Visakhapatnam, a city known for its rich cultural heritage, is also the birthplace of one of Telugu literature’s greatest luminaries, Srirangam Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as Sri Sri. A pioneer in Telugu poetry, Sri Sri was not just a poet but a revolutionary voice who captured the essence of societal struggles and human emotions in his works. Born on 30 April 1910, he was schooled in Visakhapatnam before graduating with a BA Honors from Madras Christian College in 1931.
Sri Sri’s anthology Maha Prasthanam is celebrated as a cornerstone of modern Telugu literature, addressing the pressing social issues of the 1930s and 40s with remarkable candor and empathy. Here are some translated powerful lines from the anthology that continue to inspire and provoke thought.
Telugu Original: Maha Prasthanam
Hail the morn
And sound the horn
A newer truer world shall be born…
…The waves are rolling
The bells are tolling
The voice of another world is calling
Forward march
Oh onward forge
Ahead let’s always surge
This excerpt from the iconic captures the spirit of revolution and renewal. Sri Sri urges humanity to break free from its shackles and march toward a brighter, just future. The imagery of waves and tolling bells emphasizes the inevitability of change and the collective call to action.
Telugu Original: Desa Charitralu
Where is there a reason for pride
Looking at any nation’s story?
All history of human glory
Is man against man, in glory strife.
All man’s history is exploitation,
Oppression, killing and getting killed;
Each history of every nation
Is written in blood on war fields spilt.
Sri Sri critiques the glorification of history, pointing out the bloodshed and suffering that underpin tales of national pride. It’s a call to rethink what we glorify as history.
Telugu Original: Adwaitam
If your joy becomes the ocean and my love becomes the sky,
We should sweep love’s farthest reaches
And sound love’s deepest depths.
Through these tender lines, Sri Sri paints love as an expansive, unifying force that transcends boundaries. The metaphors of the ocean and sky reflect the infinite possibilities that love offers, urging readers to embrace its boundless depths.
Telugu Original: Manchi Mutyala Saraly
Old walls are cracking
Old songs are croaking
Old ways are breaking
Why are you not walking?
Visakhapatnam-born poet Sri Sri captures the crumbling of outdated systems and traditions, emphasizing the urgency of action. He challenges inertia and calls for progress, urging individuals to embrace change and move forward boldly.
Telugu Original: Rukkulu
There is beauty, there is grace
Here and there and everywhere
Inspired be
By sea, by tree
Everything see and anything say
The world is a labyrinth strangely arranged
And poesy a deep thirst ever unquenched.
In this ode to poetry, Sri Sri celebrates the omnipresence of beauty and inspiration. His words remind us that creativity knows no bounds and that poetry is a never-ending quest for meaning in the labyrinth of life.
Telugu Original: Koee Has Raha Hai Kooe Ro Raha Hai
Cheers for the man who sits silently near a milestone;
who every minute expects someone who never comes;
who counts the cars and buses and goes on eating peanuts;
who looks at a cloud and forgets the time.
In this poignant piece, Sri Sri paints a picture of quiet endurance and the beauty in small, unnoticed moments of life. With vivid imagery, the poet captures the essence of human solitude and resilience. The man at the milestone symbolizes the quiet perseverance of those who continue to hope, dream, and find meaning in the mundane.
Visakhapatnam takes pride in being the birthplace of Sri Sri, whose poetry reflects the world as it is while envisioning the world as it could be. His fearless approach to social issues, combined with his innovative use of free verse, made him a voice for the people. His legacy reminds us that poetry is not just art but a catalyst for change, but also a a mirror to society.
If you haven’t yet delved into the world of Sri Sri, these verses are a great starting point to appreciate the depth and beauty of his writing.
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