Telangana is a state in southern India. In the capital of Hyderabad, the Charminar is a 16th-century mosque with 4 arches supporting 4 towering minarets. The monument overlooks the city's long-running Laad Bazaar. Once the seat of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, the sprawling Golconda Fort is a former diamond-trading center. In the city of Warangal, the centuries-old Warangal Fort features carved stone towers and gateways. [Google]
Here are some renowned poets and writers from Telangana:
Agasthya Kavi: Agasthya Kavi composed 74 works of poetry in Sanskrit in the 14th century. He is from Warangal.
Mah Laqa Bai: Mah Laqa Bai (7 April 1768 – August 1824), born Chanda Bibi, and sometimes referred to as Mah Laqa Chanda, was an Indian 18th century Urdu poet, courtesan and philanthropist based in Hyderabad. In 1824, she became the first female poet to have a diwan (collection of poems) of her work, a compilation of Urdu Ghazals named Gulzar-e-Mahlaqa, published posthumously. She lived in a period when Dakhini (a version of Urdu) was making its transition into the highly Persianized Urdu. Her literary contributions provide insight on such linguistic transformations in southern India. She was an influential female courtesan of the Deccan; the Nizam, ruler of Hyderabad, appointed her to the omarah (the highest nobility), and as a close affiliate at the court. In 2010, her memorial in Hyderabad, that houses her tomb, was restored using funds donated by the Federal government of the United States.
Mah Laqa was influenced by the literary work of mystic poet Siraj Aurangabadi (1715–1763),:121:4109 and learned poetry from Nawab Mir Alam who later became the Prime Minister of Hyderabad State. Her first language was Urdu, and she was also fluent in Arabic, Persian and Bhojpuri languages.:118 & 123 She was the first woman poet to author a diwan, a complete collection of Urdu ghazals. The collection, named Gulzar-e-Mahlaqa, comprises 39 ghazals, and each ghazal consists of 5 couplets. The collection was published in 1824 after her death.:121–2 The Diwan e Chanda is a manuscript collection of Mah Laqa's 125 Ghazals, compiled and calligraphed by her in 1798. It was signed and gifted to Captain Malcolm on 18 October 1799, during a dance performance at Mir Alam's residence. It is now preserved in the British Museum.
Her Nom de plume was Chanda. The Urdu words Bulbul (songbird), Gul (rosebud) and Saqi (one who serves wine) recurred as themes in her ghazals.:121–2 Her popularity in reading poetry made her the first poetess of the region to participate and present her poetries in a mushaira (poetic symposium) which was earlier reserved for men. Along with her poetry, sometimes she sang the songs composed by the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah and Sultan of Bijapur Ibrahim Adil Shah II.:81 & 129 From her Diwan of 39 Ghazal collection, one Ghazal "Hoping to blossom (one day) into a flower" translates as:
Hoping to blossom (one day) into a flower,
Every bud sits, holding its soul in its fist.
Between the fear of the fowler and (approaching) autumn,
The bulbul’s life hangs by a thread.
Thy sly glance is more murderous than arrow or sword;
It has shed the blood of many lover.
How can I like a candle to thy (glowing) cheek?
The candle is blind with the fat in its eyes.
How can Chanda be dry-lipped. O Saqi of the heavenly wine!
She has drained the cup of thy love.
Suddala Hanmanthu: His Telugu folk song, Palletoori Pillagada, mobilised the people of his region. It was included in the movie, Maa Bhoomi (1980) He was born in Paladugu village, Mothkur mandal, Yadadri bhuvanagiri district, Telangana. Suddala Hanmanthu's poetry inspired the people of the Telangana to participate in the communist-led peasant struggle against the oppressive rule of feudal lords and the Nizam. Along with his contemporary leaders Gurram Yadagiri Reddy, famous communist leader, he fought against Doras and Gadi rule. This struggle was known in Indian history as the Telangana Rebellion. His themes were freedom from the bonded labour known as Vetti Chakiri, democracy, liberation, equality and communism. His Telugu folk song, Palletoori Pillagada, mobilised the people of his region. It was included in the movie, Maa Bhoomi (1980). The movie Rajanna, starring Nagarjuna is inspired by Sri Suddala Hanumanthu's life.
Kapilavai Lingamurthy: Kapilavai Lingamurthy; born 31 March 1928) is a Telugu poet and writer from Mahabubnagar District of Telangana, India. Kapilavai Lingamurthy was born on 31 March 1928 in Jinukunta, Mahabubnagar district of Telangana state (formerly Hyderabad state). His father Kapilavai Venkatachalam died when Lingamurthy was 3 years old. Following this, he moved to his maternal uncle's home. It was here he developed the interest in literature from his maternal uncle Chepooru Peddalakshmaiah from Amrabad near Achampet. In 1944, he married Chinthapatla Meenakshamma, who was originally from Nagarkurnool.
Rama Chandra Mouli: Rama Chandra Mouli (born 1950) is a writer/poet, professor and assistant principal at Ganapathy Engineering College in India. He has written a number of literary essays, anthologies of poems, novels, engineering textbooks, and other stories. He pursued his master's degree in engineering in the mechanical stream at National Institute of Technology, Warangal, formerly called Regional Engineering College. He also participated in the 22nd World Poets Congress, which was held in Greece in 2011. Mouli was honored with the Telugu University Puraskar in 2007, for his article "Kitiki Terichina Taruvata". He also participated as an Indian delegate in the SAARC Literary Festival in 2010, 2012, and 2015; and the International Sufi Festival in 2013 and 2014. Andhra Pradesh Best Polytechnic Teacher 2000, The Sahiti Academy Award, the Rashtrapati Award, and the Kalaasagar awards are some of his other achievements.
Gaddar: Gummadi Vittal Rao, popularly known as Gaddar (born 1949), is a poet, revolutionary Telugu balladeer (a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically of unknown authorship, having been passed on orally from one generation to the next.) and local Naxalite activist from what is now the state of Telangana. The name Gaddar was adopted as a tribute to the Pre-independence Gadar party which opposed British colonial rule in Punjab during the 1910s Gadar’s song “Amma Telanganama Akali kekala gaanama” has been selected as the state song of Telangana.
Joopaka Subhadra: Joopaka Subhadra (also Jupaka and Jūpāka; born 1962) is a Telugu Dalit activist, poet and writer. She writes poems and short stories that shed light on the lives of Dalits, specifically Dalit women. She is currently working at the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat. Subhadra was born in Damaranchepalle, Warangal district (present Telangana). She is youngest of 12 siblings, born to Narasimha and Kanaka Veeramma. While studying she lived in a social welfare hostel. Subhadra has been writing poetry since childhood, beginning with subjects like nature, beauty, and friendship. Subhadra's work is based on her own life experiences. Her work includes:
- Rayakka Manyam, A collection of short stories on different aspects of Dalit life.
- Ayyayyō dammakkā (in Telugu). Haidarābād. 2009.
- Kaitunakala daṇḍeṃ (in Telugu). with Kr̥pākar Mādiga Ponugōṭi. Haidarābād. 2008.
- Nallarēgaṭi sāllu (in Telugu). with Gōgu Śyāmala. Haidarābād. 2008.
- Shuddi Cheyyali depicting the hard work done by Dalit women
Dasaradhi Rangacharya: Dasaradhi Rangacharya, popularly known as Daasarathi (24 August 1928 – 8 June 2015), was an Indian writer and politician. He was an active member of the Telangana movement against the autocratic rule of the Nizams. He went underground and took part in the Telangana Armed Struggle till Hyderabad was liberated. Rangacharya was born in Chinnaguduru Village of Khammam district. He was rusticated from the school and was forced to go to Vijayawada to pursue higher education. He initially worked as school teacher and later joined in Secunderabad Municipal Corporation for 32 years. He wrote Chillara Devullu, Modugupulu, Janapadam, "Maya Jalataru", "Sara Talpam" and "Ranunnadi Edi Nizam". Out of those Chillera Devullu won a National Literature Award. He translated 4 Vedas, a precious of Hindu Literature, into Telugu language and Jeevanayanam is his autobiography. Srimadramayanam and Sri Mahabharatam are also his works in Telugu. Considering the feudal background and 'poor literacy rate', the two novels are widely accepted as the 'rarest of the great novels' produced in Telangana. He wrote the novels in the typical Telangana dialect, against the advice of traditional writers because he wanted them to be easily understood by people.
Pamulaparthi Sadasiva Rao: Pamulaparthi Sadasiva Rao (17 July 1921 – 26 August 1996) was a thinker, philosopher, and free lance journalist. He started the monthly magazine Kakatiya Patrika in 1944 in Warangal, India, in 1948 with his cousin P. V. Narasimha Rao, later Prime Minister of India. Among his Telugu writings were GatiTarkika Bhotika Vadam (on dialectic materialism), Charitra, Sanskriti, Kala (history, tradition, culture and art), and Tatva Shastra Praadhamika Paathalu (fundamentals of philosophy). He translated Theory of Knowledge, an English language book by Maurice Cornforth, into the Telugu Gyana Siddhantam, published by the Visalandhra Publishing House.
Ravella Venkatarama Rao: a Ravella Venkatarama Rao (30 January 1927 – 10 December 2013) was a Telugu-language writer and poet. He wrote under pen-name, Jayasri. He received literary awards given in memory of Jashuva, Dasaradhi and Gurajada Appa Rao. Work:
- Ragajyotulu
- Jeevana Raagam
- Chaitanya Sravanti
- Palle Bharati