What did Telugu emerge from??

How did our language get the name Telugu? If you travel to Tamilnadu and say that you are from Andhra you might be asked if you speak "Telungu - తెలుంగు", why can't they just call it simply Telugu like we do? They have been callling our language this way for ever. Well and there are other scriptures that call it "Tenugu - తెనుగు".

There are several theories to say how this language has got its name Telugu. The region in which this language is spoken is primarily know for three of its very famous Shiva Temples, SriSailam, Kalahasthi and Daaksha Raamam. So this region was also know as Trilinga Desam. Trilinga Desam because of the form in which the Lord Shiva is worshiped. Hence the land that has the three great Lingas is called the "Trilinga Desam - త్రిలింగ దేశం". The people that lived in the Trilinga Desam spoke a language which came to be known as "Trilingamu - త్రిలింగము".

Trilingamu eventually Telungu and now to the way it is known "Telugu - తెలుగు".

Is goes with the argument that the people living below the south of the Vindhyas - the Dravidians were primarily Shiva devotees. One can find this in the Ramayana as well.

....Next read .. how did the region Andhra get its name?"

అప్పిచువాడు వైద్యుడు - Appu Icchu Vaadu Vaidyudu

One of the most commonly used sentences in the Telugu movie comedy "Appu Icchu Vaadu Vaidhyudu" "అప్పిచువాడు వైద్యుడు" .. which going by the sentence means "One that lends money is a doctor". Does not really really make logical sense, where does this age old saying come from from and what could it be meaning..

The person who wrote this in the yester years did not stop at saying "Appu Icchu Vaadu Vaidhyudu.." That is a part a longer stanza. Below is the complete version and the meaning it carries. It is basically a poem from the "Sumathi Shatakam - సుమతీ శతకం"

అప్పిచువాడు వైద్యుడు
నెప్పుడు నెడతెగక బారు నేఱును, ద్విజుడున్
జొప్పడిన యూర నుండుము
చొప్పడకున్నట్టి యూరు జొరకుము సుమతీ!

Appichhuvaadu Vaidhyudu
Neppudu Nedathegaka Baaru Neerunu, Dhvijudun
Joppadina Yuura Nundumu
Choppadakunnatti Yuuru Jorakumu Sumathi!

This means .. "O Good Hearted One! Live in a place which has a money lender (for needy times), a doctor, a river that has water flowing through it round the year and a Bhramin (a learned person). Do not live in a place that does not have all of them."

How wonderful indeed.. very well used by the drama and film industry without the pauses and intonations between each of the characters in the poem.

Hope you enjoyed it..

Chetha Venna Muddha Chengalva Poo Dhanda

This poem again describes Lord Shri Krishna and it is the most cutest description of the Lord in his child form. Every mother at sometime or the other would have told this one to her son (at least in the yester years; I know my mom did). It describes what the Lord is holding; wearing and describes the his cuteness.

చేత వెన్నముద్ద చెంగల్వ పూదండ

భంగారు మొలతాడు పట్టుదట్టి

సందిట తావీదు సరిలొయ్య గజ్జలు

చిన్ని కృష్ణ! నిన్ను చేరి కొలతు

Chetha Venna Muddha Chengalva PooDhanda

Bhangaaru Molathaadu PattuDhatti

Sandhita Thaaveedhu Sariloyya Gajjalu

Chinni Krushna! Ninnu Chera Kolathu

O Little Krishna.. with a scoop of butter in your hand, and a little garland of flowers around you, with a golden thread tied around your waist, with twinkling anklets.. I pray to reach your abode..

What lovely description, only one with absolute love for the Lord would have written this..

Sumathi Sathakamu

"Sumathi Sathakamu - సుమతీ శతకము" is next most known collection of telugu poems after the Vemana Sathakamu. All poems here end with the word "Sumathi - సుమతీ" it means "one with a good character". Couple of these have had a very strong influence on my mind through my life and I guess several of us may have felt it too. So here they are:

"తన కోపమె తన శత్రువు
తన శాంతమె తనకు రక్ష దయ చుట్టంబౌ
తన సంతోషమె స్వర్గము
తన దుక్కమే నరకమండ్రు తధ్యము సుమతీ!

Thana Koopame Thana Sathruvu
Thana Santhame Thanaku Raksha Dhaya Chuttambow
Thana Santhoshame Swargamu
Thana Dhukkame Narakamandru Thadyamu Sumathi!"

O Good Hearted One! One's anger is his enemy, one's calmness is his protector and ability to forgive his realtive. One's state of bliss is his heaven, One's sorrow is hell! So keep away from anger and be considerate towards others. Do not worry about silly things and be happy and content with life and you will find it to be heaven.

"కనకపు సింహాసనమున
శునకము కూర్చుండబెట్ట శుభలగ్నమునం
దొనరగ బట్టము కట్టిన
వెనకటి గుణ మేల మాను వినరా సుమతీ!

Kanakapu Simhasanamuna
Sunakamu Koorchundabetta Subhalagnamunam
Donaraga Battamu Kattina
Venakati Guna Meyla Maanu Vinaraa Sumathi!"

O Good Hearted One! Though you bring a dog and place it on a golden throne and crown it in all pomp and glory in the most auspicious of times the basic character of the dog will never change. Similarly a rouge will always remain one, so do not befriend a rouge.

If any of you folks out there reading this have more to add on a similar note, go ahead and do so.. I will publish it for you..

Desa Bhashalandhu Telugu Lessa

We all have grown up listing to the phrase "దేశభాషలందు తెలుగు లెస్స" - "Desa Bhashalandhu Telugu Lessa"! What does it mean? Is it asking if telugu is less than any other language in the country? No it isn't. To understand the word "Lessa" - "లెస్స" lets go back to one of those very popular movie dialogues, "Lessa Palikithivi" - "లెస్స పలికితివి", it means "well spoken" or "best said". So "Lessa" means "best".

With this I present to you the entire poem:

దేశభాషలందు తెలుగు లెస్స
ఉగ్గుపాలు నుండి ఉయ్యాలలో నుండి
అమ్మపాట పాడునట్టి బాష
తేనె వంటి మందు వీనులకును విందు
దేశభాషలందు తెలుగులెస్స!
సంస్క్రుతంభులోను చెక్కర పాకంబు
అరవభాషలోని అమృతరాశి
కన్నడంబులోని తేట తెలుగు నందు
వేనవేల కవుల వెలుగులో రూపొంది
దేశదేశములలో వాసిగావించిన భాష
వీయిఎండ్ల నుండి విలసిల్లు నా 'భాష'
దేశభాషలందు తెలుగు లెస్స

Did u like it? let me know.. your comments and interest will keep me going..

Shri Krushna Sathakamu

Below area couple beautiful poems from the Krushna Sathakam (కృష్ణ శతకము). Sathakam literally means "hundred verses" or "hundren poems". Krushna Sathakam is a complilation of poems praising the Lord Shri Krishna.

The first one below is very popular and is normally taught to children as a way to pray. It means "O Lord Krishna! You are my Mother, Father, Guide, Saviour, Friend, Teacher, God and Ruler. You are everything for me." It basically is a submision of oneself upon the Lord.

"నీవే తల్లివి తండ్రివి
నీవే నాతోడు నీడ నీవే సకుడవ్
నీవే గురుడవు దైవము
నీవే నా పతియు గతియు నిజముగా కృష్ణా!"

Neeve Thallivi Thandrivi
Neeve NaaThodu Needa Neeve Sakudav
Neeve Gurudavu Daivamu
Neeva Na Pathuyu Gathiyu Nejamuga Krushna!

The next one mentioned below is again very popular with mothers or grandmothers, teaching it to their children. It describes the Lord Shri Krishna as little playful child, hence it is taught to children and the parents in their mind look at their child as the little Shri Krishna.

The Exact meaning of this verse is "O Lord Krishna! As an adorable child you play in front dear Yashoda, the wife of Nanda, and as you play we hear the melody of the anklets decorating your feet. That sound fills our heart with joy."

"అందెలు గజ్జలు మ్రోయగా
చిందులు ద్రొక్కుచును వేడ్క చెలువారంగా
నందుని సతి యా గోపిక
ముందర నాడుదువు మిగుల మురియుచు కృష్ణా!

"Andhelu Gajjalu Mroyaga
Chidhulu Drokkuchu Vedka Cheluvaaranga
Nanduni Sathi Yaa Goopika
Mundhara Naadudhuvu Migula Muriyuchu Krushnaa!"

Hope you enjoyed it. As always let me know what you are looking for, will try getting it.

Maa Telugu Talli

This anthem "Maa Telugu Talli - మా తెలుగు తల్లికి is written by Shri Sankarambaati Sundaraacharya. This is an anthem which most of us would have learnt and recited over and over again during our childhood. This surely brings back those memories where we all stood in our uniforms and some of us singing it as a mere ritual. But those were the good old days.

మా తెలుగు తల్లికి మల్లెపూదండ
మా కన్నా తల్లికి మంగళారతులు
కడుపులో బంగారు కనుచూపులో కరుణ
చిరునవ్వులో సిరులు దొరలించి మా తల్లి
గల గల గోదారి కదలి పూతుంటేను
బిర బిరా కృష్ణమ్మ పరుగులిడుతుంటేను
బంగారు పంటలే పండుతాయి
మురిపాల ముత్యాలు దొరలుతాయి
అమరావతీ నగర అపురూప శిల్పాలు
త్యాగయ్య గొంతులో తారాడు నాదాలు
నిత్యమై నిఖిలమై నిలిచియుండేదాక
రుద్రమ్మ భుజశక్తి మల్లమ్మ పతిభక్తి
తిమ్మరుసు ధీయుక్తి కృష్ణరాయల కీర్తి
మా చెవులు రింగుమని మారుమ్రోగే దాక
నీ ఆటలే ఆడుతాం నీ పాటలే పాడుతాం
జై తెలుగు తల్లి ! జై తెలుగు తల్లి !

Maa Telugu talliki Mallepoodhanda
Maa kanna tallki mangalaarathulu
kadupulo bangaru kanuchupulo karuna
Chirunavvulo sirulu dhoralinchu maa thalli
Gala gala godhari kadhali pothuntenu
Bira bhiraa krushnamma paruguliduthuntenu
Bangaaru pantaley panduthaayi
Muripaala muthyalu dhorukuthaayi
Amaraavathi nagara apuroopa shilpaalu
Thyaagayya gonthuloo thaaraadu naadhaalu
Nithyamai nikhilamai nilachiyundedhaaka
Rudramma bhuja-shakthi Mallamma pathi-bakthi
Thimmarusu dheeyukthi Krushnaraayala keerthi
Maa chevula ringumani maarumroge dhaaka
Nee aatale aadutham nee paatale paadutham
Jai Telugu Talli! Jai Telugu Talli!

Hope you enjoyed it! I surely did! Every time I recite this in my head I feel the joy of belonging to where we come from, finds no bounds... I hope you felt it at some corner of your heart.

If there are specific things you would like to know just post the request and you will get it.. Look forward to some more of our childhood memories

నమస్కారం (namaskaaram)
మీ ... నవీన్