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The etymology of the word Telugu can be traced back to the region bordered by Three Lingams of Kaleshwaram, Bhimeshwaram, and Srisailam - giving raise to Trilinga which evolved into Telugu. Another view holds that it evolved from the word Tenugu, where ‘Ten’ means the people lived to the south of Sanskrit / Prakrit speaking areas. The legend of “Le Pakshi” in Ramayana pushes back the date of the presence of Telugu to a further ancient date. Atharvana Acharya in the 13th century wrote, “Trilinga Shabdanushasam” ( Trilinga Grammer ).
Bhattiprolu inscriptions at Guntur in Prakrit has some Telugu words dating back to 400 BC. In 575 CE, we can for the first time an inscription completely in Telugu by Renati Cholas. During Ikshvaku period Telugu and Kannada scripts started separating.
Nannayya Bhattaraka ( 1022 - 1063 ) was the first poet and author in Telugu in the 11th century. He authored Andhra Maharbhatamu under the patronage of Vengi Chalukyan King Raja Raja Narendra. He is also credited with the first treatise on Telugu grammar in Sanskrit named ‘Andhra Shabda Chintamani’. It followed the existing procedures in Ashtadhyayi and Valmikivyakaranam of Panani. But unlike Panani, Nannayya divided it into 5 parts - Samjna, Sandhi, Ajanta, Halanta, and Kriya. Andhramahabharatam took 300 more years to be completed by Tikkanna ( 1205 - 1288 ) and Erraanna (14th century). Nannayya died while writing 3rd Parva i.e., Aranya Parva. Tikanna started it from 4th Parva because it was considered inauspicious to start with 3rd Parava as the previous author died writing it. Later Erranna completed half portion of Aranya Parva.
16th Century Venetian traveler Nicolo De Conti referred Telugu as “Italian Of East”. Because just like in Italian words, Telugu words also end with Vowels.
Golden Age of Telugu literature was during the Vijayanagara reign especially under the rule of Sri Krishna Devaraya.
QutubShahis were great patrons of Telugu, despite Persian being their language. Andhra Mahasabha was established in 1921 by Madapati Hanumanth Rao to save Telugu from the Persian influence during Nizam's rule.
Language and literature:
Telugu is the official language of Andhra Pradesh. Telugu is also the official language of Telangana and Puducherry. It was recognized as one of the six Classical languages in 2008. It has the 4th highest number of native speakers in the country.The etymology of the word Telugu can be traced back to the region bordered by Three Lingams of Kaleshwaram, Bhimeshwaram, and Srisailam - giving raise to Trilinga which evolved into Telugu. Another view holds that it evolved from the word Tenugu, where ‘Ten’ means the people lived to the south of Sanskrit / Prakrit speaking areas. The legend of “Le Pakshi” in Ramayana pushes back the date of the presence of Telugu to a further ancient date. Atharvana Acharya in the 13th century wrote, “Trilinga Shabdanushasam” ( Trilinga Grammer ).
Bhattiprolu inscriptions at Guntur in Prakrit has some Telugu words dating back to 400 BC. In 575 CE, we can for the first time an inscription completely in Telugu by Renati Cholas. During Ikshvaku period Telugu and Kannada scripts started separating.
Nannayya Bhattaraka ( 1022 - 1063 ) was the first poet and author in Telugu in the 11th century. He authored Andhra Maharbhatamu under the patronage of Vengi Chalukyan King Raja Raja Narendra. He is also credited with the first treatise on Telugu grammar in Sanskrit named ‘Andhra Shabda Chintamani’. It followed the existing procedures in Ashtadhyayi and Valmikivyakaranam of Panani. But unlike Panani, Nannayya divided it into 5 parts - Samjna, Sandhi, Ajanta, Halanta, and Kriya. Andhramahabharatam took 300 more years to be completed by Tikkanna ( 1205 - 1288 ) and Erraanna (14th century). Nannayya died while writing 3rd Parva i.e., Aranya Parva. Tikanna started it from 4th Parva because it was considered inauspicious to start with 3rd Parava as the previous author died writing it. Later Erranna completed half portion of Aranya Parva.
16th Century Venetian traveler Nicolo De Conti referred Telugu as “Italian Of East”. Because just like in Italian words, Telugu words also end with Vowels.
Golden Age of Telugu literature was during the Vijayanagara reign especially under the rule of Sri Krishna Devaraya.
QutubShahis were great patrons of Telugu, despite Persian being their language. Andhra Mahasabha was established in 1921 by Madapati Hanumanth Rao to save Telugu from the Persian influence during Nizam's rule.
Some important scholars, poets, and authors of Telugu Literature:
- Yogi Vemana’s Vemana shatakam is quite famous among Telugu people. Vemana Shatakam consists of short 4 line poems with strong social messages.
- C. P. Brown, a famous linguist prepared first Telugu to English dictionary and also translated Vemana Shathakam into English.
- Sumati Shatakam by Baddena Bhupala is also paced at equal status as that of Vemana Shatakam.
- Molla wrote Andhra Ramayanam. She is the 2nd female Telugu poet after Tallapakka Timmakka, wife of Annamayya. She holds the title of Kavi Ratna. Her Ramayana is the simplest one in Telugu till date.
- Srinadha Kavi popularised the Prabandha Style in 14th Century. He holds the title of Kavi Sarvabhowma. He was patronized by various kings of his time. His major works are Panditaradhya Charitra and Harivilasa.
- Bommera Potanna ( 1450 - 1510 ) was Telugu and Sanskrit scholar. His famous works are Andhra Bhagavatam and Bhogini Dandakam.
- Dhurjati (15th and 16th centuries CE) was a Telugu poet in the court of the king Krishnadevaraya and was one of the ‘Ashtadiggajas’.
- Allsani Peddanna, another Ashtadiggaja with a title of ‘Andhra Kavita Pitamaha’ is famous for his Sarvochissa Manu Sambhavam also known as Manu Charitra.
- Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah sponsored many court poets, such as Singanacharyudu, Addanki Gangadharudu, and Kandukuru Rudrakavi. He is also known in Telugu literature as, Malki Bharama.
- Viswanatha Kaviraja,( 15th century) most widely known for his masterpiece, Sahityadarpanam, he was a prolific poet, scholar, and rhetorician who ascended literary heights during the reigns of two successive Gangavamsi rulers of Kalinga – King Narasimha Deva IV and King Nishanka Bhanudeva IV.
- Annamayya (1408 - 1503 ) is the first known composer of Carnatic music. Holds the title of Andhra Pada Kavita Pitamaha, Purandara Dasa came after him. He is believed to be the avatar of Nandaka - the sword of Vishnu.
- Jayapa Senani ( Jayapa Nayaka ) military chief of kaktiyas wrote Nritya Ratnavalli in Sanskrit, describes dances present in the Andhra region.
- Somanatha Kavi wrote Basavapurana, Panditaradhyacharitra etc.,
- In 19th century Chinnayya Suri wrote Bala Vyakaranam borrowing ideas from Nannayya.
Some people from colonial times:
- Gidugu Ramamoorthy was known for using Vyavaharika Bhasa in writing.
- Kandukuri Veeresalingam wrote Rajashekara Charitra ( 1st Telugu Novel ), Viveka Vardhini & Satihita Bodhini are magazines for women, Andhra Kavula Charitra, Prahalada, Satyaharishchandra, Viveka Chandrika, he also authored 1st play in Telugu and also 1st science and history in Telugu.
- Gurazada Apparao, wrote Kanyasulkam, sarangadhara, Mutyala saralu, Pooranamma. He started tarted Andhra Sahitya Parishad.
- Panuganti Lakshmi Narasimha Rao - Andhra Shakesphere.