There were no glittering ceremonies or high-profile chief guests, but blacksmiths, potters, barbers, weavers, fishermen, washermen and sweepers practising their traditional vocations who were made the heroes of the day, launching books authored by their own people.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the literature published by writers from the backward classes was launched simultaneously at hundred places in the country with the effort of the Telangana Sahitya Akademi. The occasion was Telangana ideologue Kothapalli Jayashankar’s birth anniversary to take the literature of Bahujans to the nook and corner of the country. As a part of the initiative, the long poems ‘Bahujana Bavuta’ written by Vanapatla Subbaiah and ‘Nenu Savitribai Phule nu matladutunna’ (Me, Savitribai Phule speaking) written by Damera Ramulu were unveiled at 100 places across the country.
The idea was to take forward the Bahujan culture, arts and literature, apart from the soul of Telangana to future generations. Not just confining the beauty of the toil to just Telangana, the books were taken to people who are part of such struggles in the country, said Chairman of the Telangana Sahitya Akademi, Juluru Gowrishankar.
The exciting part of the whole event was to unveil these books in places where Mahatma Phule and Savitri Bai Phule, the icons of backward classes, were born and brought up. “BC literature is the Beauty of Life in Sweat and Toil,” Mr. Gowrishankar explains and says it has to further flourish as these writers are attached to the soil and their poetry and writings emerge from the pain of their hearts. Works of any art is for people’s sake and it is quite meaningful that the poets’ works were unveiled in the midst of their fellow beings in small ceremonies.
The unveiling of books at ITI circle in Nanded, the memorial of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitri Bai Phule was quite unique. The poetry composition based on the lives of Maa Jyotibai Phule and Savitri Bai Phule was read before it was released.
Mr. Gowrishankar said after the formation of Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has encouraged bringing into light the literature and histories of our forgotten poets, writers, artists and prominent public servants.
