The Kalahastisvara Satakamu is a collection of poems composed in Telugu by Dhurjati, who has been described as an ashtadiggaja in the Vijayanagara court of Krishnadevaraya. [1] The poems are dedicated to the form of Shiva venerated at the Kalahasti temple. [2] They are well-known by Telugu-speaking audiences. [3] [4]
The Satakamu text generally comprises a collection of one hundred poems [3] in praise of a deity. [5] The manuscripts of this text contain somewhere between 21 and 129 poems. [2] Each poem ends with an invocation of Shiva, the god of Kalahasti. [2] The poems primarily concern devotion [2] to Shiva as a means to liberation from karma. [5]
After the introduction of the printing press in the nineteenth century, print copies of the already popular Kalahastisvara Satakamu circulated among Telugu audiences. [4] A selection of these poems has been translated by Velcheru Narayana Rao and Hank Heifetz. [2] [5] The collection was published by the University of California Press. [6]
Kamma is a largely Hindu caste from South India. The community of Kammas is believed to have originated from agriculturists of the Kammanadu region of the erstwhile Guntur district and Ongole division in Andhra Pradesh. Propelled by their military activity in the Vijayanagara Empire, Kammas are believed to have spread out from the region during the Vijayanagara period, followed by some in-migration during the British period and out-migration again during the twentieth century. Today they are regarded as one of the richest groups in Andhra Pradesh and are a dominant caste from Coastal Andhra with socio-economic and political prominence throughout the Telugu-speaking regions of India.
Nannayya Bhattaraka or Nannayya Bhattu was a Telugu poet and the author of Andhra Mahabharatam, a Telugu retelling of the Sanskrit-language Mahabharata. Nannaya is generally considered the first poet of Telugu language. He was patronized by Rajaraja Narendra of Rajamahendravaram. Rajaraja Narendra was an admirer of Mahabharata and wanted the message of the Sanskrit epic to reach the Telugu masses in their own language and idiom. He commissioned Nannaya, a scholar well versed in Vedas, Puranas, and Itihasas for the task. Nannaya began his work in c. 1025 CE and wrote Adi Parvam, Sabaparvam, and a part of Aranyaparvam.
Srinatha was a well-known 15th-century Telugu poet who popularised the Prabandha style of composition.
The Reddi kingdom or Kondavidu Reddi kingdom was a kingdom established and ruled by Prolaya Vema Reddi from 1325 to 1448 CE in southern India. Most of the region that was ruled by the kingdom is now part of modern-day Rayalaseema, coastal and central Andhra Pradesh.
Telugu literature is the body of works written in the Telugu language. It consists of poems, short stories, novels, plays, and song lyrics, among others. There is some indication that Telugu literature dates at least to the middle of the first millennium, the first extant works are from the 11th century when the Mahabharata was first translated to Telugu from Sanskrit by Nannaya. The language has experienced a golden age under the patronage of the Vijayanagara Emperor-Poet Krishnadevaraya.
Velama is a Hindu caste found mainly in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The earliest recorded use of the term "Velama" to refer to a community dates back to the 17th century. In the caste based hierarchy, they hold a high position. They are also referred to as "Dora" (Lord) by other castes, a term that signifies respect. The modern Velama community is divided into four distinct categories: Padmanayaka Velama, Adi Velama, Koppula Velama, and Polinati Velama. In general usage, the term Velama refers to Padmanayaka Velama, a Forward caste.
The Nayaka dynasties refers to a group of Hindu dynasties who emerged during the Kakatiya dynasty and the Vijayanagara Empire period in South India. Many of these dynasties, such as the Madurai Nayaks and the Thanjavur Nayaks, were originally military governors under the Vijayanagara Empire, who, after the Battle of Talikota, declared themselves independent and established their own polities. Many of them were Telugu-speaking Balijas.
The Balija are a Telugu-speaking mercantile community primarily living in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and in smaller numbers in Telangana and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, they are known as Kavarais.
Telaga is a land-owning agrarian community primarily found in the Coastal Andhra region of India. Telaga is a subcaste of the Kapu community, with both terms often used interchangeably. They are classified as a Forward caste. Historically, they were a warrior caste known for their honour and bravery.
Kannappa is a legendary figure in South Indian folklore, widely celebrated for his devotion to the Hindu god Shiva. His story is closely connected with the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. Kannappa, originally a hunter, became renowned for offering his eyes to a Siva Lingam as an act of ultimate devotion. Before he could sacrifice both eyes, Shiva appeared and stopped him.
The Nayakas of Kalahasti were a line of rulers of Kalahasti and Vandavasi principalities. Members of the group include Damarla Chennapa Nayaka, after whom the city of Chennai is named. The Kalahasti Nayaks had their origins in the Velama warrior clans of present-day Andhra Pradesh. These Nayakas served as vassals of the late Vijayanagara Empire, then held by the Aravidu Dynasty and headquartered at Chandragiri and Vellore.
Parijatapaharanamu (parijata+apaharanamu) is a Telugu poem composed by Nandi Thimmana. It is based on a story from Harivamsam. The story is about love quarrel between Krishna and his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama.
Damarla Chennapa Nayaka also known as Damal Chennappa Nayakkar was a Nayaka ruler of Kalahasti and Vandavasi under the suzerainty of Vijayanagar emperor Venkatapati Raya. He was also the Dalavoy or the Commander-in-Chief of the emperor.
Henry S. (Hank) Heifetz is an American poet, novelist, documentarian, critic, and translator. He has published poems in various collections and journals, one novel, critical writings on film and other topics, numerous translations of Spanish to English, and translations of ancient Sanskrit and Tamil poetry into American English verse. His translation of Kalidasa's "Kumarasambhavam," entitled "The Origin of the Young God", was selected as one of the twenty-five best books of the year by the Village Voice in 1990. Heifetz has lived and traveled extensively in India, Latin America, Europe, and Turkey, and he has translated works in several languages, including Spanish, Tamil, and Sanskrit. He has taught writing, translation, film, literature, and Indian studies at universities including Yale University, Mount Holyoke College, Wesleyan University, City University of New York (CUNY), San Jose State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has recently completed a new novel and a collection of his own poetry for publication as well as working on a poetic translation of a Sanskrit epic poem.
Vavilikolanu Subba Rao or Andhra Valmiki or Vaasu Daasa Swami was a Sanskrit scholar and a Telugu poet, often known by the epithet Andhra Valmiki.
Sakala-nīti-sammatamu is an anthology of Telugu poems by Madiki Singana. It is about nīti or morals in the society of Telugu country. The poet belongs to Gurijala Nayaks dynasty of 14th century A.D.
Asavadi Prakasa Rao was an Indian poet, critic, translator and scholar, who is known for his poetry and prose works. He is noted for his significant contribution to Telugu and Sanskrit literature. In January 2021, he was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian award the Padma Shri in the Arts and Literature category. As Ashtavadhani, he has given 170 performances and has written and published 50 books across various genres. His most notable literary contribution is his performance of Avadhanam – a literary performance. He has received an honorary D Litt from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University and a Distinguished Teacher award from the Department of Higher Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Velcheru Narayana Rao is an Indian author, critic, and literary translator. He is a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the Department of South Asian Studies. His work is primarily focused on Telugu literature for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour conferred by Sahitya Akademi, in February 2021.
Kākunūri Appa-kavi was a Telugu language poet and grammarian from present-day southern India, noted for writing the Telugu grammar book Appakavīyamu. He claims to have written the book at the instruction of the god Vishnu, based on a purported Sanskrit language work by the earlier poet Nannaya.
Mulaghatika Ketana was a Telugu language poet and writer from southern India. He was a disciple of the poet Tikkana, and wrote multiple works under Tikkana's sponsorship.