ANDHRA & 50 Years of India's Independence - #2
PALANA
His poetry is naked. His poetry is nothing but the truth.
His poetry is not a glitter. His poetry has no ornaments.
No! His poetry is not artificial. It can not be un-natural.
His feelings in his poetry pierce through the hearts of the readers and
listerners. The very first lines of his songs cling on to the edges of the
hearts of the readers. This poet only sings his experiences. Sweet or
bitter! At first sight it appears that the poet sings his songs only for
himself. As said above, if he got hit by a thunder of sorrows or by a
stroke of sweet luck, this poet sings immediately in a vivaceous reactionary
second order poetic kinetics. Then brings the lively Telugu Poetry from
his dynamic poetic soul and speaks like a natural poet as a biological
entity and spiritual unit. That is his poetic chemistry. That is his poetic
heart. He looks for the foot prints of Gurajada Apparao and follows them.
He regards poetry as a form of the fine arts! No! In his opinion, poetry is
nothing but an art in toto. Even though his songs are stupendously joyful,
they can very well submerge the reader in a quagmire of moroseness.
This poet is our BASAVARAJU APPARAO gAru.
C. Narayanareddi calls Gurajada and Rayaprolu as the poets of the century in
his Adhunikandhra Kavitvamu. cinAre should add a bunch of other poets in my
opinion to that list e.g. Basavaraju, Kavikondala, Tilak, Kundurti etc.
The list may go on (I just gave an example).
Basavaraju was born in 1894 (12/13) at Patamat village near Vijayawada.
Piccayya was his father and Venkamma was his mother. Studied in the CMS
High school (now it is Gandhiji Municipal High school). He obtained his BA
degree from the Presidency College, Madras (1916). Married his maternal
uncle' daughter, Mrs. Rajyalaksmi. He worked as the associate editor of both
the Andhra Patrika and Bharati. In 1926 he obtained his B.L. degree and
started his law practice at Vijayawada in 1927. In 1932, he again resumed
hunting for jobs, reached Delhi, and became despondent. He came back to
Kummamuru (near Vijayawada), underwent short treatment, and died in 1983
(6/10).
Of all his literary works, his "basavarAju appArAvu gItAlu" is well
received by the Telugu readers and well respcted too. His other works are:
vAyu sandESamu (unpublished), selayETi gAnamu (published), Andhrakavitva
caritra (published), arEbiyan niTsu kadhalu (unpublished), and Andhraratna
gOpalakrushNuni jIvitamu (published).
Basavaraju wrote heart-moving patriotic songs and some of them were even
of freedom fight variety.
1) mAla mAdigala mora
------------------
gAndhI mahAtma gAndhI mahAtma
kAciraccincu gAndhI mahAtma
sarakAruvOru karukAinavOru
uppEritEnu tappESinOru
DabbugalOru darikirAnIru
I gOramEmi mAnEramEmi?
mAlamAdigalam mansulam gAmA?
kukkalakannA takkuvayyAmA?
mAmorAlinca sAme re dikku
AsAmivOri avutAramaina
gAndhI mahAtma gAndhImahAtma
kAciraccincu gAndhImahAtma.
That is how Basavaraju, himself, became one of (among) those untouchables
and sang their sad state in his own song.
2) mattu mandu
-----------
evarESArI mattu mandu
ennALLadAkAnu I moddu niddara
nallamandaitEnu nalggaDiyalavarakE
kallumattaitE padigaDiyalavarakEnu
tAcu vishamu kUDa taggEnu mantramutO
E divya mantramutO yI mattu taggEnO
gAndhImahAtmuDu kanipeTTinaTTi yI
satyAgrahamantramutO mattuvadalEnEmO
evarEsArI mattu mandu
"Wake up you look-a-like drug addicts!" That is what Basavaraju says.
The fun part here is it looks as if he tried both alcohol and opium.
He also says how long each variety of the drug (alcohol is also a drug)
lasts.
3) rATnamu
-------
siggu lEdA nIku Siramu lEdA
annamainA lEka bIdalallADutunTEnu
sItAkOka cilukalAga sImaguDDa kaTTitiruga
pUTakUDulEni prajaku rATna mokaTE pennidhunDa
mOTincu pavitramaina rATamKaddaru vekkirimpa siggu
angaDilA annI yunTE alluDinOTa SanannaTlu
BAgyarASi BAratamumi paradESapu sarukulEla?
What a scolding Basavaraju! He looks like he is very angry with the
fellows who wear the British cloth. Look at the use of the Telugu
proverbs in his songs - "angaDila annI....".
4) svarAjyalakshmi penDli
----------------------
pOdAmu svarAjyalakshmi penDli jUDa
rArE ramaNulArA!
mutyAla muggulU
ratnAla tOraNAlu
mANikyAla manTapamaTA
mana lakshmi penDliki
sandrame peLLillanTa sadasyulu dEvatalanTa
uppE talambrAlanTa
mana lakshmi penDliki
gAndhI vaSishTanTa kasturamma muttaidanTa
paramAtmuDE sAkshiTA
mana lakshmi penDliki
pOdAmu svarAjyalakshmi penDli jUDa
rArE ramaNulAra
WoW! This is in that penDlipATala (jAnapada) style.
I would like to listen to some nice singer singing this song.
5) gAndhI praBa
-------------
gAndhI mahAtmuDu bayaludEragA kalakala navvindi
jagattu kalakala navvindi
gandhI mahAtmuDu cakacaka naDuvaga kampincipOyimdi
BUdEvI, kampincipOyimdI
gAndhI mahAtmuDu kannu vippagA gaDagaDa vaNakindI
adharmamu gaDagaDa vaNakindI
gAndhI mahAtmuDu navvunavvagA kannula gaTTinDi
svarAjyamu kannula gaTTindI
gAndhI mahAtmuDu gontuvippagA gaNagaNa mrOgindI
praNapamu gaNagaNa mrOgindI
gAndhImahAtmuDu svastibADagA karamula dorikindi
mOkshamu karamula dorikindI
Basavaraju was an ardent follower of Gandhi and a sincere lover
of Gandhian thought. He encapsulated the virtues in such a symbolic
language - unparallel.
6) vENu nAdamu
-----------
vENunAdamu mOgutundanDOy
O BaktulArA
............
BAratadESapu dAsyamu bApaga
payana mAye mOhanagAndhI
cAvO jayamO tElandE yI
janmaku maLLI kanabaDaDanDOy
BAryala viDicI Bartalu ranDOy
Bartala viDicI BAryalu ranDOy
tallulu viDicI pillalu ranDOy
pillala viDicI tallulu ranDOy
pApAlannI paTApancalai
paramESvaru sannidhilO janmamu
dhanyati jendI muktini bondE
taruNamu dorikenu mari rAdanDOy
vENunAdamu mOgutundanDOy
O BaktulArA
This vENunAdamu is Gandhi (mOhan's) call! What a song!
7) I janmamu
---------
Basavaraju equates Gandhi with Eswara.
Look at the following:
ISvaruDe gAndhigA ilanavatarincADu
andulO mamuganna hindUmAtAkaDupuna mI
dharmadEvata mUrti dAlcindi gAndhigA.....
8) bApUjI - mAbAp
--------------
All religions are same.
pOr bandar kOmaTinTa puTTinADOy
purushOttamuDu jagati meTTinADOy
kotta yEsu krIstu avatarincinADOy
koTTike pagavALLapogaru dincinADOy
hindU paigambar janmincinADOy
allAhO akbaranTu aricinADOy
cImanu simhAsanamekkincinADOy
rAti nAti jEsina SrI rAmuDEnOy
dharmamukAi prANi paddemoDDinADOy
tALalEka SatruvulU talakindairOy
cEtulu paiketti jEjE lananDOy
bApUjI prapancapu mA bApananDOy
How much respect he showers on Gandhi!
9) mA gAndhi
---------
This is one of those best sellers of Basavaraju - known widely and
popular as "kollAyi gaTTitEnEmi". It was sung all over. This is a
neat song on Gandhi ever written on a popular scale.
kollAyi gaTTitE nEmI
mA gAndhi
kOmaTai puTTitE nEmI
venna pUsA manasu
kanna tallI prEma
panDanTi mOmupai
brahma tEjassu
nAlguprakala pilaka
nATyamADE pilaka
nAlugU vEdAla
nANyamerigina pilaka
bOsinOrvippitE
mutyAla tolakarE
cirunavvu navvitE
varahAla varshamE
cakacaka naDistEnu
jagati kampincEnu
paluku palukItEnu
brahma vAkkEnu
kauSikuDu kshatriyuDu
kAlEda brahmaRshi
nEdu kOmaTi biDDa
kUDa brahmarshAye.
What an accumulation of Gandhi's character in this song.
So much of Gandhian philosophy also radiates in each line of
poetic characterization.
10) jAtIyapatAkamu
--------------
The National Flag. This is a patriotic song written by Basavaraju.
Look at his emotional attachment with the sentiment of patriotism and
love for his land.
patAkOtsavamu sEyanDI
svatantraBArata jAticihnamau
kotta vannelU kotta cinnelU
kotta jIvamU koma roppangA
nUtana BArata jAtiki BuvilO
KyAtI jayamU kalagAlanTU
vIra kEsarula yeRRanirangU
dESasEvakula tellanirangU
Baktula pAliTi paccani rangU
bIdala pennidhi rATapu meRapE
anni matAlaku anni tegalaku
ASraya mIjanDA okaTOy
prANamu pOtE pOnI janDA
mAnamu mAtramu manTagalapaka
Ha! Let life be sacrificed but never let the character be tarnished.
He also explains what the Indian National Flag signifies.
Just look at his sentiments and his attachment with national oneness.
He disseminates his national integrity through his words and his song.
Is there a replacement for such poets?
Any way! As I said earlier in my Janapada Songs series, I would like to
see any audio recordings of Basavaraju Apparao songs. Probably the Telugu
musicians and singers may revisit such lyrics of Freedom Struggle and
Patriotism and release some recordings this year. It is not too late
yet.
Basavaraju's style is adorable and easily adaptable. He wrote most of his
songs even tailored to the tastes of young kids. His choice of words is
simple but electrifying. His style is blasting dynamite type, especially
the patriotic one. Wherever necessary, he hides the sublime emotions
in the lines between the words but the meanings are easily at reach
for the reader or the listener.
A jewel of Telugu literature is Sri Basavaraju Apparao.
Unforgettable are his songs.
Long live Basavaraju!
----pAlana
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Opinions are mine only
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Sreenivas Paruchuri
[Polishing one of my old postings, in reply to Paalana gaari
latest posting on Basavaraju Apparao. Regards, --Sreenivas]
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Sub: guttonkaay koorOy baavaa!
Keywords: basavaraaju, gooDavalli, lalita sangeetam, AIR
Probably its not an exaggeration to claim that all of you have heard
the song "guttonkaaya koorOy baavaa! kOri vanDinaanOy baavaa" in one
or other version (either it be the film version or as a folk song). But,
what do you know about the lyricist? Regular All India Radio listeners,
esp. the "lalita sangeetam" fans should have heard many of his songs,
repeatedly, sung by stalwarts like bandaa, sooryakumaari,
baalamuraLeekRshNa, R. baalasaraswati et. al.
He was one of those highly acclaimed "bhaava kavulu" from the early decades
of this century. Alas! very little attention was paid to this great poet
in his birth centenary year of 1994. But, thanks to a great film
personality; gooDavalli raamabrahmam, who extensively used his
"bhaava/lalita geetaalu" in his films and popularised him. Thanks also to
AIR for regularly playing his songs and keeping him alive in our memories
till today.
basavaraaju vEnkaTa appaaraavu, B.A, B.L (13.Dec.1894 - 19.June.1933) was
a contemporary of dEvulapalli, nanDoori, raayaprOlu & co, the
other well known "bhaava kavulu". IMHO its his simple language, which
made his songs very popular. The other poet, who wrote in comparatively
similar language, but more in "folk" style, was nanDoori. dEvulapalli
comparing the both said: "subbaaraavu paaTa nibhRta sundaram, appaaraavu
paaTa nisarga manOharam".
Coming to his songs, it was gooDavalli (1902-1946, maalapilla, raitubiDDa,
palnaaTi yuddham fame) who acquired the rights for BA's songs and
introduced them in his films starting with "maalapilla" (1938).
The song "kollaayi gaTTitEnEmi maagaandhi, maalaDai tirigitEnEmi? .......
chaka chaka naDistEnu jagati kampinchEnu .." sung by sooribAbu (the film
version as you see above is slightly modified from the original text)
echoed all over telugu speaking areas during freedom fight.
The (mega) hit song from the same film; "nallavaaDE gollapillavaaDE", sung
by kaanchanamaala and sundaramma, was also written by BA. Other BA's songs
in that film were: niSchala satyamutO jatagoorchina (kaanchanamaala),
aa mabbu ee mabbu aakaaSa madhyaana and chilipi chEshTalu jEya cheTTunaku
gaTTiraa(the later two were clubbed in to one, GVR & kaanchanamaala). One
name worth mentioning in this context is bheemavarapu narasimharaavu,
music director for "maalapilla", who revolutionaised the Telugu film music,
was the first to introduce "link music" between pallavi & anupallavi.
Perhaps, many of you may recall his last film, "ardhaangi (1955)".
In the later films, raamabrahmam used many of BA's songs:
raabOku raabOkuraa chandamaamaa, kOyilokasaarocchi koosipOyindi
(raitubiDDa-1939, The earlier song was released already before with
T. sooryakumaari and in film had undergone slight changes, to my knowledge),
[This kind of business was practiced quite a few times by recording companies
to escape the royalty payments to the producers. In the above case AVM
Chettiyar's Odeon/Columbia lable did that.]
kaavyapaanamu jEsi kaipekkinaanE (*,an ever-green song, one of my all time
favourites, young Saluri Rajeswararao and R. Balasaraswati singing),
dinadinamu paapaNNi deevinchi ponDi (lakshmeeraajyam), vaaDina puvvuna
kETiki maralanu parimaLa mosagedu dEvaa (illaalu-1940),
[*A small bit from `kaavya mallEnanchu gantulEsEvu' was also taken and added
to this song in the film*]
eemaavi painunDi eevu kookooyanchu, raavaalanTE trOvElEdaa dEvadEvuDau naa
naathunaku, paanakammulO puDaka nETikiTu paDavEsitivO dEvaa, padimandilOna
paaTa paaDumani balavantamu chEyaku naathaa, veeNa chEjaari paDipOvu
(padyam), haayilO mungi maayamai pOyinaavo (padyam) were used in apavAdu ('41)
and kooyakE kOyilaa kooyabOkE (pantulamma, 1943, slightly changed).
It also shows the respect, director/producer had had for the poet
while "verbatim" adopting the song, and at times creating a scene,
just to introduce the song.
Only two songs; daasigaanunTakaina taganaa praaNESa (maayapilla) &
nee puTTadariki naapaapalocchaaru (kanyaaSulkam) were used in post-
raamabrahmam period. He infact gave the rights, acquired by him, free
for use.
But, it were more his non-film songs, which are more popular and
are still played oftenly on radio.
late bandaa kanakalingESwararao (well known actor, both on stage and
in films, singer, better known for his involvement in reviving Kuchipudi
dance, etc. etc. you can write a full length article on this great
personality) popularized the song "guttonkaaya koorOy baavaa" through his
grammophone record. He also sang; pannenDELLa chinnaaDE paiTa kollagonnADE
(also sung by R. baalasaraswati later on AIR!), ellaagekkuvaa
inkellaagekkuva on grammophone records and took BA closer to the folk.
A while ago there was a query/mention of "SaafO" geetaalu (inspired by
a Greek Poetess) on net. BA was quite influenced by this and wrote a large
number of songs in that mould.
His "maamiDi cheTTuni allukonnadi maadhavee latokaTi", written spontaneously
while visiting `Taj Mahal' was well sung by TanguToori sooryakumaari. She
also recorded; lEpanaina lEpalEdE mOmu choopanainaa choopa lEdE!, onTigaa
nuyyaala loogitivaa naa muddukRshNaa! and pOrbandar kOmaTinTa puTTinaaDOy!
purushOttamuDu jagati meTTinaaDOy.
One more number, which is based on his song, that I came across was:
S.varalakshmi & Saluri's: aanandamE lEdaa lOkamuna aanandamE lEdaa?
In later years, AIR recorded many of his songs (mostly as "eemaasapu
paaTalu!, as recently in Dec.'94 they broadcasted BA's dEvaa! naa kanula
mundu tEjarilla meppaTaTlu):
aakaSamuna chirumabbula chaaTuna naDagi daagumoota laaDedElE? (MBK)
talupu teeyunantalOne tattara madi yEla nOyi (RBS)
gaandhi mahaatmuDu bayaludEragaa kala kala navvindii, jagattu (AIR chorus)
BA rachanallO prasphuTamgaa kanipinchi mana hRdayaalanu spandimpa chEsEvi
aayana swaanubhavaaniki, kuTumbika jeevanaaniki sambamdhinchinavi.
His songs; dina dinamu paapaNNi deevinchi ponDi, vEdaadri Sikharaana
veligETi jyOti, at the birth and death of his son, are (only) two such
examples. dEvulapalli reviewing the later song wrote: "illu khaaLeechEsi
veLLipOyaaDu: prapancha kaavyabhaanDaagaarllO goppa panktullO idokaTi".
Let me end this posting with one more quote by dEvulapalli:
"ataneppuDU maamUlu Sabdaalni daaTi pOlEdu. evaritOnainaa kashTasukhaalni
vEgamgaanU, vEdanatOnu ceppukonEppuDu apoorva Sabdaalaku, allika
jigibigiki parigeDataamaa? ....jeevadbhaashakoo, vyaavahaarika
bhaashaku yinta daggaragaa kaavya bhaashanu teesukoni vacchE prayatnam
goppadi kaadoo?"
Comments, criticism and corrections are solicited.
Regards,
Sreenivas
P.S. A while ago I posted Rayaprolu's article on BA, published in _vaaNi_
in RIT.
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aaDaaLLoo magaaLLoo uttara dakshiNa dhruvaalu
ayinaa peLLaaDDaaniki veeLLu chaala avasaraalu
oppukonTaanu ee paraspara viruddhaala nivaarimpu
oorEgimpulO okEsaari enduku
sonnaayI byaanDula miLaayimpu.
--aarudra - eesToo wesToo kalistE wEsTu
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