SRINATHA’S YOUNGER CONTEMPORARY was Bammera Potana. He was an unpretentious Bhakti poet who led a frugal life. He composed the Mahabhagavata in sweet, flowing verse which remains forever in the hearts of the people. Even today in Andhra, the poet most adored by the masses is Potana. Nori Narasimha Sastry has called them together as Kavidayamu (the poet-duo).
Nori intended to write a novel titled Kavisarvabhaumudu about Srinatha and Sahajapandityudu about Potana. Instead, he wrote the work titled Kavidvayamu. A novel like Sahajapandityudu perhaps presented its own difficulties to Nori because of Srinatha’s character overshadowing that of Potana. And so, he wrote Kavidvayamu as if it were a continuation of Kavisarvabhaumudu.
After this, Nori wrote Dhurjati, a novel based on the life of Dhurjati, a poet who lived in the 16th century in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya. Dhurjati eventually became a renunciate and gave up royal patronage. His life was imbued with intense devotion and passion.
Besides these seven novels, Nori authored several geeta-nataka (lyrical dramas), padya-nataka (verse dramas), and khandakavya (narrative epic poetry). He translated the Devi Bhagavata into Telugu in a mature Champu style.
Apart from Telugu, Nori had good command over Kannada, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, and English.
A practicing lawyer in the town of Repalle in Konaseema, Nori held unmatched reverence and affection for Sanatana Dharma. Although he attained popularity primarily through his novels, people honored him as Kavi Samrat (Emperor of Poets). The reason for this is that all his novels possess language, style, unique expressions, and plot construction worthy of the status of a gadya-kavya (prose poetry). The fact that even today, his novels are widely circulated across (undivided) Andhra alongside classical works, is a beautiful testimony to the durability of his fame.
He was fittingly awarded the Central Sahitya Akademi Award.
In an era when facilities essential for writing historical novels — library access, knowledge of sources, expert assistance, abundance of information, and ease of field work— were extremely scarce, the fact that all his works are marked by mature research, rich evidentiary support, and abundant source material is truly a praiseworthy feat, which is nothing short of a wonder.
Nori’s depictions of the cultural, political, and religious life of that period is something achieved by only a handful of Indian writers, which further serves as irrefutable proof of his greatness.
This level of comprehensive depth is rarely seen in novels written in other Indian languages. Other writers who can be compared to him to some extent are Rahula Sankrityayan in Hindi. However, the style and approach of their stories and novels are quite different.
Rahula Sankrityayan, a staunch communist, viewed Indian history and culture through the lens of that ideology, which inevitably led him to twist facts and to distort interpretations in his novels. Therefore, notwithstanding the high standard of his scholarship, language, and narrative techniques, his works fail to satisfy people who are devoted to truth.
Just as Devudu Narasimha Sastri is considered as an ideal for mythological novels, Nori Narasimha Sastry can be regarded as an ideal for writing historical novels.
However, in his novels, almost all characters are limited to specific qualities such as good, evil, special, venerable, etc. Thanks to this, there are not many grey areas or complex shades in them. This is reminiscent of the works of many Western historical novelists of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Walter Scott, Alexandre Dumas and Lew Wallace. Likewise, the novels of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, which embody values like patriotism and love for freedom, follow the same path.
THE HIGHEST FORM of literary work is one that contains complex psychological analysis within the inner world of its characters. This prevents the reader's admiration from being limited to just a few parts or a few characters.
In the novels of writers like S.L. Bhyrappa, the inner psychological dissection of the characters is their very life-force. But both types of novels offer different kinds of interest. However, the aesthetic experience arising from a work that features deep inner psychological analysis tends to be profound.
Compared to Nori, writers in Kannada who authored historical novels do not appear to have undertaken the same level of in-depth research and study as he did. This list includes big names like A.N. Krishna Rao (Vijayanagara novels), T.R. Subba Rao (Chitradurga novels), and Korati Srinivasa Rao (Vijayanagara novels, again). Though they succeeded well in infusing dramatic elements into their plots, they did not fully and effectively reflect the complete culture of the respective periods in a comprehensive and powerful manner.
It would not be incorrect to claim that even writers like A.N. Krishna Rao have not authoritatively depicted all the grandeur and excellence of the Vijayanagara Empire. To a large extent, the same can be said of Korati’s works as well. T.R. Subba Rao achieved this feat more satisfactorily, but all his works portray a relatively later period of Indian history. There, the opportunity to imaginatively surpass the grandeur and scholarship of the classical age is limited.
In portraying an accurate picture of the intellectual life of ancient India, it does not appear that these aforementioned writers rigorously studied the major poetic and śāstra texts.
Just as Devudu composed Mahābrāhmaṇa, Mahākṣatriya, and Mahādarśana, T.R. Subba Rao wrote novels such as Beḷaku tanda bālaka (The Boy Who Brought Light) about Nachiketa, and 4 × 4 = 1 about Satyakāma. However, it appears that the level of genuine research demanded for such novels was not undertaken for writing these works.
Like T.R. Subba Rao, S.L. Bhyrappa too, had certain limitations in conveying authoritative information related to the poetry and śāstras of ancient India; however, because of his powerful portrayal of human emotions and impulses, he stands unmatched.
As the Master of poetics Ānandavardhana stated:
avyutpattikṛto doṣaḥ śaktyā saṃvriyate kaveh
kiṃtvaśaktikṛto doṣaḥ sa jhaṭityavabhāsate ||
Lack of scholarship can be compensated by genius, but lack of genius cannot be compensated by scholarship.
Because S.L. Bhyrappa deeply understands the human heart, he is able to shape the story and substance — even of works set in distant lands, times and environments such as Parva, Saartha, and Aavaraṇa — in the same way as contemporary social novels.
In this regard, comparing Bhyrappa with writers like Devudu and Nori makes his limitations clear. Likewise, comparing Devudu and Nori with Bhyrappa reveals their limitations.
From both perspectives, the fact that no one is fully complete in every aspect is somewhat regrettable.
To be continued
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