[In this series, Dr. Chengalva Ramalakshmi and Mr. Boddapati Chandrasekhar introduce renowned Telugu short story writers.]
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GURRAM JASHUVA- A Great and a distinguished poet
All that suffering and mental agony flowed into his vast literature. Even after earning the titles Kavi kokila and Kavithā Viśārada, and holding a prominent place in Telugu literature, with his wonderful creative output, these haunted him. Yet he rose to become a ‘Universal Man’ and one of the greatest poets of his time. In Telugu literature, he stands out as a truly distinctive personality.
His writings, a protest to his suffering, and a response to the problems of fellow human beings are always inspiring.
They are true reflections of society. His writings deserve to be critiqued from a fresh perspective.
Yet, he never succumbed to insults that he received from society. But, he continued to face life with courage and dignity. To free society from caste discrimination, he chose poetry as his weapon and gently voiced his protest.
Against many odds and in the face of prevailing caste discrimination, Jashuva sailed through life. He transformed his hardships into his advantage and lived with remarkable resilience. Most of his poetry mirrors his life. It is this that makes his life not only inspiring but also worthy of emulation.
JASHUVA’S CHILDHOOD:
Born on September 28, 1895, to Veeriah and Lingamma at Missamma Garden – a secluded place in Vinukonda of Guntur Mandal – Jashuva was their precious, surviving child after the loss of many.
Jashuva’s birth brought hope and joy to the couple. His name Jashuva, of Hebrew origin, meant ‘Jehovah is my salvation.’
Veeriah and Lingamma’s marriage was sensational for its time – as it was both inter-varna and inter-caste. Naturally, their union met with strong protests from both sides. The opposition only strengthened their resolve to be together. Veeriah’s love for Lingamma was so deep that he embraced Christianity, trained as a pastor, and took up pastoring as his profession.
Jashuva’s birth brought hope and joy to the couple. His name, of Hebrew origin, meant.. Jehovah is my salvation.
Among his siblings was Israel, with whom Jashuva shared a particularly close bond. Both were skilled in Nethravadhaana – the art of expressing thoughts through the eyes.
Literature, born of life experiences and emerging from the vast sea of life, endures forever and Gurram Jashuva’s life is a living testament to this.
That was the age during which romantic poetry was ruling the LITERARY world. Although JASHUVA began writing poetry about the same age, nature and its bounties,.. lush green nature, rivers and rivulets, trees, bushes, creepers, vines and Malayan blues could not find a place in his poetry.
Then what could his poetry be about? One becomes curious. “What themes might he have explored, other than the sorrows of his life?”
The caste discrimination, inequalities and injustices that he saw and experienced in the society became the subjects of poetry.. Gurram Jashua, a talented poet, brought immense fame to the Khanda Kaavya, a poetic genre.
Jashuva spent his childhood in Vinukonda. As JASHUVA was an untouchable and belonged to a lower caste, he was not allowed to play with other children. His joyful childhood was thus overshadowed, and he eventually realized how narrow his world was.
It made him build his poetic world, compose beautiful poetry, and captivate the world with his creations.
Caste differences were very strict then. In classrooms, the benches for untouchables were placed far away from the other students. A separate bench acted as a dividing line between untouchables and Savarna Hindus. It was in this environment that Jashuva completed his higher education.
The death of Israel, who suffered from paralysis, shook Jashuva in no small way.
Out of this sorrow was born a set of poignant verses titled Garland of Tears (కన్నీటి నీరాజనం) They tell us Jashuva’s mental anguish for his brother.
Jashuva, longing for an equal society free from caste discrimination, wrote poetry. His poetry is not merely emotional – it is thought-provoking, expressed in simple yet powerful language.
The taunts, mockery, and disdain of society go on tearing open the wounds of childhood.
The progressive world Jashuva dreamed of is yet to come.
(To be concluded..)
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