The elements of subjectivity, revivalism and de-linking of social life from literature were questioned by Gurram Jashuva, the п¬Ѓ rst modern Telugu dalit poet known for his outstanding work, Gabbilam (The Bat).2 Jashuva questioned the tenets of the established literary aesthetics, and created dalit poetry in classical form. The writers of the former school wrote about themselves while the latter were concerned with the revival of traditionalism. Telugu poetry movements like bhava kavitvam (romantic p oetry) and navya sampradaaya kavitvam (neoclassical poetry) got de-linked from the contemporary socio-political reality. Though dalits began writing about themselves, they were still imitating mainstream writing both in form and content. Continuing the dalit tradition set by such writers as Jala Rangaswamy, Kusuma Dharmanna Kavi, Nakka Chinavenkataiah, Nutakki Abraham, Premaiah and Boyi Bhimanna among others, modern dalit poets dealt with themes like untouchability and denial of access to public places like schools, temples, streets, hotels, and village-wells. They conп¬Ѓ ned their concerns, by and large, to the problem of untouchability under the inп¬‚uence of Mahatma Gandhi. In the subsequent period, dalits began writing about themselves especially during the nationalist movement. However, it should be noted that the dalits were written about during this period by non-dalits. Other noteworthy writers like Gurajaada Apparao and a few o thers too dealt with the same subjects. Another signiп¬Ѓcant writer in this lineage was the saint poet, Yogi Vemana, a non-brahmin, who wrote simple verse on various forms of superstitions and evil practices including caste and untouchability. A tradition thus started, continued at different periods of Andhra PradeshвЂ™s history. Hymns written and sung by him and his disciples were popular among the illiterate dalits. It may be traced back to the 17th century saint poet Potuluri Veerabrahmam,1 a sudra social reformer who used to go through dalit wadas (settlements) educating the people against caste and untouchability. While oral Telugu literature dates back 1,500 years, written Telugu dalit literature goes back hardly 300 years though it was not necessarily known by the same nomenclature.

Having been neglected even in modern historiography, dalits began to represent themselves through different forms of literature. This has caused irreparable loss to productive technology. Despite being from the productive castes, they were illiterate and could not themselves record the innovations and experiences of their occupations. He rich heritage of dalits as a community has been left unrecorded except for a number of negative comments in Sanskrit epics and plays. K Purushotham is with the Kakatiya University, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh.

Telugu dalit writing would have truly come of age when even these castes вЂ“ the ostracised among the ostracised вЂ“ begin writing about themselves. This group also writes about the вЂњsatellite castesвЂќ who are considered untouchable even by the Madigas. Madigas are placed so low in the hierarchy that the term is considered an abuse and its usage can attract the provisions of the Atrocities Act. Writers of the Dandora movement, for example, who belong to the Madiga caste, have begun adding the caste name to their surnames, a practice hitherto followed only by the upper castes. From the mid-1980s, however, dalit angst, protest and an alternative vision started reflecting in Telugu literature. During the independence struggle, dalit writers, under Gandhian influence, touched upon casteism and untouchability but imitated mainstream writing in form and content. K Purushotham Telugu dalit literature entered a significant phase when dalits began writing about themselves. SPECIAL ARTICLE Evolution of Telugu Dalit Literature

1990s telugu novels