I have read Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat in translation and marvelled at the emotions it evokes and the universality of its appeal, and dreamt of authoring such a work in Telugu. I have just done that, says litterateur, film-maker. and actor Tanikella Bharani.
“My works on Lord Siva have been received well. But then, since it is in the praise of Siva, its acceptability is limited to those who believe in and pray to Lord Siva. I wanted to write something that has universal acceptance and is well received by people across ages, and this is my Rubaiyat ,” the author explained at a programme organised by the Visakha Music Academy here on Sunday to release his book — Pyaasa .
Pyaasa gives voice to emotions of a seeker of love, and in that it is universal.
“While it is inspired by Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, I have used Indian idiom and symbolisms to explain the feelings of a lover,” he said.
His inimitable style and narrative peppered with anecdotes and one-liners regaled the ‘rasikas’ who gathered at Kalabharati for the literary event.
‘Landmark in literature’President of Visakha Music Academy and former NSTL director S.V. Rangarajan cited parallel works and described why Pyaasa was a landmark in literature just as his film Midhunam was an iconic movie.
Professor K. Malayavasini reviewed the book and compared it to the literary works in Telugu over time. “The emotion of love is natural and universal, and it is love that makes life worth living,” she said.
Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao formally released the book.
S. Vijaykumar of Vijay Nirman, G.R.K. Babu of VMDA, and producer of Midhunam Ananda Rao were present.
Earlier, couplets from the book were sung by Jayalakshmi and Vedabhaskar to the tune set by Bandaru Chittibabu.
