telugu kavulu - DBG Tilak by Madhav Machavaram - Repost

[PALANA (pAranandi lakshmI narasimham)]

To nurture TELUGU Language!
------------------------------

Article 28374 of soc.culture.indian.telugu:
Path: chemabs!odin.oar.net!malgudi.oar.net!news.sprintlink.net!tank.news.pipex.net!pipex!newsfeed.internetmci.com!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!newspump.wustl.edu!gumby!wmich-news!usenet
>From: MACHAVARAM MADHAV <99machav>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian.telugu
Subject: Telugu kavulu/D.B.G.Tilak#1
Date: 1 Dec 1995 22:51:42 GMT
Organization: Western Michigan University
--------------------------------------------------------------
Telugu abhimAnulaku nA namaskArAlu!

Few days ago I have posted a fore runner announcing the series of articles
I decided to post on telugu kavulu. In fact, the hidden reason behind
doing that is to observe the responce from the like minded people. As
Kavi KAlidAs cried to KAli maatha "Arasikaaya kavithva nivEdanam namah
sirasi maalikha, maalikha, maalikhA". Telugu lo cheppaalante" kavithvaanni
aanandinchalEni vaallaku kavithvaanni vinipinche kharmanu naa nuduta
raayaddu, raayaddu, rayaddu" ani.
But what a responce!! Mee aaseessulatho nEnu yee mision ni thappaka
neravErusthaananna nammakaanni naakichchaaru. Kruthagnunni. Naa yee
mundumaata mimmalni baadhistE nannu kshaminchandi. Yenduko, yee okka
maata cheppaalanipinchindi.

*********************************************************************
DEvarakonda Baalagangadhara Tilak (1921-1966)

Kalala pattukuchchulu dharinchi kavithaamrutha paanam
chEsina nithya yowwanudu
Adrushtaadhvam samakoorinaa, agaadha baadhaa paadah patangaala
aakrandanalni aalakinchina vaadu...
kavithaamruthaaniki, jeevana vaasthavikathala haalaahalaanni
jOdinchi, koththa tonic thayaaru chEsina
saahithee bhishak
palukarincha vachchaadee putalloki, athani pEru nava kavithaa
baala gangaadhara Tilak

******

In the modern poetic era of telugu i.e., during SriSri's time, only three
poets acheived a well reputed status in literary circles, even before their
poems were published as a volume. They are Tilak, Srisri and Ajanthaa.
Every poem written by Srisri has resonated in the hearts of telugites. The
lyrical meter that accompanied his poems and the electric charge that is
associated with his emotional expressions.(lyrical meter=-gEya chhandassu).
When you read Srisri,the first thing you observe is the fact that you can not
read his poetry without assigning a rhythm to it. If this is what made Srisri,
the rest two got their fame by their style and the delicacy of expression. In
fact,
Ajanthaa wrote only 10 or 12 poems. Even with such a small number of poems,
this great poet established his own style and trend. Tilak wrote a lot more,
and established his style. Tilak is a romanticist(i.e.,bhaava kavi). Thousands
of poets may express the same emotion through their poems. But the
style(telugulo shyli) of expression is the factor which makes a poet great or
mundane. At the same time, the content of the poem also plays an equal and
important role. Tilak is one such poet who excelled in both content and style
of expression. To make this more clear, try to see why we give the supreme
status to dEvulapalli krishnashaastry in prEma kavithvam.
Tilak is one of the pillars for the uprise and establishment of prosaic poetry
(vachana kavithvam) in modern telugu poetry. Mainly due to the many a
intricacies he expressed in his poetry, this style of poetry was also
influential on most of the fans of traditional poetry. Today, our telugu poetry
mainly follows two parallel trends. One, is a style close to the traditional,
nvertheless modern, and is influenced by the inclusion of sanskrit or english
words, thus expressing the content in a poem or prosaic poem. The other, which
effectively touches people, by the usage of words and expressions which are
very much part of conversational telugu. Gurajaada, Raayaprolu, gidugu are some
who belong to the category. Kundurthi, in his fore word to Tilak's posthumous
publication of `Amrutham kuricina raathri'(1971 saahithya Academy winner)
opines that- for the most part, a poet's inability to separate himself from the
literary language(kaavya baasha) distanced populace from the poetry. This is
because of the poet's imaginary higher status than a common man, which leads
poet to choose a language that is in a higher standard than the common
language. You will understand this when we go through some of tilak's poems.
Since some poems of tilak indicate the same inability in tilak at certain
times.
Well, it might be true! But personally I feel as long as the usage of higher
language or common language, is entirely justified by communicating the content
effectively to the reader, the nature of the language would be of secondary
importance. When you established a style of expression that is unique, you have
to compromise on the choice of the language or in some instances I observed
that such mixture of kaavya bhaasha and saamaanya bhhasha is what made a poem
much touching and sweet. You will see what I mean when you read Aartha
geetham.

Ika payaniddaam randi! Tilak prapancham loki(mana prapancham loki!)

1. Naa Kavithvam (1941)

Naa kavithvam, kaadoka thathvam
Mari kaadu meeranE manasthathvam
Kaadu dhanika vaadam, saamya vaadam
Kaadayyaa ayomayam, jaraamayam

Gaaju kerataala vennela samudraloo
Zaazi puvvula aththaru deepaaloo
Manthra lokapu mani sthambhaaloo
Naa kavithaa chandana shaalaa sundara chithra vichithraalu

Agaadha baadhaa paathah pathangaaaloo
Dharma veerula krutha raktha naalaaloo
Thyaagashakti prEma rakti shaanthi sookti
Naa kalaa karavaala dhagadhdhaga ravaalu

Naa aksharaalu kanneeti jadulalO thadisE dayaapaaraavathaalu
Naa aksharaalu prajaashakthulavahimchE eyraavathaalu
Naa aksharaalu vennelalO aadukonE andamyna aadapillalu.

I haven't seen any other poet who could compare his poetry as eloquently!
Another thing I admire in Tilak is his firm stance of avoiding commitment to
any "ism". He asserted that he is an emotionalist. And at the same time, he
accepted the influence of his contemporaries on him. Read this!

Naa Kavithvamlo nEnu dorukuthaanu (idi asampoornam)

prabandhaaloo tadgata varnanaloo chaduvukuntoo
allaantivE raasthoo koodaa yEdO thrupthi aanandamoo
pondaleka, inkaa yEdO naaku teleenidEdo
vundanukunE baalyamlo
okka munimaapu vEla maa voollO oka kadamba
vruksha chaayalO modati saarigaa dEvula
palli krishanshaastrygaaru thama vUrvashee pravaasam lOnchi
vivaraalee vibhaavaree vElaashaalala
nee masalu charana manjeeramu gusugusalO
anna gEyam vinnappudu
chatukkuna prabandhaala balavanthapu varnanaloo
bigusukupOyina bhaashaa sareeraaloo, maa voori roadla meedi dummu
anne maayamayi poyi
nEnu naa lOnchi kadali pOyi zaali zaaligaa
gaalilO chiru cheekatilO nakshathraala chiru kaanthilO
kalasi poyi yedo yedo ayipOyina kroththa chythanyam lo
aa raathranthaa nidrapOledu.
Aa tharvaatha konni naallalku oka palletoori polimEralO
nanu nilabetti oka viplava yuvakudu srisri kavithaa O kavithaa
thana gambheera kanTam thO vinipinchinappudu
laksha jalapaathaalapaataloo, kOti nakshathraala maatalatho paatoo raajyaaloo
synyaaloo viplavaaloo prajaloo sathaabdaaloo
naa kallamundu girruna tirigi nEnu chythanyapu marO anchu meeda nilichaanu
...
And regaarding his independece towards following an ism

Bhaaratha dEshaanni kaadanalEnu, russia dEshaani kolavalEnu
nijam yekkadO akkada naa praanam vundi, hrudayam yekkado akkada udayam vundi

puli champina lEdi neththuru alumukOlEnu
khadgamrugOdagra viraavam aalakinchalEnu
jagadhdhaathri! nee kumarulamyna mEmu
thathvaala pEra viplavaala PEra okari nokaram hatha maarchukOlEmu
...
VivEkam lEni aavEsham vipathkaramavuthundi
samyamanam lEni sowkhyam vishaada kaarana mavuthundi
..
Karuna lEni kavi vaakku sankuchitha mavuthundi.
----
Tilak was a multifarious poet. He could write on any emotion. And he could
write in a way where no emotion would hug you as pure and naked as his would.
only tilak could write Aartha geetham and praarthana. His poetry engulfed
almost all emotions of human being and crossed the geographical and political
boundaries.

Aartha geetham(excerpts)(1956)

Naa dEshaaanni goorchi paadalEnu, nee aadEshaanni manninchalEnu
yee vipanchikaku shruthi kalapalEnu
yee rOju naaku vishaada smruthi, vidhi thamassulu moosina divaandharuthi
naa yedada mrOdyna oka disthithi.....

nEnu nEdu kanneerugaa karigina geethikanu, siggutho rendugaa
cheelina veduru bongunu, mantalalO antharaanthara dagdhamyna boodidanu.....

yee roju nEnu choosinadEmi? vidhi inni kaththulanu doosinadEmi?
jaagruti hEtu vaadarala dudhiramEmi?

Nenu choosaanu nijamgaa aakalithO allaadi marrichettu kinda
maraninchina musali vaanni;
Nenu choosaanu nijamgaa neerandhra varshaana vanthena kinda
nindu choollalu prasavinchi moorchillina drushyaanni;
nEnu choosaanu nijamgaa thalli lEka thandri lEka, munjEtula
kanulu tuduchukuntoo, muriki kaalva pakkanE nidrinchina
moodElla pasi baalunni;
Nenu choosaanu nijamgaa, pillalaku ganji kaachiposi, thaanu niraahaarudy
rudhdha baashpaakulitha nayanudy, office ku vcachchina vrudhdhuni
pune veeranna ni;
nEnu choosaanu nijamgaa, kshayagrastha bhaarya ika bathakadani
doctor cheppinapudu, prachanda vaathoola hatha neepashaakha vale, gaja gaja
vaniki pOyina araktha ashaktha gumastaa ni,
aidaarugu pillalu galavaanni;
nEnu choosaanu nijamgaa, moortheebhavat dynyaanni, hynyaanni
kshubhithaashru kallola neeradhulni, gachchat shavaakaara vikaarulni
idi yE naagarikataku phalashruti? Ye vijnaana prakarshaku prakruthi?
yE budhdha dEvudi janmabhoomiki garva smruthi?
ika nannu nirbandhinchaku nEstam, yee raathri nEnu paadalEnu;
yee kruthrima vEshaanni abhinayimpalEnu, maanavatha lEni lokaanni stutimpalEnu
...
okka nirupEda vunnantha varaku, okka malinaashrubindu voriginantha varaku
okka prEgu aakali kanalinantha varaku
okka shuska sthanya sannidhini kshudhaarthi nEdchu paapa unnantha varaku
okka talli veeravaakrOsha ravamu vinnantha varaku
okka kshatha duhkhitha hrudaya mooradillanantha varaku
naaku shaanti kalugadinks nEstam, nEnu nigarvi nynaanu...
yee gunde goodupatlu ekkadOkadalinavi, yee kanulu varadaly paarinavi
yee kalalu kaagithapu pElikaly raalinavi

yee aarthi yE sowdhaantharaalaku payanimpagaladu?
yE raajakeeya veththa gundelanu sprushimpagaladu?....
yE bhagavanthuniki nivEdinchu konagaladu....?

the lingering shadows of devastations caused by wwII and other international
wars made a heart touching re appearence in tilak's poems such as "yudhdhamlO
rEvu pattanam, tulan, synikudi navvu etc. On the other hand his patriotism
towards the India during the wars with china and pakistan are evident in poems
like Ammaa, naanna ekkadiki vellaadu? and few others.
Here I present an excerpt from Ammaa, Naanna ekkadiki....

ammaa, naanna ekkadiki vellaadu? inkaa raadEm?
ani adigaadu naalugElla pillavaadu marOsaari-
alavOkagaa, vaadi thala nimuruthoo aame alaagE
aashatO vinOndi radiolO vaarthalu-
Aame kallallo vimaanaala rekkalu kadalina needalu
aame gundello mara phirangulu pElina jaadalu....
.kashmir sarihaddullo pogalamadhya kaalooni nilchunna synikudu
aame kalla mundu nilichaadu.

aame kalavalapadindi-nittorchindipiata sarichEsukundi
anthalO mrudu garva rEkha aame pedaala chirunavvuthO kalasi pOindi...
. aame rOjU vasthundi parku loki vaarthala kOsam
allagE tellani cheera kattukoni yerrani bottu pettukuni
nallani vaaljedalO tellani sanazaajulu turumukoni...
.. jaathiki mathaavEsham podigithE kOthi avuthundi
pakisthan china la madhya mythri, paamoo thOdEloo kalasinattu
idi rendu dEshaala madhya yudhdhamE kaadu...
prapancha bhavithavyaaniki pradhaanamyna viluvalni kaapaadE prayathnam idi...
...shathruvula taankulu vimaanaalu yenno koolipOyaayi
saahasOpEthamyna bhaaratha synya tharangam
lahore sarihaddula meeda viruchuku padindi
nirnidra haryakshamy jaathi nilabadi garjinchindi
... lakshalladi agnaatha synikula kaabaalagOpaalam kruthagnathaanjali
samarpinchindi.

aame aarOju koodaa kodukuthO parkuki vachchindi
alaagE thellacheera kattukundigaani yerrani bottulEdu...
.aame sOga kannulalO vaan kurisi velisina aakaasham sphurinchindi
aame cheetiki maatiki adirE pedavini munipanta nokkuthOndi
akkada cherina gumpulu `jai hind' anna ninaadam chEsaaru
ammaa, naanna.... ani aduguthunna kumaarunni akkuna chErchukuni
aame kooda rudhdha kanTam thO jai hind ani mellagaa palikindi
Aa maata swargamlO oka veeruniki haayigaa, theeyagaa vinapadindi

In my next post we look at tilak from some other moods. If you need the
meanings of some words please let me know. I will clarify as much as possible.
Hope you enjoy my first part on tilak. I will try to give you the jist of this
great poet as comprehensively as possible. See you all in the next article
telugu kavulu/d.b.g.tilak#2
**************************************************************************
chinnappudu maa naanna type nErchukO antE vinananduku, rendu choopudu vEllathO
type chEsE valla sangham lO kalisi pOyaanu. Andu vallanE ika aapavalasi
vochchindi. PLEASE POST YOUR VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS EITHER TO ME OR TO THE NET.
I WILL TRY TO MAKE THIS A PLEASANT TRIP IN TO TELUGU POETRY. SOON YOU WILL
ALSO ENJOY COMPLETE LYRICS OF SADAASHIVA BRAHMENDA KEERTHANALU(antE yentO
theliyani mithrulaki> pibarE raamarasam series of lyrics)

ika selavaa mari

madhav
99ma...@lab.cc.wmich.edu
madhav.m...@wmich.edu
--------------------------------------

Disclaimer: Opinions are mine only