1839.] 



Essay on Telugu Literature. 



m 



both styles; unless in the sangitas which will presently be mentioned,, 

 The dwipada version usually appears to be the oldest, for the style is 

 comparatively simple, and we may often detect expressions, borrowed 

 thence, in the Padya version. The two versions of the Ramayan ap- 

 pear to be independent of one another; but in other works (as the Ba- 

 sava Puran, or the Prabhu Linga Llla), the padya version evidently is 

 a superstructure, and introduces conceits and extravagancies which de- 

 viate from the original more widely than Dryden's and Pope's imita- 

 tions of Chaucer vary from the original. On the other hand there 

 is no dwipada version of the Mahabbarat, though the tale of Nala and 

 several other legends imitated from it are composed in couplets. 



One class of the poems written in padyams consists of the Satacams 

 or anthologies ; which are similar to the centuries, or garlands 

 which some old fashioned English poets composed: being a series of 

 songs, or separate epigrams, bearing a general resemblance in sub- 

 ject, metre, and chorus.* Some of these are of acknowledged poetical 

 merit, as the Bhascara satacam, the Ecamra Linga S., the Calahasti S., 

 the Dasarathi S. —others are of a lower class such as the Sumati S., the 

 Caluvai S., the Codanda Rama S., the Canta Lalama S. and others again, 

 as the Vemana Satacam, the Sid dha Rama S., the Sampagamanna S. 

 are acknowleged to be in the mere colloquial dialect, and are composed 

 with no scrupulous regard to the rigorous laws of rhyme and elision. 

 Though deficient in elegance of phrase these rustic songs are not de- 

 void of poetical merit, and are attractive to a foreigner on the ground 

 of exhibiting a familiar style, and a great variety of useful expressions. 

 —^These centuries are again divided as appertaining to (niti, yoga, and 

 sringaram) morals, mysticism, and love. 



65. In one description of poems alone the " couplets" are mingled 

 with " stanzas." This class is called (Sangitamul) " musical compo- 

 sitions" such as the Sita Calyanam, the Lanca Vijayam, the Garada- 

 chalam, &c. wherein the variety of tunes, or modulations (padamulu) 

 introduced is entirely different from the classes hitherto noticed. Un- 

 der this head are comprised the various comedies (natacamulu and bha- 

 gavatamulu) which are performed by the public (bogamvandlu) dancers 

 and actresses. Finally there are other ballads (cathalu) of great length 

 framed in a peculiar chant, on principles different from all other sorts 

 of poetry. Some of these as the Bobbili Catha (or Ranga Rao Cha- 

 ritra), the Nagamma Catha, and the like, are chiefly preserved by oral 

 recitation without having been until now committed to writing. These 



* Many of these Satacams have been printed at Madias : a second edition of Vemana, 

 much extended, has lately been finished ; to which an English translation, separately 

 printed, is subjoined. 



