Classical Telugu Poetry: An Anthology
This groundbreaking anthology opens a window on a thousand years of classical poetry in Telugu, the mellifluous language of Andhra Pradesh in southern\ India. The classical tradition in Telugu is one of the richest yet least explored of all South Asian literatures. This authoritative volume, the first anthology of classical Telugu poetry in English, gives an overview of one of the world's most creative poetic traditions. Velcheru Narayana Rao and David Shulman have brought together...
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"An amazing book . . . There is nothing remotely like it anywhere in the world. I am in awe at the skill with which the many different voices in this collection have been kept alive. It is a terrific and stunningly interesting read."—Wendy Doniger, author of The Bedtrick: Tales of Sex and Masquerade"This is a superb collection, which presents to the English reading public for the first time a literature of great beauty and importance. There is no similar or comparable anthology for any Indian language let alone Telugu. All of the translations of the poems are exquisite and learned. The introduction is both a much needed history of Telugu poetry and also a guide to the aesthetics of Telugu poetry and the art of reading it."—Phyllis Granoff, translator of The Journey: Stories by K.C. Das
AcknowledgmentsNote on PronunciationIntroduction11Nannaya55Entering the Mahabharata56Udanka and the Snakes612Nannecoda67On Poetry in Telugu68How to Make God Fall in Love713Palkuriki Somanatha76The Brahmin Widow and the Untouchable God774Tikkana82The Slaying of Kicaka835Mancana102The Brahmin Who Kept His Wife in the Basement102Quick Wit104The Obliging Husband1046Errapragada106Vena and Prthu1077Nacana Somanatha112Naraka and Urvasi1138Srinatha118A Definition of Poetry119Burning the Three Cities120The Birth of Sukumara1279Bammera Potana133Visnu the Dwarf135The Rescue of Gajendra14310Annamayya147Songs for the Lord of the Hills14811Allasani Peddana156The Brahmin Meets the Courtesan158Sanskrit and Telugu16412Krsnadevaraya166The King's Dream168Visnu-citta of Villiputtur17013Nandi Timmanna178Satyabhama Kicks Krsna17914Dhurjati191The Story of Natkira19215Tenali Ramakrsna201On Becoming a Frog20216Nutana-kavi Suranna216Beauty or Wealth?21617Pingali Suranna222Beauty Unadorned22318Appakavi230On Poetry and Grammar231On Good Books23519Ksetrayya239Courtesan Songs24020Satakas245Dhurjati, Kalahastisvara-satakamu246Kancarla Gopanna [Ramadasu], Dasarathi satakamu247Kasula Purusottamakavi, Andhra-nayaka-satakamu24821Catu Verses25122Sahaji256Take My Wife25723Samukhamu Venkatakrsnappa Nayaka279The Love of Indra and Ahalya27924Muddupalani293How to Read a Book294Radha Instructs Ila, Krsna's New Bride, in the Arts of Love29425Tyagaraja297I Can't See You Smile298Take Me for Your Guard298What Did You Give Them?299Reach Him Through Music299Won't You Remove the Screen?300Bibliography301Index305
