkam' (Selling Girls), five short stories, a handful of poems, and critical essays stand as a testament to his literary prowess. He emerged as a ‘Vaitalika’, a writer who awakened a dormant society with his powerful and fluid style. His works were a departure from the prevalent feudal stories centred around royal courts, palaces, and kingdoms, and his championing of the vernacular language set the stage for the next generation of writers. This enduring legacy rightfully earns him the title of the 'Father of Modern Telugu Literature’.
Many people don’t know he was credited with being the first Telugu short story writer in the 1910s. His story “Diddubatu” is officially regarded as the first published Telugu short story, although a few others had already written some short stories by then. While Indian mythology and epics are full of short stories, the story as a modern literary genre can be said to have been an English influence. I have managed to obtain three of his stories from that decade and translated them. I couldn’t get hold of the remaining two. I also felt it is apt to have them as the first three stories in this anthology to honour the great writer.
The three stories in this anthology are very different from each other, yet they are bound by a common thread of Gurajada’s people-centric approach and liberal use of spoken language.
In the story ‘Matilda’, he used Urdu words like “Chaman” (small garden) and “Khaayida” (putting someone to hardship) to truly represent the spoken dialect of those times. Matilda is about a young wife and her old husband and how they are perceived and treated by neighbours.
In ‘What is your name?’ he presents a stark picture, laced with satire, of the prevailing religious beliefs, how Hindu society was polarised into Shaiva and Vaishnava sects, and how people were being taken for a ride by leaders and practitioners of these sects. He ends the story in a very sarcastic tone and uses a female character to lecture the sect leaders and prove a point.
In Atonement, his first-published Telugu short story, he touches upon a simple husband-wife relationship. A straying husband quickly realises his mistake, repents and corrects himself. His wife – who is a silent character in the small story - gently and cleverly drives him in that direction and then accepts him for what he is.
I urge English readers to also read Gurajada’s epic drama ‘Kanya Shulkam’, brilliantly translated into English as ‘Girls for Sale’ by Velcheru Narayana Rao.
Girls for Sale: Kanyasulkam, a Play from Colonial India
GREAT TELUGU MASTERPIECES - Volume 1 (1910-1947) : A Collection of 25 Great Telugu Short Stories from the Pre-Independence Period Written by 16 Masters of Telugu Literature
Gurajada Venkata Apparao (1862-1915), popularly known as ‘Gurajada’, was the first writer to usher in the modern era of Telugu literature. He started as an English poet in 1882. His English poem ‘Sarangadhara’, written in 1882, made him one of the first Indian-English writers in India.
One of the hallmarks of Gurajada’s writing was how he represented the complex culture of his time by using Urdu and English words in conversational Telugu. This pattern can be seen in his magnum opus “Kanyashulkam”, a play that is a sarcastic yet poignant take on the then-prevailing social practice of selling girls for a price and not letting widows remarry but use them as unpaid servants at home. It also touched upon so many other superstitions and shady practices prevailing in society at that time, especially in Brahmin families. In this play, Gurajada used the vernacular the way it was spoken by different communities. One can also see the liberal use of Urdu words prevalent in society (words like behadbee, kummak, aabroo).
Over a literary career spanning more than three decades (from 1882 to 1915), Gurajada left an indelible mark on Telugu literature. His path-breaking drama 'Kanyashulkam' (Selling Girls), five short stories, a handful of poems, and critical essays stand as a testament to his literary prowess. He emerged as a ‘Vaitalika’, a writer who awakened a dormant society with his powerful and fluid style. His works were a departure from the prevalent feudal stories centred around royal courts, palaces, and kingdoms, and his championing of the vernacular language set the stage for the next generation of writers. This enduring legacy rightfully earns him the title of the 'Father of Modern Telugu Literature’.
Many people don’t know he was credited with being the first Telugu short story writer in the 1910s. His story “Diddubatu” is officially regarded as the first published Telugu short story, although a few others had already written some short stories by then. While Indian mythology and epics are full of short stories, the story as a modern literary genre can be said to have been an English influence. I have managed to obtain three of his stories from that decade and translated them. I couldn’t get hold of the remaining two. I also felt it is apt to have them as the first three stories in this anthology to honour the great writer.
The three stories in this anthology are very different from each other, yet they are bound by a common thread of Gurajada’s people-centric approach and liberal use of spoken language.
In the story ‘Matilda’, he used Urdu words like “Chaman” (small garden) and “Khaayida” (putting someone to hardship) to truly represent the spoken dialect of those times. Matilda is about a young wife and her old husband and how they are perceived and treated by neighbours.
In ‘What is your name?’ he presents a stark picture, laced with satire, of the prevailing religious beliefs, how Hindu society was polarised into Shaiva and Vaishnava sects, and how people were being taken for a ride by leaders and practitioners of these sects. He ends the story in a very sarcastic tone and uses a female character to lecture the sect leaders and prove a point.
In Atonement, his first-published Telugu short story, he touches upon a simple husband-wife relationship. A straying husband quickly realises his mistake, repents and corrects himself. His wife – who is a silent character in the small story - gently and cleverly drives him in that direction and then accepts him for what he is.
I urge English readers to also read Gurajada’s epic drama ‘Kanya Shulkam’, brilliantly translated into English as ‘Girls for Sale’ by Velcheru Narayana Rao.
Girls for Sale: Kanyasulkam, a Play from Colonial India
GREAT TELUGU MASTERPIECES - Volume 1 (1910-1947) : A Collection of 25 Great Telugu Short Stories from the Pre-Independence Period Written by 16 Masters of Telugu Literature
