Tenali Rama 17

[Ilse Marseau]

Tenali Ramakrishna is also known as Vikata Kavi and Tenali Rama. In the 16th century CE, during the Krishnadevaraya era, he served as a court poet for the Vijaya Nagar Empire. India's culture and legacy flourished under the Vijaya Nagar Empire, which has a significant position in Indian history.

A Golden Era in Indian History was created under Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu, the illustrious King of the Vijaya Nagar Kingdom. One of Ashtadiggajas, or Krishna Deva Raya's supporters, was Tenali Ramakrishna. The historians assert that Krishnadeva Rayalu-Ramalinga and Akbar-Birbal share a great deal of similarities.

In the latter half of the fifteenth century, at a place named Thumuluru or Tenali (now a portion of Tenali Maalam), Tenali Rama was born as Garlapati Ramakrishna to a Telugu-speaking Niyogi Hindu Brahmin family. His father, Garlapathi Rama, worked as a priest at the Ramalingesvara Swami temple in Santharavuru.

Rama passed away when Ramakrishna (Tenali) was still a child. Lakamma, his mother, moved back to Tenli to live with her brother. Ramakrishna was named Tenali Ramakrishna since he was born and raised in the same town as his uncle.

Although Tenali Ramakrishna did not acquire any formal education while he was a youngster, his quest for information helped him to become a brilliant scholar. According to a well-known legend, the Vaishnava scholars?devotees of Vishnu?rejected to accept him as a pupil since he was a Shaiva.

According to legends, Maa Kali appeared to him, complimented him on his sense of humor, and gave him the good fortune of one day being hailed as a renowned poet in the court of Emperor Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara. He was also given the name "Vikaakavi" by the Goddess, who was moved by his wit and sense of humor. Saarada was his wife, Bhaskara Sarma was his son, and Amruta was his daughter.

He told Krishnadevaraya about his life, and after hearing it, the King appointed him to the position of court comedian poet, completing the Ashtadiggajas (The Eight Scholars) group. As a talented poet and jester, Ramakrishna became well-known. In the Court of Sri Krishnadevaraya, he was also known as a Special Advisor. He was envious of the royal priest Lakshmi Kumar Tathacharya. He tried several different strategies without any luck to get rid of Tenali Rama.

He stopped serving at the court upon the death of King Krishnadevaraya in 1530 and went back to the Tenali. He succumbed to a snakebite a short time later. According to the accounts, Ramakrishna repeatedly assisted in defending King Krishnadevaraya and rescued him when things were at their worst. An old legend describes how Ramakrishna used his quick mind and cunning plan to save Vijayanagara against the Delhi Sultanate.

Tenali Rama was renowned for his intelligence and wit. One of the Pacha Mah Kavyas (the Five famous Kavyas) of Telugu literature, Tenali Ramakrishna's famous work Panduranga Mahatmyam is considered a high-quality Kavya. It is notable for its sonorous grandeur of phrase. It tells the fabled story of how Saint Pundarika blessed a temple to Vishnu as Panduranga in Pandharpur. In Pandharpur, a Brahmin named Nigama Sharma passed away after living a life of frivolity and excess.

There will be conflict between the Yama and Vishnu's followers. The previous folk was interested in hauling him to Hades in view of the fact that he had lived a depraved life, while the latter group claimed he was eligible for Heaven, as he had died in a holy area. Ultimately, the court declared in support of the adherents of Vishnu.

Tenali Ramakrishna applied the topic of Panduranga Mahatmyam from Skanda Purana and improved it with tales regarding the worshipers of Panduranga. He invented an imaginary figure known as 'Nigama Sarma Akka' and used her as a narrative basis but did not assign her a name. He also wrote various spur-of-the-moment verses entitled 'Chatuvu.'

When Tenali Ramakrishna served as Krishnadevaraya's court poet, he earned the stature of a folk hero while also writing critical religious works. Today, it's possible to find three of his narrative poems.

Based on Palakuriki Somanatha's Basava Puranam, his first poem, Udbhataradhya Charitamu, is on the Shaiva master Udbhata. The holiness of Varanasi is another topic covered in Udbhataradhya Charitamu. He was also known as Tenali Ramalinga Kavi because of Tenali Ramakrishna's passion for the Shaivite faith.

Tenaliram moved in with his mother "Lakshamma" at his maternal uncle's hamlet "Tenali" after his father passed away. After the passing of his father, Tenaliram was raised by his maternal uncle. Tenaliram was called as "Ramakrishna" as he grew up in the town of his maternal uncle.

Tenali "Ramalinga," who was born within the "Shaivite" faith, eventually converted to "Vaishnavism" and changed his name to "Ramakrishna." At that time, Hinduism had two opposing sects known as "Shaiva" and "Vaishnava."

He was not offered an education because of the religious practices of his caste, but because of his intense curiosity and love of learning, he was given a scholarship. In addition, he was fluent in several languages, including Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi.

Due to his prior devotion to Shiva, he was not recognized as a student by the Vaishnavas; hence, a renowned saint recommended he worship "Maa Kali." Tenaliram is claimed to have performed extensive penance for Goddess Kali as a result of obeying the saint, and as a result, Tenaliram received the Goddess's blessing that he would grow to be a superb comedy poet.

Despite not having a formal education, Tenaliram had acquired a wide range of linguistic skills. Therefore, he became a renowned poet as a result. Pandurang Mahatmyam, a collection of five epics, was written by him. Skandpuran's influence has been a factor in his writing this piece.

In addition to this, he wrote Palakuriki Somnath, a poem based on the Basava Purana. Ramalinga and Rayalu, two of his short stories, also attained enormous recognition. He received the title of Kumar Bharti ji for his work, which was recognized. In addition, the Mahishasuramardini Stotram is a Sanskrit poem written in his honor.

The fact that such a superb poet lacked any formal schooling may astonish you. Tenali Rama possessed fluency in Marathi, Tamil, and Kannada despite not having reading or writing skills. Tenali was rumored to have converted to Vaishnavism. He started working with the renowned Bhagwat Mela troupe to support himself. He participated in several programs as a member of this ensemble.

Numerous movies and television series have been created about the life of Tenali Ramakrishna. Cartoon Network also offers a show aimed at children featuring his life experiences and imaginative events. Several books based on Ramakrishna's life can be found in stores.

Children typically enjoy stories from Tenali Raman, which have exciting plots. While Indian children often favor Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Sri Krishna narratives, Tenali Raman's stories provide a unique notion. The tales teach that you can conquer any obstacle with intelligence and resourcefulness.

Despite his societal disadvantages, Tenali Raman overcame them to become a remarkable man through pure desire and perseverance. He refused to let the difficulties in his circumstances prevent him from reaching his objectives and becoming a knowledgeable scholar.

His story serves as an inspiration for how willpower and knowledge can be used to combat social ills. Tenali Raman may inspire everyone since she is an excellent role model. His proverbial tales serve as a reminder that everything is possible if you are determined and persistent.

Tenali Raman joined the Bhagavata Mela group. For a performance in front of Krishnadevaraya, the mela traveled to Vijaynagara. Following his performance, Tenali attracted the King's attention. Raman, who had previously been only a comic at the King's court, then used his intelligence and humor to become an Asthadiggaj, one of the ninth intellectuals of the court. Everyone can benefit from Tenali's example. No matter who is in front of us, we shouldn't be afraid and should perform to our full potential. Your success in your work life will depend on how confident you are in yourself.

King Krishnadevaraya and Tenali Raman collaborated directly. Tenali was well-known for his wit and sense of humor. One of the main factors in Raman's strong relationship with King Krishnadevaraya was his intelligence, wit, and sense of humor. Tenali always understood how to lighten the atmosphere, get people to laugh, and make the courtroom appear really fun and entertaining.

Learning to grin and accept difficulties in these trying times will make our life easier. A sense of humor may be developed, making individuals more appealing and enhancing their viewpoint and temperament in social situations. Nowadays, having a sharp mind and a sense of humor may help you resolve many disputes.

Through his best writings, including his poetry and stories, Tenali Ramakrishna is still with us today. The position he attained, thanks to his superb work, would take a lot of work for most people to match. I hope you have learned a lot about Tenali Ramakrishna's life as a result of reading this essay.

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