Songs of Telugu women folk

Songs by Telugu women, forms an integral part of Indian literature

WORD WIZ Retired Telugu Professor of Andhra University K. Malayavasini

సాహిత్య సురభి (Sahitya Surabhi, a well known literary body, organised a talk on స్తీల పాటల్లొ రామాయణం (`Streela Paatallo Ramayanam') recently. Former HoD of A.U. Department of Telugu, ప్రోఫ్. కే. మలయవసిని (Prof. K. Malayavasini quoting extensively and singing scores of key stanzas from such songs besides a few from Telugu ballads and orations, delivered an absorbing and thought provoking discourse. Many an aspect that stood considered or appeared very trivial in all versions of the Ramayana, starting from the original by Valmiki in Sanskrit, are the lyrics sung by the Telugu women . More astonishingly, some aspects that just peep out from inbetween the lines in some versions of the epic not only form the central theme of such lyrics but also get fascinatingly adorned for elaboration.

Despite the fact that the origin of these lyrics, including the rustic tunes of the songs of the Telugu women folk still remains an enigma, the tradition of singing these still continues to be an integral part of the Telugu culture, of the countryside in particular that went on Malayavasini. They stand considered sprouts of expressive and effusive imagery in native dialect arising out of the seeds of immense love and deep rooted affection of the women folk.

The songs that picturise సీతా ఆటపాటలు (Sita Aatapaatalu), కల్యాణం (Kalyanam), అప్పగింతలు (Appaginthalu), వసంతం (Vasantham), సీతమ్మగడియ (Sitammagadiya), అలక (Alaka) etc., pertain to the story of Ramayana before the Aranyavasam. సీతా చేర (Sita Chera), ఆనవాళ్ళు (Aanavaallu), ముద్రిక (Mudrika), అగ్నిపరీక్ష (Agnipareeksha) so on and so forth, speak volumes of the అరణ్యవాసం (Aranyavasam). సీతాస్తుతి (Sitastuti), సీతా రాముల సంవాదం (Sita Ramula Samvadam), ఉర్మిల దేవి నిద్ర (Urmila Devi Nidra) and లక్ష్మణ దేవర నిద్ర (Lakshmana Devara Nidra) speak of the story after the రామపట్టాభిషేకం (Ramapattabhishekam). Similarly, there exists many an elaborate ballad, ballad operas and oratorios describing these events, but their authorship is not known.

Gurudeb Rabindranath Tagore in his treatise on neglected heroines of the epic age refers to these aspects with all regard. Devendra Satyardhi, a researcher of high esteem on Indian folk literature in his book titled Meet My People also mentioned in detail such songs of the Telugu women folk.While the president of the Surabhi, V. Kalyana Rama Rao chaired the session, noted writers and lyricists Dr. Manukonda Suryakumari and Aduri Satyavathi Devi who were guests of honour felicitated Malayavasini. Secretary Oruganti Rajendra Prasad proposed a vote of thanks.

Courtesy: The Hindu