The mark of Maha Kavi

Hyderabad: Sri Rangam Srinivasa Rao, dearly called as ‘Sri Sri’ has scaled up to the phenomenal poetic heights with his ‘Maro Prapancham’ (The Other World) making his mark in the Telugu literature. This has made him get crowned with ‘Maha Kavi’ (Great Poet).

Sri Sri’s other world depicts the deprivation of the current world order and makes a fervent pitch to inspire people, to march towards the goal of achieving ‘an ideal’ other world or a ‘free world’. The world, of Sri Sri, which is akin, to that of the one propounded by one of the great philosopher’s Karl Marx, advocating dumping the capital-driven world order, in favour of a state, free from exploitation and deprivation of all sorts.

The Bolshevik’s revolution in Russia in 1917-18 which was led by Vladimir Lenin, in pursuit of establishing an ideal state was a historical epoch. All these colors reflect in his poetic verse. However, the poet himself calls it coincidental but acknowledges the similarities between the two, when he had looked back into what he had written.

The tone and tenor of Sri Sri calling people to take a great march, in his poetic verse, calling – “Maro Prapancham, Maro Prapancham Pilichindi” (The other world is calling you), reflects his skillful poetic craftsmanship of excellence over sound, rhythm, and rhyme throughout his poems in his Maro Prapancham.

That apart, the other famous poems of him includes, “Jagannadha Radh Chakaralu” (Chariot of Jagannadh), Garjinchu Russia, Gandrinchu Russia, Parjanya Sankham Purinchu Russia (Come, Russia, roaring and rolling, blowing the conch of Parjanya) which shows the zenith of poetic verse in the Telugu literature.

Further, the poet himself had claimed of taking a departure in 1930’s from the grammatical poetic writings to widen the path laid by Gurajada Apparao, to give emphasis to the common language used by people, and thus, he had shifted to Vachana Kavitvam (Poetic Verse).

However, his poems present to the readers a rare blend of modernity with a classic touch. And, Sri Sri’s experiment with the poetic verse reflects the innate strength of Telugu language capable of giving expression to the modern thoughts or winds of change with a classical touch.

For example, Parjanya in his invitation to Russia comes from the Vedic lore in which he was a rain god. Similarly, in his poem of the ideal other world, one comes across “tharpana”, “Homajwalala Bhaga Bhagalu” and in the poem of Chariot of Jagannadh, “Kalakatta Kalika Nalika”, “ Yamuni Mahishapu Kanchu Gantalu Mabbu Chatuna Khanel Mannai”, the poet make uses of the Pratika or symbolism, of the classical school of literature.

The poet has to his several classic film songs to his credit. And, with his contribution to the Telugu literature, his Maha Prasthanam, remains a classic of modern time.

By VRC Phaniharan