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PINGALI LAKSHMI KANTHAM - TELUGU POET
AND SCHOLAR

P.S. SUNDARAM

Making a survey of Telugu Lit­erature for the Sahitya Akademi’s “Contemporary Indian Literature� (1957) the founder Editor of TRIVENI said “Pingali Lakshmi Kantham and Katuri Venkateswara Rao began their literary career with a slender volume of verse TOLAKARI...The promise of early years found fulfilment in SOUNDARA NANDAM...a classic par excellence�. Earlier, commenting editorially in the TRIVENI about the formation of the Sahitya Akademi he approvingly noted the nomination of Lakshmi Kantham and Masti to the first Executive Com­mittee of the Akademi. Such was (and is) the esteem in which TRIVENI held Lakshmi Kantham whose centenary falls this year. So it is that the present Editor of TRIVENI invited an article on Lakshmi Kantham. Hence this at­tempt.

Pingali Lakshmi Kantham was an outstanding poet, critic, essayist, teacher and translator besides being an actor and broadcaster. Given his range of activities one can only briefly touch upon some facets of his achieve­ments in an article of this type. To start with, Lakshmi Kantham the poet.

Quite early in life he came under the spell of Satavadhani Chellapilla Venkata Sastry at Machilipatnam. So did Katuri Venkateswara Rao and a host of young aspiring poets in the first decade of this century. Venkata Sastry was an institution by himself and together with Tirupati Sastry formed a team popularly referred to as Tirupati Venkata Kavulu. This phenomenon of two poets coming together to produce poetic works is peculiar to Telugu and the tradition dates to the 14th century. Lakshmi Kantham and Venkateswara Rao also became a team like their gurus. Again, like their gurus who excelled in that literary feat called “Avadhanam�, the youngsters also performed “avadhanams� in their early days but gave them up later.

Their first publication was a col­lection of verses called TOLAKARI (1928). Then came SOUNDARA NAN­DAM (1932) which in the words of Ramakotiswara Rao is “a long sus­tained Kavya recalling the age of the Buddha. Perfection of form and nobil­ity of sentiment have made SOUN­DARA NANDAM a classic par excel­lence�. The Telugu SOUNDARA NAN­DAM is not a translation of Aswagosha’s work of the same name. The Kavya is suffused with grace, ele­gance and dignity. It is modem with a touch of classicism and is rated as one of the most outstanding poetic works of this century. It has assured for the poets an ineffable place in the Telugu literary firmament. After this, the poets did not publish any joint work though each published poems sepa­rately. Lakshmi Kantham published MADHURA PANDITARAJAM (1962) which contains his translations of Jagannatha’s GANGALAHARI and other pieces. His translation is of the old school type in that it did not strictly adhere to the original. Some occasional verses of his were pub­lished posthumously as ATMALAHARI which collection includes a short but moving elegy written by him on the passing away of his wife. This is en­titled LAKSHMI NIRGAMANAMU. Lashmi Kantham’s poetry is characterised by great precision and balance where emotion is reined in by intellect.

The year 1931 was a turning point in Lakshmi Kantham’s life. That was the year in which the Andhra University under the Vice Chancellor­ship of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan decided to offer courses in Telugu at the B.A. (Hons) level at its newly established Arts College at Waltair (Visakhapatnam). Telugu was tobe taught at University level for the first time. Lakshmi Kantham was chosen as the first Head of the Department in which capacity he was called upon to formulate the courses and help set up standards in those initial difficult years. This he did with distinction. He served the University for eighteen years and retired in 1949. On the eve of his retirement the then Vice Chan­cellor Dr. C. R. Reddy wrote to him saying “Let me say how very much the university and myself are indebted to you for your services - so scholarly, dignified and characterised by a bal­anced mind and judgement which are such rare gifts. Great as you have been as a scholar, you have been no less great as a gentleman. Please ac­cept from me this expression of sincere esteem�.

The most significant contribution of Lakshmi Kantham as a University teacher is the shape and content he gave to the History of Telugu Litera­ture. It is said that his was the first attempt at the comprehensive, system­atic and critical study of Telugu litera­ture and at preparing its history. His lecture notes on the subject in manu­script form gained great currency and for nearly two decades several copies were in circulation. Unfortunately, he did not put it in book form; by the time he undertook to do so, his time was up! He passed away leaving behind an unfinished work. The A.P. Sahitya Akademi published this posthu­mously. Even this incomplete work is very popular and had run into several, reprints by now. Lakshmi Kantham lectured on Principles of Literary Criti­cism where he made a blend of west­ern concepts and those in Indian sas­tras. He introduced, a new terminology in Telugu criticism. A few years before his death he published SAHITYA SILPA SAMEEKSHA (Literary Criti­cism) in 1966. His essays on a variety of literary topics mark him out as a prose writer of distinction. He pub­lished a Sanskrit grammar called KUMARA VYAKARANAM (1968) for the benefit of students studying san­skrit. He also compiled an English ­Telugu dictionary GOUTHAMA NIGHANTUVU (1952) in which not only the meanings of words are given but even illustrative sentences, to­gether with translations, are given. These last named two books are out of print.

About Lakshmi Kantham’s per­sonal qualities one cannot do better than quote the resolution passed by the Syndicate of the Andhra University on the eve of his retirement: “In manners gentle but firm, in judgement broad minded and fair and in general deportment dignified and noble�. One could add that he never cared for cheap popularity or publicity and that he was somewhat aloof. But those who knew him closely testify to this ex­traordinary devotion for his guru and affection for his students.

Lakshmi Kantham passed away on 10th January, 1972. Even in this there was distinctiveness - it was his seventy eighth birthday!

It is heartening to learn that the Andhra University has instituted an award in his name and proposes to organise endowment lectures in his memory. In doing so, the University pays homage not only to the architect of its Telugu Department but to one of the leading scholar-poets of this cen­tury.