Srinatha

Srinatha
Born	some time between 1365-70 Coastal Andhra, Godavari Region, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died	Around 1450 after the conquest of costal andhra by Kapileswara Gajapati in 1448. (aged above 80 years) Boddepalli, on the banks of River Krishna
Occupation	Poet
Nationality	Indian
Genre	ReligionHindu

Srinatha (1365–1450) was a well-known 15th-century Telugu poet who popularised the Prabandha style of composition.

Biography

Srinatha was born to Bhimamba and Marayya in 1365/70.

Srinatha was respected as Kavi Sarvabhouma (King of poets) in Telugu, and patronised by many kings including the Kondavidu Reddys, Velamas of Rachakonda and Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara Empire.

Srinatha worked as a minister in the court of Pedakomati Vemareddy of Kondaveedu. He managed to get his king's prestigious Knife Nandikanta Potaraju Katari which was taken away by Lingamanedu ruler of Devarakanda in return for his literary prowess. Srinatha produced and dedicated a host of books to kings and enjoyed a luxurious life. However, he seemed to have suffered from poverty at the end of his life. He was not the brother-in-law of another famous Telugu poet Potana as shown in the movies.

Works

Srinatha wrote, Panditaaradhyacharita, Shivaratri Mahatyam, Harivilasa, Bhimakanda, Kashikhandam, Shringara Naishadham, Palanati Veeracharitra, Dhananjaya Vijayam, Sringaradipika and Kridabhiramam over the subjects of history and mythology. He translated Shalivahana Gatha Saptashati in to Telugu from Prakrit.

Style

Prabandha can be described as a story in verse form with a tight metrical structure. Srinatha's Srungara Naishadhamu is a well-known example of the form.

He is also credited with hundreds of extempore poems called Chatuvulu in Telugu.

Awards and Titles

He was widely regarded as the Kavi Sarvabhowma (The emperor among poets). He had broken the drum of Gouda Dimdimabhattu by his conversation

cinema

A biographical film on Srinatha named Srinatha Kavi Sarvabhowmudu was released in 1993 by Bapu (director) starring N. T. Rama Rao and Jayasudha in the lead roles.

Srinatha plays an important role in the Telugu film Bhakta Potana Produced, by the Vahini Studios, Madras ( now called Chennai)in 1942. In this picture the great Telugu actor Late Sri Chitturi Nagaiah plays the role of Pothanna and another great actor played the role of Srinatha as the brother in law of Potanna.. After the death of his wife Srinatha leaves his daughter under the care of Potanna. Srinatha was upset with the poverty of Potanna in whose house his sister was also suffering along with his daughter. Srinatha was materialistic in his attitude, used to visit the courts of diffenent kings, wrote poetry in their praise and enjoyed a luxurious life. Whenever he visited the house of Pothanna he used to ridicule them of their poverty and advised Pothanna to imitate him and enjoy a good life. But Pothanna refused to follow suit and remained firm in his devotion to Lord Sri Rama. In the end Srinatha realised his mistake and gladly gave away his daughter in marriage to the son of Pothanna who was an ordinary farmer. The tragedy is that Srinatha who enjoyed a lavish life style,died a miserable death a with a big stone attached to his neck as a punishment by the local king.

See also

• Peddana, another famous composer of Prabandhas.