The Telugu Literary Journey
Incessantly Reinvented
Itself
(From ARASAM to VIRASAM
through DIGAMBARA: A Bird’s-Eye View)
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
The Hans India (May 31, 2026)
{Personalities
like Kaloji Narayana Rao, Sri Sri, Cherabanda Raju, Varavara Rao and Arudra,
among others, not only composed verses, but also redefined relationship between
creativity and society. The transformation of Telugu intellectual culture
across centuries shows how emotionally idealism gradually yielded space to
realism, dissent, existential inquiry, and revolutionary engagement.
Organizations such as ARASAM and VIRASAM became platforms where artistic
conviction intersected with political consciousness and public responsibility.
Telugu literature incessantly reinvented itself, preserving cultural memory
while confronting inequality, oppression, and moral contradiction.} – Editor’s
Synoptic Note.
The
recently concluded two-day 20th State-Level Conferences of Abhyudaya
Rachayitala Sangham (ARASAM), held at Tirupati on May 23 and 24, 2026, carry
messages far deeper than the reported proceedings, if only they are read
‘between the lines.’
If
I could read correctly, ARASAM continues to symbolize an enduring commitment to
socially responsive creativity. Their deliberations reflect attempts to revive
collective cultural engagement at a time when democratic values, civil
liberties, pluralism, and constitutional safeguards demand vigilant public
participation.
In their backdrop, I could not help recalling
an incident at my residence in June 1982, when I had the privilege of hosting
the Great People’s Poet Kaloji Narayana Rao as our family guest for dinner one
evening. When my wife served Kaloji Narayana Rao the characteristic ‘Pachi
Pulusu,’ a dish prepared with tamarind, onions, chilies, jaggery and mild local
flavours such as coriander, curry leaf and garlic, occasionally with simmered
raw mango replacing tamarind seasonally, the cheerful atmosphere suddenly changed.
Until
then, we had been engaged in casual conversations, mostly listening to Kaloji
on literary themes. But the moment he touched the dish, his voice turned
emotional, choked with sadness, and the evening unexpectedly slipped into
silence. Literally, Kaloji Narayana Rao broke down.
After
a brief stoic silence, he regained composure and explained the reason for his
grief. The first, though apparently trivial, was that he had not tasted ‘Pachi
Pulusu,’ of which he was extremely fond, for quite some time. The second was
that the dish reminded him of similar meals he once shared at Cherabanda Raju’s
residence.
Incidentally,
earlier that very day, Kaloji had visited the ailing Cherabanda Raju and was
deeply disturbed by his deteriorating health, which further added to his
sorrow. Unfortunately, Cherabanda Raju, while serving a prison sentence, died
in July 1982 at the age of 38, barely a month after Kaloji Narayana Rao visited
us.
During
that dinner, Kaloji, among many other themes, reflected on the ‘Telugu Literary
Journey,’ fragments of which still return to me occasionally. My enduring
interest in such literary currents, shaped partly by progressive political
influences, later prompted me to gather and document related aspects
intermittently.
This,
is an attempt at presenting ‘A Bird’s-Eye View of Telugu Literary Journey’ from
Abhyudaya Rachayitala Sangham to Viplava Rachayitala Sangham (VIRASAM) through
DIGAMBARA poetry: its genesis, purpose and evolution. Telugu literary evolution
never moved in a straight line. It advanced through upheavals, awakenings,
dissent, introspection, and social urgency. From devotional classicism to
romantic sensibility, from progressive humanism to rebellious resistance, successive
generations reshaped language into an instrument reflecting the anxieties and
aspirations of their times.
Poetry,
prose, theatre, criticism, and public discourse became mirrors of collective
consciousness, recording not merely aesthetic refinement, but also hunger,
injustice, alienation, revolt, and hope. Within this continuum emerged powerful
streams that transformed creative expression into social intervention.
Reformist imagination challenged orthodoxy, progressive thought aligned
literature with labouring communities, DIGAMBARA articulation shattered artificiality,
and revolutionary voices converted poetry into ideological assertion.
Personalities
like Kaloji Narayana Rao, Sri Sri, Cherabanda Raju, Varavara Rao, Arudra etc.
not only composed verses, but also redefined relationship between creativity
and society. The transformation of Telugu intellectual culture across centuries
shows how emotionally idealism gradually yielded space to realism, dissent,
existential inquiry, and revolutionary engagement. Organizations such as ARASAM
and VIRASAM became platforms where artistic conviction intersected with
political consciousness and public responsibility. Telugu literature incessantly
reinvented itself, preserving cultural memory while confronting inequality,
oppression, and moral contradiction.
The hallmarks of the changing era included concern for the oppressed, the vision of an egalitarian and classless society, realism in thought, and modernity in language. Sri Sri stood as the ‘Charioteer of the Progressive Poetry Movement.’ Adopting free verse with remarkable ease, ‘Abhyudaya Kavita’ transformed Telugu literature significantly. That also marked the genesis of ARASAM. Then came introspection over what the common man had truly gained from freedom. The need to raise a voice for the weaker sections became both evident and inevitable. That voice transformed into poetry and reached the people as ‘DIGAMBARA Poetry.’
This shattered the hypocrisy in Telugu literature and sought to rediscover the true human being. Cherabanda Raju (Baddam Bhaskara Reddy), whom Kaloji Narayana Rao mentioned, was a revolutionary Telugu poet, novelist, and songwriter who rose to prominence in the late sixties along with five other poets collectively known as ‘DIGAMBARA Kavulu’ (Naked Poets). Adopting evocative pseudonyms: Nikhileswar (Yadava Reddy), Jwala Mukhi (Veera Raghavacharyulu), Nagna Muni (Manepalli Hrushikeshwara Rao), Maha Swapna (Kammisetti Venkateswara Rao) and Bhairavayya (Manmohan Sahay).
They produced a strikingly unconventional and unparalleled body of
poetry that stood apart in Telugu literature. Against the backdrop of the
tribal struggles in Srikakulam, Revolutionary Poetry stormed Telugu literature
like a hurricane. The DIGAMBARA poets, who believed Progressive Poetry or
‘Abhyudaya Kavita’ had lost its combative spirit, gradually evolved into ‘Viplava
Rachayitalu.’ In due course, Cherabanda Raju, along with Jwala Mukhi,
Nikhileswar and Nagna Muni, transformed into Marxist-Leninist writers and
co-founded VIRASAM, the Revolutionary Writers’ Association.
Prominent revolutionary writers such as Varavara Rao, Sri Sri, Kutumba
Rao, Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastri, and Ramana Reddy founded VIRASAM on July 4,
1970. Sivasagar, Gaddar and Vanga Pandu were among other influential voices
associated with the movement. Cherabanda Raju remained active in the
organization until his death. Emerging from a Marxist Philosophical Foundation,
Progressive Poetry from the 1930s produced eminent poets such as Maha Kavi Sri Sri (Srirangam Srinivasa Rao), Aarudra,
Avantsa Soma Sundar, Kundurthi Anjaneyulu etc.
Sri Sri declared that his path was the path of revolution. Supporting
revolutionary movements across the Telugu States, reflecting their history, and
propagating revolutionary ideals became the hallmarks of Revolutionary Poetry.
It sought to inspire people towards radical change, respond to national and
international developments, and bring the lives and voices of the poor into
literature. In the process, revolutionary poetry brought significant changes in
both thought and language.
The journey of Telugu literature from Bhava Kavitha to VIRASAM reflects
a dynamic interplay of tradition and modernity, devotion and rebellion,
individualism and collectivism. Each phase mirrored the changing aspirations
and struggles of Telugu-speaking people. Gradually, literature became a weapon
of class struggle, critiquing feudalism, capitalism, and casteism while
continuously reshaping social consciousness.
ARASAM, which sought gradual change, laid the groundwork by introducing
social consciousness into literature. DIGAMBARA poets, exploring psychological
depth, represented an intellectual shift towards existential and modernist
themes. VIRASAM, aiming at systemic upheaval, transformed literature into a
tool of revolution. Each movement reflected the socio-political milieu of its
time, marking a progression from reformist to radical ideologies. Together,
they form a rich tapestry of modern Telugu literature’s journey.
Against this backdrop, ARASAM organized its 20th
State-Level Conferences with wide participation from progressive writers across
the Telugu States. According to media Reports, the new State Executive
Committee comprising eminent literary figures was constituted. A strong appeal
for progressive groups to overcome internal differences and unite on national
and social concerns was made. Major themes were: Social reform through Literature,
Unique power of Literature to unite people, Inevitability of Literary Institutions
to Protect Democratic and Constitutional Rights.
Contemporary Telugu intellectual history demonstrates that creative expression acquires enduring relevance only when connected with human suffering, ethical responsibility, constitutional morality, and social transformation. Every phase contributed uniquely. Even where ideological fractures weakened collective momentum, the larger contribution of these movements remains unmistakable.
They democratized discourse, expanded participation, challenged caste and class hierarchies, questioned authoritarian tendencies, and established literature as a living public force rather than an isolated academic pursuit. Ultimately, the vitality of Telugu literary activism will depend not on rhetoric alone, but on its ability to remain empathetic, inclusive, self-critical, and accessible to future generations. And therefore, the significance of ARASAM remains enduringly undisputed.
