Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu

Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu (28 March 1914 – 1 September 1990) was a classical poet, literary critic, composer, musicologist, translator and polyglot.

Life sketch

Puttaparthi Narayanacharya studied many epics including Bhaaratam, Bhaagavatam, Puraanas, Kavyas and music at a very young age. His father Sriman Puttaparthi Thirumala Sreenivasacharya was a great Pandit and commentator of his times and child Puttaparthi used to accompany him during his Purana Pravachanams. Puttaparthi's mother Kondamma (Mendamma) also was a poet and scholar in music and both the parents influenced Puttaparthi in his childhood. He studied Sanskrit literature up to Siromani at Tirupati Sanskrit College. He learned grammar, meter, figures of speech etc. from great Sanskrit teachers like Kapilasthalam Krishnamacharyulu and D.T. Tatacharyulu. He learned Bharatanatyam under the guidance of dancer Ranjakam Mahalakshmamma. He learned classical music from Pakka Hanumanthacharyulu. He learned English literature from Mrs. Pitt, wife of a deceased Sub collector of Penugonda (Ananthapur-A.P) at the age of 14.He practised Prakrutha languages from his paternal uncle Sriman Rallapalli Anantha krishna Sarma.After that Puttaparthi studied many more languages like Braj, Avadhi,Malayalam,Kannada,Tamil,French,Latin Persian and prakrith variations like Ardha magadhi, Magadhi,Souraseni, Paisachi and Pali too. His wife Smt Kanakamma was also a poet of her own calibre who penned "Gandhiji Mahaprasthanam' 'Agniveena' and many more devotional lyrics.She also was honoured as a 'Best woman writer' in 1975 by A.P.Sahitya academy.

Puttaparthi has about 50 works of poetry to his credit. Considered an authority on the history and literature of the Vijaynagar Empire|Vijaynagar]] period, he has written in Telugu language, Telugu literature, extensively on Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil, Kannada language, and Kannada and Malayalam language|Malayalam literatures. He has about 7,000 musical compositions in Telugu and Sanskrit to his credit and 200 of them have been notated by himself. He had the unique and ironic experience of having written a poetic work called Penugonda Lakshmi at the age of 12, prescribed as a text when he took the Vidwan examination in his thirties. Many a books of Puttaparthi were and are being prescribed as Text books from High school level to P.G. till now. Shivathandavam (The Cosmic Dance of Shiva), the most representative of his genius, was composed in Agasteswara Temple in Proddatur. His Janapriya Ramayanam won Central sahitya Akademi literary award in the year 1979. He got the award of Bharateeya Bhasha Parshath, Kolkatta for his epic 'Sreenivasa Prabandham'in 1988. His English work "Leaves in the Wind" written at the age of 20 was appreciated by well-known Indo-Anglican poet Sri Harindranath Chattopadyaya. Further, he wrote a playlet named 'The Hero' (with the influence of Milton), Duryodhana as the hero and this work was also critically acclaimed.His grand son Shrikar Banagiri is also a child poet.he wrote a Shatakam with title Murali Shatakam.

He was a polyglot and pundit in many languages. He was fluent in 14 languages, including French language|French and Persian language|Persian. His life size bronze statue was installed in Proddatur town by Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu Sahithi Peetham in 2007.^[1]

Literary works

• 'Bhagavatha Sudha lahari'(a 13 voluminous work -vyakhya on Srimadbhagavatham)
• 'Suvarna Patramulu' (A translation from Marathi)
• 'Saraswathi samharam" ( A novel of Beechi, translated from Kannada).
• 'Astakshari kruthulu'(7000 devotional lyrics out of which 250 with same name are published)
• Bhagawan Buddha (translation from Marathi)
• Chennakesava suprabhatam(Sanskrit)
• Ekavira (translation to Malayalam)
• Leaves in the Wind(English)
• The Hero(English)
• Pandari Bhagavatam(Dwipada kavyam)
• Penugonda Lakshmi
• Prabandha Nayikalu
• Saakshaatkaaram
• Smasanadeepam' (translation from Malayalam)'
• 'Teerani baaki' (Translated Malayalam playlets)
• Shivakarnamritam (Sanskrit)
• Shivathandavam
• Padyamu'
• 'Sipayi pituri'.
• 'Agastheeswara Suprabhatham' (Sanskrit)
• Tyagarajaswami suprabhatam(Sanskrit)
• Vijayanagara samajika charitra (Telugu)
• " Meghadootham"
• "Shaji"
• 'Srinivasa Prabandham' (Maha kavyam) 'Kavyadwayi'(A compilation of 'Gandhiji Maha prasthanam' and 'Agniveena'(both by Smt and Dr.Puttaparthi)
• 'Vasucharitra sahiteesourabham'(criticisam)
• 'Prabandha nayikalu'(criticism)
• 'Prakrutha vyasa manjari' (prakrutha sahitya vyasalu published after his demise)
• 'Vyasa valmikam' (Compilation of puttaparthi's articles on South Indian literature published after his demise)
• 'Triputi'(compilation of Dr.Puttaparthi's forewords, vyakhyas and editorials published after his demise)
• 'Saraswathi putrunitho sambhashanalu' (compilation of Dr.Puttaparthi's several interviews published after his demise)
• 'Marapurani madhura gadha' (compilation of Dr.Puttaparthi's articles on Vijayanagara empire, published after his demise)

Awards

• He was honoured with title Saraswatiputra (son of Goddess of Learning) by Sivananda Saraswati in Hrishikesh.
• Padma Shri Award by Government of India in 1972.
• Honorary Doctorates by Sri Venkateswara University and Sri Krishnadevaraya University.

References

• Luminaries of 20th Century, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005.
• Telugu Poets at Vundavalli.com
• Puttaparti Narayanacharyulu at Vepachedu.org

• 'Bhasha paraseshabhogi'- a monograph of Dr.Puttaparthi- A C.P.Brown Academy (Hyd)publication-by Dr.Puttaparthi Nagapadmini

External links

• Some of His published works at AVKF.org