Tirupati Venkata Kavulu

Divakarla Tirupatisastri (1871-1919) and Chellapilla Venkatasastri (1870-1950)

were popularly known with their first names Tirupati and Venakata as "Tirupati Venakata Kavulu." These poets were famous for their expertise in the poetic arts such as "Astavadhanam", "Satavadhanam" and "Asukavitam." Like Kandukuri Veeresalingam, they deviated from the traditional literary trend in which long complex and unnatural words were popular and wrote in simple and common language that is understandable to common wo/man. They even broke some of the rules of grammar. They opined that the literature should change according the time, country, ruler/government.

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These poets were experts in a unique Telugu literary art called "Avadhaana Vidya," in which the artist shows ability to be attentive and reproduce various literary tasks given to them by several people. Avadhanamu is several kinds based on the number of tasks involved. Tirupati Venkata Kavulu were experts in Satavadhanamu in which hundred tasks were performed. They toured various Telugu kingdoms and cities and challenged the poets in the courts. By undertaking these tours they rejuvenated the Telugu literature throughout Telugu country.

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Their dramas like "Pandavodyoga Vijayamu" etc., are popular even today. Some famous verses from this drama such as

1. Baavaa yeppudu vachchiteevu....
2. Chelliyo chellako tamaku chesina yeggulu.....
3. Alugutaye yerungani mahaamahitaatmudu....
4. Jendaa pai kapi raaju....
5. Santoshambuna sandhiseyuduve....

are popular even among the illiterate Telugus. Their literary works include Budhacharitramu, sravananandamu, panigraheeta etc. During this period social maladies and practices like child-marriages (balyavivahamulu) and sale of girls by parents for a bride-price (kanyasulkamu) were rampant among Telugus. These poets criticised those practices in their work paanigraheeta. Today these practices are replaced by similar social ills like bridegroom-price or dowry (sale of young men for a suitable price depending upon their economic, educational and physical qualifications). This dowry is paid to the parents of bridegroom as a gift in the marriage. Sometimes the dowry disputes lead to the murder of the wife who underpaid or failed to pay the agreed price, so that the husband may be resold. Despite the ban on dowry, this malady continues to be a popular practice. Tirupati and Venkata poets transformed Telugu poetry from the bookish language to common man's language, released it from the shackles of Sanskrit, brought it out from the pedantic circles and courts of kings to the common man, and made it conversational and mainstream.