Molla Ramayanam
| Author | Molla |
|---|---|
| Original title | మొల్ల రామాయణము |
| Language | Telugu |
| Genre | Epic poetry |
Publication date | 16th century |
| Publication place | India |
Molla Ramayanam is a Telugu epic poem composed by the 16th-century poetess Molla, based on the Sanskrit Ramayana by Valmiki.[1][2] Written in accessible Telugu, this version is notable for its extensive use of kandam-style verse, which led to it also being called "Kanda Ramayanam."[3] Molla's Ramayanam is considered the first condensed Ramayanam in Telugu.[4]
Authorship and background
[edit]Molla, whose full name is Atukuri Molla, is the author of this work.[3][5] A celebrated poetess from Gopavaram in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, she is considered one of the earliest female poets in Telugu literature.[6] Molla identified herself as the daughter of a potter and noted that her father was a devout follower of Siva, a theme that appears in the introductory verses of her work.[7][8]
Literary significance
[edit]Molla was self-taught and claimed her poetic talent was a divine gift. She did not dedicate her work to any king for fame or fortune, a practice uncommon in her time, emphasizing her pure devotion to Rama.[8][9] She intended her Ramayana to be easily understood by common people, avoiding complex language or grandiosity.[3][8]
Her Ramayanam consists of approximately 870 verses, including a preface, and is divided into six sections (kandas). In her introductory verses, Molla acknowledges the other poets who have previously retold the Ramayana and humbly expresses her intent to honour Rama in her own way:
Rājita kīrti yaina Raghu-rāmu charitramu mun gaviśwarul
Teja melarpu cheppi rani telsiyu grāmmara cheppane lanan
Bhūjana kalpakaṁ banuchu, bhukti ki mukti ki mūlam anchu, nā
Rājun’ daivamain Raghu-rāmu nutinchina dappu galgunē?
References
[edit]- ^ Kindig, Jessie (2020). The Verso Book of Feminism: Revolutionary Words from Four Millennia of Rebellion. Verso Books. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-78873-980-1.
- ^ G, Beena (2019). VISION and RE-VISION: Revisiting Mythologies, Rethinking Women. Notion Press. p. 2003. ISBN 978-1-64587-342-6.
- ^ a b c Raman, Sita Anantha (2009). Women in India: A Social and Cultural History [2 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 165, 172. ISBN 978-0-313-01440-6.
- ^ Economic and Political Weekly. Vol. 33. Sameeksha Trust. 1998. p. 962.
- ^ Sinhā, Madhubālā (2009). Encyclopaedia of South Indian Literature. Anmol Publications. ISBN 978-81-261-3740-4.
- ^ Prof Katta Narasimha Reddy; Prof E. Siva Nagi Reddy; Prof K. Krishna Naik (2023). Kalyana Mitra: Volume 11: Contemporary History and Diaspora. Blue Rose Publishers. p. 333.
- ^ Tharu, Susie J.; Lalita, Ke (1991). Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the early twentieth century. Feminist Press at CUNY. pp. 94–96. ISBN 978-1-55861-027-9.
- ^ a b c DeLamotte, Eugenia C.; Meeker, Natania; O'Barr, Jean F. (1997). Women Imagine Change: A Global Anthology of Women's Resistance from 600 B.C.E. to Present. Psychology Press. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-0-415-91530-4.
- ^ Prof Katta Narasimha Reddy; Prof E. Siva Nagi Reddy; Prof K. Krishna Naik (2023). Kalyana Mitra: Volume 9. Vol. 9. Blue Rose Publishers. p. 179.
External links
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