Allasani Peddana

Allasani Peddana (Telugu:అల్లసాని పెద్దన) (15th and 16th centuries CE) was a famous Telugu poet and was ranked as the foremost of the "Astadiggajalu" the title for the group of eight poets in the court of King Krishnadevaraya, a ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Biography

Peddana is a native of Chandragiri near Tirupathi. [cite web
last = Adluri
first = Seshu Madhava Rao
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = aShTadiggajamulu (Introduction)
publisher = mun.ca
year = 1998
url = http://www.engr.mun.ca/~adluri/telugu/classical/prabandha/peddana/peddana.html ] He later moved Peddanapadu, a small village located at 5 km from Yerraguntla on Yerraguntla-Vempalli road in Kadapa District, which is an Agraharam given by Krishnadevaraya. Alternative sources say his birth place as Dornala village near the present day Bellari. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Allasani Peddana
publisher = vedapanditulu.net
year =
url = http://www.vedapanditulu.net/allasanipeddana.php ] Still there are few remains around the village which strongly indicates about his presence in that area. He was a Vaishnavite.

He wrote the first major Prabandha, a form of fictional poetry in Telugu, and for this reason, he is revered as "Andhra Kavithaa Pithaamahudu" (literally "the father of telugu poetry"). It is believed that he was also a minister in the king's court and is hence sometimes referred as "Peddanaamaatya" (Etymology: Peddana + Amaatya = Peddana, the minister). He dedicated his works to king Krishnadevaraya.

Lores

* The emperor himself lifted and bore the weight of the palanquin in which Peddana was seated.
* He was bestowed with Kanakabhisheka by the king.
* He was the only poet who had the privilege of mounting the royal elephants.

Works

His famous work was "Swaarochisha Manu Sambhavam" (also known as "Manu Charitra"). This work is the development of an episode in Markandeya Puranam relating to the birth of Svarochishamanu, whois one of the fourteen Manus. Pravara is a pious Brahmin youth who goes to Himalayas for Tapasya. In Himalayas Varudhini, a Gandarava girl falls in love with him, but Pravara rejects her love. Knowing this a Gandarava youth who was earlier rejected by Varudhini assumes the form of Pravara and succeeds to win her love. To them is born Svarochisha, the father of Svarochishamanu. [cite book| first = Raju | last = P.T | coauthors =Rao | title = A Telugu Literature | location = India | publisher = Onal Book House | year = | isbn = ]

Some of his other famous works such as "Harikathaasaaramu" are untraceable now.

tyle

The theme for his "Manu Charitra" is a short story from Markandeya Purana. It is about second "Manu" of fourteen manus(fathers of mankind societies according to Hindu mythology), translated into telugu from Sanskrit by Marana (1291-1323) [cite web
last = Adluri
first = Seshu Madhava Rao
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = allasAni peddana
publisher = mun.ca
year = 1998
url = http://www.engr.mun.ca/~adluri/telugu/classical/prabandha/peddana/peddana1.html ] , disciple of Tikkana. The original story was around 150 poems and Peddana extended into six chapters with 600 poems by adding fiction and descriptions.His work was treated as one of the Pancha Kavyas, the five best works in Telugu. Peddana used a mix of words from Telugu and Sanskrit and a small number of Kannada and Urdu words.

Awards and Titles

* He was honoured with Title "Andhra Kavita Pitamaha" by Krishnadevaraya.

ee also

* Srinatha, the first telugu Prabandha writer.

References

Notes

* [http://www.maganti.org/page5.html A Great Compilation of Telugu poets / poetesses]
* [http://www.inca.engr.mun.ca/~adluri/telugu/classical/prabandha/peddana/peddana.html Peddana Allasani]
* [http://www.inca.engr.mun.ca/~adluri/telugu/classical/prabandha/peddana/peddana1.html Peddana style]
* 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
* [http://www.tlca.com/youth/golden-age.html Golden age of Telugu Literature]
* [http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka47.htm Literary activity in Vijayanagara Empire]