Telugu Women writers-10 -Nidadvolu Malathi The Academy The academy continued to be indifferent, despite the unprecedented interest the readers, the magazine editors, and publishers were showing in the fiction by women writers at this time. Women writers were conspicuous by their absence in the critical works produced by the academy in the sixties and early […]
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To tell a tale-19 (Chapter-3 Part-5) -Chandra Latha Among the other characters, Lakshamamma, Lalitha, Padma and Ammayamma need special mention. Minor characters like Sita, Jaggaa Rao’s mother and have their own crucial roles to play. Describing the nature of Laxmamma the writer relates, “Human nature is very strange. An atom can be split, the moon […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard K.Varalakshmi -Syamala Kallury Ravi: Hi Grandma, our previous story on the relationship between two individuals a husband and wife, and the difference in the perspectives how they look at their relationship, the bond, the insecurities, and the expression of these in everyday life still haunt me. Some of the aspects […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-9 -Nidadvolu Malathi Magazine Editors and Circulation Numbers During my interviews with women writers, several of them mentioned that the magazine editors encouraged them. The names included Narla Venkateswara Rao, Gora Sastry, Khasa Subba Rao, and Puranam Subrahmanya Sarma. Other weekly and monthly magazines like Sahiti, Swati, Yuva, Tharuna, and Jayasri also were […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-18 (Chapter-3 Part-4) -Chandra Latha The dilemma is that which class does Chandrashekharam belong? The oppressed or the oppressing? It reflects the dual nature and the split personality of Chandrashekharam. His reaction to his father-in-law‘s death is different from his reaction to his child’s death. He starts attributing his child’s death to […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Values Realized (Telisina viluvalu) by Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani -Syamala Kallury Ravi: Hi grandma, long time since we talked of stories. What happened, are you not going to the beach or your friends in the sea whose voices you have been listening have fallen silent? Grandma: I have not been going […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-8 -Nidadvolu Malathi Economic Status Economic status did not play a crucial role in women’s writing in the early fifties. In the past, supporting the family was not woman’s responsibility. Therefore, economics was not a part of the equation. The situation has changed, drastically after women entered the workforce. Ironically, the question became […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-17 (Chapter-3 Part-3) -Chandra Latha Situational irony the disparity of intention and result and the result of an action in contrary to the desired or expected is also profusely used in the novel. According to Lars Elleström, Situational irony is “a situation where the outcome is incongruous with what was expected, but it […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-7 -Nidadvolu Malathi Marital Status Regarding marriage, most of these writers have shown some kind of independent thinking. Each of them seemed to have taken a stand in their own way. Achanta Sarada Devi mentioned that she had ample opportunity to read books because of her marriage with Janakiram in 1944. Malati Chendur […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-16 (Chapter-3 Part-2) -Chandra Latha In the novel, Krishna Rao invokes Karl Marx, and legendary epics like Mahabharatham, Bhagavadgeetha, classic poetry like Kalahastheeswara Satakam many times. The narrative of Puppets is divided into thirty five chapters. Every chapter begins with a simple, exterior description that sets the required tone to its narrative. […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-15 (Chapter-3 Part-1) -Chandra Latha A Cup of Brewed Coffee: Puppets G.V. Krishna Rao It’s boiled. It’s steeped. It’s made into steaming hot coffee brimming creamy soft lather to awaken one from the long night’s hard sleep, out of the illusion of dreams and the confusion of hangovers. It’s the perfect mixture […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-6 -Nidadvolu Malathi AT HOME Before discussing the unprecedented success of women writers in Andhra Pradesh, let us review their education, familial and economic status in the fifties and sixties. Education In families even with moderate income, sending girls to public schools started in the late nineteenth century. By mid-twentieth century, young women […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-5 -Nidadvolu Malathi 2.FAMILIAL STATUS and SOCIAL CONDITIONS In the preceding chapter, I attempted to trace some of the trends regarding women’s education in upper classes and their creative writing, which was mostly poetry. In this chapter, I shall examine the next stage in the evolution of women’s writing—-a spirited mix of tradition […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-14 (Chapter-2 Part-7) -Chandra Latha Gopichand avows, “Expression of life is the ultimate attraction. Any defined literary form is a fixed frame. Literary forms are born to express the life. Why should we give more validity than that? If we can get more benefit by moving beyond those frames, Why shouldn’t we […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Kamavvasaani Katha by Sai Papineni -Syamala Kallury Ravi: Grandma, today it is a book published this year? It is a huge jump in your time scale. Grandma: I am not actually following any chronological order in telling these stories to you. As and when the memory hits a button, a […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Punadi Story by P.Sathavathi -Syamala Kallury Grandma– “We have already discussed this writer Ravi. But then when I came across this story, I thought this is more relevant to our times today.” Ravi: “Is that so? What is the commonality between a story which was written about thirty years back […]
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INDEPENDENCE DAY -Sasi Inguva I wake up to the chorus of the good old hindi song Jahan daal daal par sone ki chidiya karti hai basera Woh bharath desh hai mera! Woh bharath desh hai mera! coming from the loud speakers, outside in the gully. The music ringing in my ears, of veena, of violin […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-13 (Chapter-2 Part-6) -Chandra Latha In his detailed essay, Rationalism and Naturalism, Gopichand declares, “I agree that there are limitations to Rationalism. But, only rationalism can explore the truth …Natural knowledge is acquired in the human evolution. Even before we tried to know it, we have it. Knowledge acquired by human experience […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-4 -Nidadvolu Malathi Recognition and Reward Next to publishing, the second shift from the past was in the area of recognition and reward for writings by women. Attempting to put these two issues in the social context of Andhra Pradesh is a complex task. The complexities arise from the multi-layered familial relationships as […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-3 -Nidadvolu Malathi Kanuparti Varalakshmamma (1896-1978), erudite writer, gave a compelling account of the social conditions during this period in her article entitled, “Dharmapatni Rajyalakshmamma”: “After her husband [Veeresalingam] started the widow remarriage movement, it became a fierce struggle for her to maintain her relationship with her natal home. It became impossible to […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-12 (Chapter-2 Part-5) -Chandra Latha As the children in the street make fun of these as madman’s scribbling or the manager removes him from the job, they reflect the reaction of the society for the rein less thought, whether it is as innocent as children consider or irresponsible as the manager considers. […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Amulyam Story by Olga -Syamala Kallury Amulyam: Volga; A story published in Visalandhra Telugu Katha; 1910-2000. October 2002; Price Rs.400; Pages 1109 Grandmother: Hi Ravi, I am ready with today’s story. I have taken this story from the same book. As I told you in our previous story-telling, this book […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Do not turn the clock back by D. Kameswari -Syamala Kallury Do not turn the clock back: D. Kameswari; A story published in Visalandhra Telugu Katha; 1910-2000. October 2002; Price Rs. 400; pages 1109 Ravi: “Hi, grandma a book with 1109 pages! Wow…did you read the whole book?” Grandma- “Yes, […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-11 (Chapter-2 Part-4) -Chandra Latha Gopichand infuses epistolary form to the narrative as a powerful means of discourse among the characters. Sitarama Rao gets a letter from his maternal uncle and Sitarama Rao responds with a request for hundred rupees. Then he gets no reply. Out raged by the lack of […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-2 1950-1975, Andhra Pradesh, India (An Analytical Study of Historical, Familial and Social Conditions that contributed to women writers’ phenomenal success immediately after declaration of Independence.) -Nidadvolu Malathi PUTTING AN END TO THE BOILERPLATE LITERARY HISTORY Foreword By Kalpana Rentala We have one thousand years of literary history. Up until now, there […]
Continue ReadingTelugu Women writers-1 1950-1975, Andhra Pradesh, India (An Analytical Study of Historical, Familial and Social Conditions that contributed to women writers’ phenomenal success immediately after declaration of Independence.) -Nidadvolu Malathi FOREWORD BY AUTHOR In the history of Telugu fiction, one quarter of a century following the achievement of our independence in 1947, from 1950 to […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-9 -Chandra Latha Passage :1 At one time, he had considered it very wrong to strike children, a great sin. He was surprised how parents could ever beat children. ”What do children know? They are innocent. What is the use of beating […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard ‘Savitri’ by Vimala -Syamala Kallury Grandma: Ravi where have you been? Do you want your story tonight? Ravi: Sure, Grandma! I’d never turn down an opportunity to hear your stories. They always give me something to ponder over before I go to sleep…like food for thought. They are trying to […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-9 -Chandra Latha Chapter–II Falling From the Peak : The Bungler Gopichand The second chapter, titled The Bungler’s wife, focuses on Indira. With the humble financial support from her father, Indira, who is in her advance stage of pregnancy, manages the household. Her daughter considers of dropping out of the school as […]
Continue ReadingHaunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Damayanti’s Daughter (Damayanti Kuturu) by Satyavathi.P -Syamala Kallury “Grandma, how are you?” “I am good. Did you enjoy your holiday? Since you were not around, I have not been going to the beach much.” “So, none of your writer friends have been talking to you?” “No, I do keep their […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-8 -Chandra Latha Chapter–II Falling From the Peak : The Bungler Gopichand “The Mind is its own place, and in itself Can make Heaven of the Hell, a Hell of Heaven’’ Gopichand was a multi-faceted genius, Short Story Writer, Novelist, Playwright, Editor, Essayist, Cinema Script Writer, Cinema Director and Producer, Radio […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Dwivedula Visalakshi -Syamala Kallury Manaswi “Grandma, today I will tell you a story. Not a story in the sense of what you tell me, but it is about what is happening in the life of a classmate of mine” “Why, what is happening to your friend?” “It is a strange […]
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Early Detection -Aparna Munukutla Gunupudi 5 years ago, I was driving home from work and heard on the radio that October is breast cancer awareness month. I thought, that is nice, they have a dedicated month for this cause and wondered what I can do to recognize that. I certainly can tell my two daughters […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-7 -Chandra Latha Chapter-I (Part-6) After examining the different definitions of narratology, an attempt is made to list out the various narrative techniques with respect to the aspects such as narrator, theme, characters, plot, setting, time, the use of imagery, history, cultural, social, economic, narrative modes, narrative styles, narrative tones and so […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Abburi Chayadevi -Syamala Kallury Happy Ending Abburi Chaya Devi: Happy Ending, Sukhantam; Published in Katha Bharati, National Book Trust (1972) Translated into English by Syamala Kallury in her collection Telugu Short Stories; Women’s Voices; An Inner Voyage (1930-2000) in 2001. “Hi, grandma, can I come in?” “Of course, you can. […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-6 -Chandra Latha Chapter-I (Part-5) Geoffrey Chaucer, a 14th century British poet followed the narrative style of the Decameron with the similar narrative frame work in The Canterbury Tales (1386). Most of it was written in verse but some of the tales were written in prose. But the European literary world […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Gudipati Venkata Chalam -Syamala Kallury “Hi Grandma, who is the lady that will come out of your sea of magic today?” “It is not a lady today, it is a male story teller. Actually, we need not categorise writers as men and women separately. We don’t say a woman lawyer, […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-5 -Chandra Latha Chapter-I (Part-4) The Native American Indian story tellers like Benjamin Whorf (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Lee_Whorf) Franz Boas(https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Franz_Boas), think that the native narrators do not experience themselves, or life as narrative grammar, or pattern or Euro-American space and time. Discussing the vibrant role of story, beyond fabula, and in resistance to Euro-American […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Malati Chandur -Syamala Kallury “Hello grandma. How are you doing? Have you been talking to the sea of late?” “Yes, of course. You know when I was young, I had to go a town 200 km away from my home to join as a lecturer. Till then we were living […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-4 -Chandra Latha Chapter-I (Part-3) Narratology and Novel In narrative theory, the actant is a term from the actantial model of semiotic analysis of narratives. Greimas’s actantial model reveals the structural roles typically performed in storytelling, such as “hero, villain (opponent of hero), object (of quest), helper (of hero) and sender (who […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Sourees -Syamala Kallury “Hi, Grandma, are you ready with your story tonight?” asked Gautam as he entered the room. “Yes, I am. In fact, before you came, I thought of one unusual story. You might like it, I think.” “Umm… unusual, is it?” “Surely it is unusual for the times […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-3 -Chandra Latha Chapter-I (Part-2) Narratology and Novel This pioneering structuralism theory, distinctively developed, is based on the study of narrative in literature or Narratology. However, Lévi-Strauss’s theory was pre-figured to the theoretical lineage to Aristotle, but modern narratology is agreed to have begun with the Russian formalist Valdamore Propp. Since Aristotle plots […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-2 -Chandra Latha Chapter-I Narratology and Novel The human being is considered a thinking animal and he is a social being by nature. One can surmise that the human being’s psychological inclination for communication is shaped the emergence of a society. The narration is seeded in the dire necessity of meaningful communication […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard A Silent Revolution -Syamala Kallury “Hello grandma, are you sleeping?” “No not yet. Come! What, do you really want to hear the stories I heard from the sea of stories?” “Of course, I do. Why else do you think I am here?” “Okay, let me think! Whose story do you […]
Continue ReadingTo tell a tale-1 -Chandra Latha On the Other Note (Intro: To Tell a Tale) “Why do you need a Ph.D.? Instead, focus on your fiction. Your fiction is expected for both research and study.” “Any student can be trained to write a dissertation, but not to write fiction. Mind it!” “For sure, your fiction […]
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Haunting Voices: Heard and Unheard Telugu Short Stories -Syamala Kallury She is a familiar sight. People who come to the beach everyday see her there. Always in the same place – on the last bench, in a corner, staring at the sea. And people wonder why there was never anyone with her. She sits silently […]
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