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Remembering a firebrand poet
Even in prison, Dasarathi Krishnamacharyulu, the poet who fuelled the oppressed masses to raise a banner of revolt against the Nizam rule through his literary work, was unstoppable.
Dasarathi Krishnamacharyulu’s 91st birth anniversary today
Warangal: Even in prison, Dasarathi Krishnamacharyulu, the poet who fuelled the oppressed masses to raise a banner of revolt against the Nizam rule through his literary work, was unstoppable. Not given access to pen and paper, he dared write poems on the prison walls with a butt of charcoal given by jail authorities to brush his teeth. Such was his poetic emotion.
Born into a middle class family in Chinna Gudur in Warangal district on July 22, 1925, he was a profound scholar of mythology (puranas) with an excellent command over Telugu, Sanskrit, Urdu and Tamil. This is something outlandish especially for a person who gave up his studies after Matriculation.
Attracted by Andhra Mahasabha movement, the Left-leaning poet waged an untiring and undiminished fight against the autocratic rule of the Nizam besides continuing his sizzling poetry reflecting the face of oppressor and oppressed. The imprints of his aggressive approach later reflected in his sibling –Rangacharya, who was also a literary giant and a versatile genius of Telugu literature, as well.
For fighting against the Nizam tyranny, he was sent to Warangal jail and then shifted to Nizamabad prison in 1947, where he was said to have written his magnum opus Agnidhara book that also contained the famous lines - Na Telangana, Koti Ratnala Veena, which later became inspirational in the separate State Movement.
After the Hyderabad State was merged with the India Union, he worked with the All India radio (AIR) in Vijayawada and Chennai as a prompter until his superannuation of his services in 1971. He later worked as the State Poet of Andhra Pradesh between 1977 and 1983. Besides his other works Rudraveena, Mahandrodayam and Marpu - Na Teerpu, he also translated Urdu poems of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib in the name of Ghalib Geetalu.
His Timiramto Samaram bagged Kendra Sahitya Akademy Award in 1974. He also composed about 2,000 lyrics for the Telugu film industry. He was also the recipient of Kalaprapoorna (1975) award from Andhra University and D. Litt from Agra University (1976). He breathed his last on November 5, 1987 leaving an unmatched legacy in the literary world of Telugu-speaking States.
Speaking to The Hans India, novelist and Sahitya Akademy Award recipient Ampasayya Naveen said: “The greatness of the elder Dasarathi is that he was equally proficient in both padya and vachana kavitvam, which is a rarity. Literary world remembers him forever, so was Telangana.” Friday is his 91st birth anniversary.
By Adepu Mahender
