Tenali Ramakrishna

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Extent of Vijayanagara Empire, 1446, 1520 CE

Tenali Ramakrishna,[note 2][note 3] is a folk hero[2] in South India,[1][5][note 4] traditions.</ref> who figures prominently in "a host of folk stories".[2] According to tradition he was a court-poet,[8] or Ashtadiggajas, one of the eight elephants of Telugu poetry,[14] and court-jester[2][note 5] of Krishnadevaraya[8] of the Vijayanagara Empire[8] in the 16th century. [note 6]

Identification

According to tradition Tenali Ramakrishna was both a court-jester[2][note 7], and a court-poet,[8] or Ashtadiggajas, one of the eight elephants, of Telugu poetry,[14] of Krishnadevaraya[8] of the Vijayanagara Empire[8] in the 16th century.

According to Jackson,

The historical figure Tenali Rama was an actual poet who wrote a text entitled Panduranga Mahatyam.[1]

But according to Shulman,

Tenali Rama's historicity is entirely in doubt: there is no evidence, aside from the folk stories, that Krsnadevara ever had a 'real' jester; nor is there any reason to believe that Tenali Rama has anything to do with the well known Telugu poet Tenali Ramakrsnudu, the author of Telugu Kavyas Ghatikachalam and Padurangamahatyam, and a contemporary of this king.[2]

Narayano Rao and Shulman use the name "Tenali Ramakrishna" for the 16th century court poet, while using "Tenali Ramalingadu" for the court jester.[15] Many popular collections of stories, published between 1860 and 1920, use both names interchangeably for the court jester.[15] The kavya poet Tenali Ramakrishna also composed some works under the name Tenali Ramalinga.[15]

Folk hero and court jester

Tenali Ramakrishna is a folk hero[2] in South India,[1][5] including the Kannada'[4][5] Tamil[2][4][6][1][5] and Telugu[7][8][9][10][11][5][note 8] traditions, who figures prominently in "a host of folk stories".[2] His wide appearance in South Indian traditions is due to the extension of the Vijayanagara Empire, which included the larger part of South India, including Kannada, Tamil and Telugu speaking regions.

According to Shulman, his appearance as court jester is related to Indian counterparts such as Birbal, the jester and advisor of the Mughal emperor Akbar, and Gopal Bhar of king Raja Krishnachandra of Krishnanagar.[16]

Court poet

The works attributed to Tenali Ramakrishna as a court poet are part of the Vijayanagara literature.

Traditional biography

According to tradition, he was born in Tumuluru village near Tenali, Andhra Pradesh,[4] in a Telugu Niyogi Brahmin family.[17][18][19][20] He was referred to in the Hampi court as the man from Tenali.[citation needed] As the king Krishnadevaraya was a Vaishnavite, it is said that he would have changed his name to Ramakrishna.[citation needed]

The temple he built for Shiva is still an important temple in Tenali, a very important town of the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. The area in Tenali is called Ramaligeswara Peta.[citation needed]

Becoming a court poet

Several stories are being told about how Tenali Rama became a court poet and jester.

Kali's appearance

Legend has it that he was very lazy as a boy. One day a sage approached him and told him that he should be working and not be lazing under a tree. He told the sage that he had no education,so the sage told him to go to the Kali temple of the village and recite a specific mantra a 100 times. Ramakrishna went to the temple and recited the mantra. It is said that Kali appeared in front of Ramakrishna with a bowl of Milk and a bowl of curd. She told him to pick any one. The milk would give him all the knowledge in the world and the curd would give him all the wealth he needed. Ramakrishna said that both look tasty but he has to taste each before choosing, so Kali gave him both the bowls. Ramakrishna gorged both the curd and the milk. Kali was furious. However, Ramakrishna explained to Kali "even if I have knowledge I wont get money (wealth) and if I get wealth I would not be a knowledgeable person . Kali was impressed by his wit and said that he will become a Vikatakavi, meaning a jesting poet. With his knowledge he left to Vijaynagara.

First, he approached the royal priest Thathacharya and laid his heart before him, after exhibiting his skills. Thathacharya promised Ramalinga to introduce him to the King Krishnadeva Raya. Satisfied Ramalinga spent many a days in vain, waiting for the opportunity. Ramalinga was vexed and started hunting for alternative ways that would gain entry into the court. He then located Nandi Thimmana, another scholar who had a permanent place in the royal court. Ramalinga approached Thimmana and appeased him with his expertise in spontaneous poetry. Thimmana felicitated Ramalinga by presenting him with a Kashmir Shawl, which was presented to him by King Krishnadeva Raya the previous day for his performance.

The next day, Ramalinga adorning the Kashmiri Shawl on his shoulders walked into the royal court. King Krishnadeva Raya was discussing various issues with the courtiers at that time. Krishnadeva Raya was surprised to see a stranger in the Shawl that was presented to Thimmana couple of days before. A straight question came from the King Krishnadeva Raya, “Where did you get this shawl?” With all humbleness Ramalinga replied, “My King! Thimmana could have satisfied you with his proficiency. I was fortunate enough to please that great personality with my poetry. Thimmana, pleased with my expertise…” he continued, “presented me this shawl felicitating me at his residence. I am wearing this to exhibit my competence..”

Skilled poet

According to another story, Ramalinga practised poetry and composition along with command on language and grammar. Mingling with a group of minstrels, he learnt the art of spontaneous poetry composing techniques at Tenali. He made himself a perfectionist in Sanskrit and Telugu languages. Gradually, in the natural process of growing up, he was married and was blessed with children. From then onwards, he was compelled to find ways to earn a living and feed his family.

He learnt that Vijaya Nagar ruler Sri Krishnadeva Raya was a revered patron for poetry and poets besides being a scholar in Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit languages on par. Every poet and scholar with some skill in the vast Vijaya Nagar empire was longing for getting into the Bhuvana Vijaya, the royal court of Krishnadeva Raya. Ramalinga headed to Vijaya Nagar with a similar thought and wish in him.

Works

Tenali Rama is noted for his brilliance and wit, and for mocking other poets and great personalities.[citation needed]

He created a celebrated character called Nigama Sarma akka (sister Nigama Sarma) and a story around her without giving her a name. He also had written many Chatuvu (extempore poems).[citation needed]

Tenali Ramakrishna's most famous work, Panduranga Mahatyam,[1] is dedicated to Viruri Vedadri, or god Panduranga (विठोबा in Marathi), a form of Vishnu, whose main temple stands at Pandharpur in Maharashtra. This book is about the Pundarika Kshetram on the banks of river Bhaimi and its legend. He took the theme for Panduranga Mahatyam from the Skanda Purana and enhanced it with many stories about the devotees of God Vitthala (Panduranga).[citation needed] Scholars treat this work as one among the Pancha Kavyas.[citation needed]

He also composed Udbhataradhya Charitram on the story of Udbhata, a monk, as well as Ghatikachala Mahatyam about Ghatikachalam, a place of worship for God Narasimha near Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India,.[21][22]

Contemporary popular appearance

Movie

1956 film

Tenali Ramakrishna is a 1956 bilingual Tamil and Telugu film produced and directed by B. S. Ranga. The Tamil film is titled as Tenali Raman. N.T.Rama Rao appeared as Sri Krishna Deva Raya in both films where Tenali Ramakrishna is played by A. Nageswara Rao and Tenali Raman is played by Sivaji Ganesan and Subhanjaneya Raju. Shri Krishnadeva raya movie was also made in Kannada in the year 1970 Rajkumar appeared as Sri Krishna Deva Raya and Tenali Ramakrishna was played by Narasimha Raju.[citation needed]

1990 Doordarshan Serial

But most Indian audience became familiar with Tenali Rama due to the TV serial made by T.S. Nagabharana in which Vijay Kashyap played the lead role.[23] It was based on short-stories by Mrs. Kamala Laxman.

Animated television series

His story was made into an animated television series called "The Adventures of Tenali Raman" by the Cartoon Network (India) in 2003.[24]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Telugu is the main language of Andhra Pradesh, which is mentioned by Seal.hra Pradesh]], which is mentioneSeal 2001, p. 214.
  2. ↑ From Tumuluru, a village near Tenali, Andhra Pradesh.[3]
  3. ↑ Also known as Garlapati Tenali Ramakrishna,[12] Vikata Kavi Tenali Rama,[13] Tenali Ramalingadu[11] Tenali Rama,[6] Tenali Ramalingam[2] and Tenali raman.[2]
  4. ↑ Including the Kannada'[4][5] Tamil[2][4][6][1][5] and Telugu[7][8][9][10][11][5][note 1]
  5. ↑ He was called a vikatakavi (Telugu: వికటకవి) (a phonetic palindrome) meaning clown-jester-poet
  6. ↑ According to Jackson, "The historical figure Tenali Rama was an actual poet who wrote a text entitled Panduranga Mahatmya".[1] According to Shulman, "Tenali Rama's historicity is entirely in doubt: there is no evidence, aside from the folk stories, that Krsnadevara ever had a 'real' jester; nor is there any reason to believe that Tenali Rama has anything to do with the well known Telugu poet Tenali Ramakrsnudu, the author of Telugu Kavyas Ghatikachalam and Padurangamahatyam, and a contemporary of this king."[2]
  7. ↑ He was called a vikatakavi (Telugu: వికటకవి) (a phonetic palindrome) meaning clown-jester-poet
  8. ↑ Telugu is the main language of Andhra Pradesh, which is mentioned by Seal.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Jackson 2005, p. 139.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 Shulman 2007, p. 4.
  3. ↑ Goyal 2010, p. 17.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Heyman 2007, p. 218.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Blackburn 2001, p. 31.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Seal 2001, p. 214.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rādhākr̥ṣṇaśarma 1975, p. 15.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Arathoon 2008, p. 75.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Das 1991, p. 521.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Tahir 2001, p. 57.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Beck 1987, p. 236.
  12. ↑ Goyal & 2010 14.
  13. ↑ vikatakavi tenali rama. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Louis-Frédéric 1987, p. 432.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Mitchell 2009, p. 234.
  16. ↑ Shulman 2007, p. 4-5.
  17. ↑ Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya: A Political Study 1978, p. 233.
  18. ↑ Rishi Shrivastava Tenali, p. 22.
  19. ↑ Sākkoṭṭai Krishṇaswāmi Aiyaṅgār 2000, p. 237.
  20. ↑ Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya: A Political Study. Andhra University Press, 1978 - Politicians. 1978. p. 233. 
  21. ↑ Encyclopaedia Of South Indian Literature. p. 109. 
  22. ↑ Encyclopaedia of India: Tamil Nadu. p. 94. 
  23. ↑ Tenali Rama
  24. ↑ The Hindu Online | Adventures of Tenali Rama Article dated June 20, 2003 by Savitha Gautam, accessed on October 20, 2008

Sources

  • Goyal, Vishal (2010), Fix your problems the Tenali Raman Way, Pustak Mahal 
  • Arathoon, Anita (2008), Our Story So Far 4. History & Civics for ISCE Schools, Dorling Kindersley 
  • Beck, Brenda E. F.; Claus, Peter J.; Goswami, Praphulladatta; Handoo, Jawaharlal (1987), Folktales of India, The university of Chicago press, Chicago 60637 
  • Blackburn, Stuart (2001), Moral Fictions: Tamil Folktales from Oral Tradition, Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, Academia Scientiarum Fennica 
  • Callā, Rādhākr̥ṣṇaśarma (1975), Landmarks in Telugu Literature, Lakshminarayana Granthamala 
  • Das, Sisir Kumar (1991), A History of Indian Literature: 1800-1910, western impact: indian response, Sahitya Akademi 
  • Goyal, Vishal (2010), Fix your problems the Tenali Rama way, Pustak Mahal, New Delhi, ISBN 978-81-223-1127-3 
  • Heyman, Micheael; Satpathy, Sumanyu; Ravishankar, Anushka, The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense, Penguin Books India 
  • Jackson, William Joseph (2005), Vijayanagara Voices: Exploring South Indian History and Hindu Literature, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. 
  • Louis, Frédéric (1987), Encyclopaedia of Asian civilizations, Volumes 6-7 
  • Mitchell, Lisa (2009), Language, Emotion, and Politics in South India: The Making of a Mother Tongue, Indiana University Press 
  • Seal, Graham (2001), Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes, ABC-CLIO 
  • Shulman, David Dean (2007), A kIngdom of Clowns: Brahmins, Jesters and Magicians. In: Cultural History Of Medieval India, pp 3-23, Berghahn Books 
  • Tahir, Mohhammed (2001), Libraries in India's National Developmental Perspective: A Saga of Fifty years since independence, Concept Publishing Company 

Further reading

  • K.A. Nilakanta Sastry, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002) ISBN 0-19-560686-8
  • Shulman, David Dean (2007), A kIngdom of Clowns: Brahmins, Jesters and Magicians. In: Cultural History Of Medieval India, pp 3-23, Berghahn Books 

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