Palkuriki Somanatha(Makers of Indian Literature)

Book Details

• Publisher: SAHITYA AKADEMI

• Author: Mudigonda Sivaprasad

• Language: English

• Pages: 92

• Cover: PAPERBACK

• Dimensions: 21.5 cm x 14 cm

• Weight: 130 gm

• Edition: 2012

• ISBN: 9788126031337

About the Book
Palkuriki Somanatha, a 12th-century poet, is considered a pioneering figure in Telugu literature, playing a pivotal role in the evolution of the language. While Nannaya Bhattaraka of the 11th century is hailed as the first prominent Telugu poet, Somanatha's works—Basava Purana and Panditaradhya Charitra—are original contributions to Telugu literature, setting him apart as an epoch-making poet. His writings were composed in the Janu Telugu style and featured the Dwipada metre, a distinct local style, unlike Nannaya who predominantly used Sanskrit metres in his translations of the Vyasa Mahabharata.

Somanatha is credited with introducing the life of Lord Basava, a significant figure in Karnataka's religious history, to a wider audience, preceding even the work of Harihara. His contributions go beyond just these texts; he also wrote Somanatha Bhashya in Sanskrit and Vrisadhipa Sataka, incorporating poems in various contemporary Indian languages such as Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, and Sanskrit. As a classical poet of the highest order, Somanatha's works continue to resonate as monumental contributions to Indian classical literature.