THE ideals of writer and social reformer Kandukuri Veeresalingam are relevant for all times and he is the torch bearer of great reform, speakers hailed in a seminar organised to mark his centennial death anniversary, in Vijayawada on May 26. The event was organised by 108 organisations, to pay a fitting tribute to the great leader.

Telugu film director C Umamaheswara Rao, addressing the inaugural session, said the causes espoused by Veeresalingam are most relevant in the contemporary context.  Telakapalli Ravi, state president of literary organisation, Sahitee Sravanti, and senior journalist, said that Veeresalingam was a leader ahead of his time.

Renowned historian Prof Vakulabharanam Ramakrishna, in his message, narrated the efforts of Veeresalingam in fulfilling his herculean work. Siddhartha auditorium, the venue of the seminar, was packed with writers, poets, literature lovers and social workers, from across the state.

Member of Andhra Pradesh legislative council, K S Lakshman Rao, recalled the contributions of social reformers Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and  Mahadev Govind Ranade.

“Nearly 30 years before the Indian National Congress was established, these leaders spearheaded a social reform movement in their respective areas. In Andhra Pradesh, leaders like Kandukuri Veeresalingam and Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu took up that role,” Rao said. He added that their relentless efforts paved the way for building awareness among the public in the period after 1920. He also recalled Veeresalingam’s valuable contribution in the field of education of girl child, opposition to child marriage and promotion of the Telugu language and scientific temper.

Former director of All India Radio, Vijayawada, M Krishnakumari said that Veeresalingam realised the importance of art and used it as an effective tool to provoke people to think. She said that the reformer started composing ballets to take the message of change to the public. “He is also a leader who used State forces to promote the good cause to stop child marriages,” she said.

Atheist Centre executive director G Vijayam, speaking on the occasion, said that Veeresalingam is often remembered as a writer for his contribution to the freedom movement. “More than anything else, he was a ‘doer,’, who believed in action rather than just talking or thinking,” he said. S Punyavathi and D Rama Devi from AIDWA, MVS Sarma, editor, Prajasakti and others shared insights about the reformer. Educationist Hema Parimi spoke about his contribution to the education sector.

Sessions were held on Veeresalingam’s role in Telugu literature, social reform and the relevance of his work in modern times. T Ramesh from Siddhartha Kala Peetham, P Muralikrishna from M B Vignana Kendram, Andhra Arts Academy president G Narayana Rao and a host of others who were on the committee that coordinated the event, were present.

Praja Natya Mandali artists performed a play titled ‘Reform Torch Bearer Kandukuri’ to mark the occasion. The play dealt with the life of Kandukuri and his efforts in fighting the social evils, and received huge applause from the gathering.

Tributes were paid to Veeresalingam at many places throughout Andhra Pradesh. In Visakhapatnam, poets, writers, progressive thinkers and leaders of Left parties, garlanded the statue. MLCs I Venkateswara Rao, Ramu Surya Rao, MLA Adireddi Bhavani and former MLC MVS Sarma attended the seminar in Rajamahendravaram to mark the centenary year. Meetings were organised at Kadapa, Nandyal and Kurnool remembering the great reformer.

Kandukuri Veeresalingam, Telugu Renaissance Torch Bearer

A Mallajosyula

KANDUKURI Veeresalingam is considered as the pioneer of the renaissance movement in Telugu in the 19th century. Born into an orthodox Brahmin family in Rajamahendravaram of Andhra Pradesh in 1848, he became the first novelist in Telugu with his work Rajasekhara Charitamu which highlighted the socio-economic conditions of his time.

Veeresalingam rose to become the first and relentless voice against acts of gender discrimination and oppression of women. His first encounter with the effects of male chauvinism in the society occurred during his first job as a teacher at a school in a remote village called Korangi of East Godavari district. It is here that he understood the importance of education for the upliftment of women and led him to start a school for women in 1874 at Dhowaleswaram in East Godavari district, an act of rebellion that empowered hundreds of women later on.

Kandukuri Veeresalingam vehemently fought against the ill social practices that repressed women, like child marriages, and fought for reformative actions like widow remarriages and widow education. At a time when widows were not allowed step out of their houses and considered ill omens, he dared to perform the first widow marriage in 1881, drawing the attention of renaissance activists across the globe. This act of reform brought him recognition from the government in British-ruled India and he was conferred with the title of ‘Rao Bahadur’.

Despite stiff opposition from society, he established widow homes to educate and empower them. He also established a Remarriage Association and held numerous discussions and debates on the issues of widows and child marriages, across the state creating public awareness.

His work in literature too primarily focussed on women education and criticised ill practices like the Sati and, Kanyasulkam, a practice of buying young brides by paying her parents.

Viveka Vardhini and Hasya Sanjivini journals were started by Veeresalingam, to highlight the issues of women, as early as 1876 and gained immense readership within a short period by triggering discussion on difficult topics for the period like the independence of women. Later on, he went ahead to publish a monthly magazine for women called Satihita Bodhini in 1883.

Being a multi-linguist and a scholar in English, he translated all the works of Shakespeare to Telugu, opening a new window of thought for Telugu readers in the 19th century.

Inspired by contemporary renaissance leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar, he became a follower of Brahma Samaj and later went on to establish a Brahmo Mandir in Rajamahendravaram. This not only challenged the existing Hindu religious practices but also laid the seeds of debate on Hindu philosophy and theist practices of the time.

Lauded as the father of the renaissance movement in Telugu, Veeresalingam dedicated his life for reforming the society through women education and independence. He passed away on May 27, 1919, and left a great legacy which was revered by next-generation reformists like Gurajada Apparao and Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, paving way for building modern India.