- Gudipati Venkatachalam
-
Gudipati Venkata Chalam Born Gudipati Venkata Chalam
May 19, 1894
Madras(now called Chennai), IndiaDied May 4, 1979 (aged 84)
Arunachalam, IndiaYears active 1920–1972 Spouse Ranganayakamma Gudipati Venkatachalam aka Chalam (Telugu : గుడిపాటి వెంకటాచలం) (1894–1979), a Telugu writer and philosopher, was one of the most influential personalities in the modern Telugu literature. Telugu is a language spoken by more than ten crore(100 millions) people and the literary interest of the people was at its height during first half of the 20th century.
Most of his writings were regarding Women, especially the kind of difficulties women encounter-physical as well as psychological-in the society, families from their near and dear ones. Chalam discussed how the women should encounter them. the themes of his writings, philosophical tinge in his writings blended with his writing style earned him unenviable place in Telugu literary world.
Contents
Life
Much that is known about Chalam’s childhood comes from his 1972 autobiography titled Chalam. In it, he vividly mentions how his dad beat him up and how his mom, staying at her parent’s home even after marriage with her kids and husband, had to face a flurry of insults. Chalam brazenly puts across why he is writing his autobiography in its Foreword:
"I hate Autobiographies. By writing an Autobiography, I am admitting to myself and indirectly telling everybody that I am an important person, I made lots of good things to help people and society and If I do not tell about myself, there is great loss to the world and by not knowing about me, the world is losing something. For a person like me who always thinks and feel that why was I born and OK I was born but why I did not die immediately without polluting my surroundings, writing an autobiography and telling my story shamelessly is not a matter to be excused..."
Birth and childhood
Known more as "Chalam"', Gudipati Venkata Chalam was born on 18 May 1894 in Madras(now called Chennai)in India. His mother was Venkata Subbamma and Father was Kommuri Sambasivarao. In his childhood days, his grandfather (mother's father) adopted him and by that his surname was changed to "Gudipati" from "Kommuri". He used to practice all Hindu rituals very religiously. Before he completed his High School, he studied almost everything about hindu mythology. The way his father used to pester his mother made an indelible impression on his young mind. Besides this, the manner in which his sister "Ammmanni" ( who name is Venkata Ramanamma, Dulla) who got married off later against her will also made him concentrate on the difficulties that women used to face in the society,those days.
Education, marriage and employment
Chalam joined Pithapuram Maharaja College in 1911. At that time, he was attracted by the preachings of Raghupati Venkata Ratnam Naidu-a Social Reformer and the founder of Brahma Samaj in Andhra. Chalam went to Madras for studying Bachelor of Arts (BA). Before joining the College, he was married to Chitti Ranganayakamma. While he was studying for Degree in Chennai, he got his wife admitted into Convent for her Education and he used to drop her at School on his bicycle. This was a spectacle for the people to see Husband dropping Wife on his cycle. Chalam stopped wearing the Sacred Thread (Yagnopaveetam), started eating Non Vegetarian (Brahmins were strict vegetarians) and he used to mingle with all castes. This infuriated all his relatives and more so his father-in-law. His father-in-law banished him from entering his house. By that time, Chalam's wife's age was merely 13. When his mother-in-law died, Chalam with his friends went to his father in-law's house for the funeral. But they were not allowed to come inside the house and they were served food outside the house.
After completing his studies in Madras, Chalam joined in a job as Tutor in Kakinada. Again, he started participating in the Brahma Samaj activities. He also became busy with his friendship with a beautiful girl named "Ratnamma" who happened to be his friend's sister-in-law. He worked as Teacher in Karimnagar. Then he joined in a job with Teacher's Training College in Rajahmundry. He later became a School Inspector. About his job, Chalam wrote in his famous book "Musings" (in Telugu language) (Page 72, 5th Print in 2005) as follows:
I am a Stone, Slave of Government, School Inspector and for the poor mice like Teachers, I am the Cat
Works
Novels
Maidanam, Sasirekha, Dyvamicchina bharya, Jeevitadarsam, Brahmanikam, Bujjigadu, Tyaagam,
Short story collections
Jealousy, Aa rathri, Prema paryavasanam, Satyam Sivam Sundaram
Musings, Papam, Prema Lekhalu, Stree, Biddala Shikshana
Novel links
మైదానం, శశిరేఖ, విషాదం, చుక్కమ్మ
Philosophy
Chalam was a strong critic of the fundamental societal architecture of his time. He believed that the barriers created by the society precluded love and mutual understanding from human relationships.
In a society that believed in the children being indebted to their parents, he proclaimed caring for and bringing up of children as the fundamental duty as parents.
He was widely shunned during his times especially for his advocacy of women’s rights and his total rejection of the family system.
Quotes
- From Brahmanikam: to be verified
Stri oka mata valla,chupu vallaa purushuniki Sandichhindaa....ika atani adhikaraniki,korikalaki,vinnapalaki antam undadu. Asalu paryavasanam akkarleni stri modatininchi vimukhamgane undali......nippu vale undali,kaalanu kudadani chala mandi moorkhula aasa...
స్త్రీ ఒక మాట వల్ల,చూపు వల్లా పురుషునికి సందిచ్చిందా....ఇక అతని అధికారానికి, కోరికలకి, విన్నపాలకి అంతం ఉండదు. అసలు పర్యవసానం అక్కర్లేని స్త్రీ మొదటినించి విముఖంగానే ఉండాలి......నిప్పు వలె ఉండాలి, ...
External links
Categories:- 1894 births
- 1979 deaths
- Telugu people
- Telugu writers
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
