• welcome
• add a person
• find a person
• about us
• online memorial books

Seshendra Sharma

Gunturu Seshendra Sarma: an extraordinary poet-scholar

HYDERABAD: An era of scholastic excellence and poetic grandeur has come to an end in the passing away of Gunturu Seshendra Sarma, one of the foremost poets and critics in Telugu literature.
His mastery over western literature and Indian `Alankara Sastra' gave his works a stunning imagery, unparalleled in modern Indian works. One of the ironies in literature is that he came to be known more as a critic than a poet. The Central Sahitya Akademi award was conferred on him for his work `Kaala Rekhalu' and not for his poetic excellence.
The genius in him made him explore `Kundalini Yoga' in his treatise on Ramayana in `Shodasi' convincingly. His intellectual quest further made him probe `Naishadha Kaavya' in the backdrop of `Lalita Sahasra Naamavali', `Soundarya Lahari' and `Kama Kala Vilasam' in `Swarna Hamsa', Dr. Suprasannacharya once recalled.
Seshendra saw the entire universe as a storehouse of images and signs to which imagination was to make value-addition. Like Stephene Mallarme who was considered a prophet of symbolism in French literature, Seshendra Sarma too believed that art alone would survive in the universe along with poetry. He believed that the main vocation of human beings was to be artists and poets.
His `Kavisena Manifesto' gave a new direction to modern criticism making it a landmark work in poetics. Telugus would rue the intellectual impoverishment they suffered in maintaining a `distance' from him. Seshendra could have given us more, but we did not deserve it! The denial of the Jnanpeeth Award to him proves it.
The Hindu
India’s National News Paper
June, 01, 2007

---------------------------------------------------------------

Seshendra: Visionary Poet of the Millennium
Gunturu Seshenrdra Sharma(20th October 1927-30th May 2007)better known as seshendra, poet/critic/scholar was born on 20th October 1927 in Andhra pradesh (India). Parents; Late subrahmanyam, Late Mrs ammaayamma, married to Janaki, Children; Ms.Vasundhara, Ms, Revathi (daughters,), Vanamaali, Saatyaki (sons)-Graduated from the Andhra Christian college (guntur A.P), did Law from the Madras University, He worked as Deputy Municipal Commissioner in The government of Andhra Pradesh for 37 years. He knows Telugu, English, Hindi and Sanskrit proficiently.
It was with a translation from Mathew Arnold"s"Shahnama" the Persian Epic that Seshendra first appeared in Print (1952) Inevitably a Poet is known mainly for the works that brought recognition to him. We shall think of seshendra primarily as the author of*my country my people* Modern epic, SESHA JYOTSNA, The burning Sun, poet’s notebook" Arc of blood (Rakta Rekha),"TURNED INTO WATER AND FLED AWAY, GORILLA, ME AND MY PEACOK OR THE PEACOCK AND MY ME.

Epics like ADHUNIK MAHABHARATHAM, JANAVAMSAM Spiralled his emergence on the Indian literary scene establishing him as a major voice of the country. Added to this are his books of criticism "SHODASI"(A TANTRIC COMMENTARY OF VALMIKI’S RAMAYAN) SWARNA HAMSA (A TANTRIC COMMENTARY OF HARSHA Bhatta"s naishadhiya charitam) and KAVI SENA MANIFESTO (ADHINIK KAVYA SASTRA) besides short stories and plays.

Share this with a Friend