By: J.B.S. Umanadh
Official apathy evident in absence of memorial for Mallinatha Suri
Kolcharam (Medak): Kolachala Mallinatha Suri is the brightest son of Medak who spread the literary skills of Telugus all over the world by translating kavyas written in Sanskrit to Telugu through his vyakhyanas (comments).
He is otherwise known as `Vyakhyana Chakravarthi.’ He was born during the year 1150 B.C. in Kolichelama village, just 15 km from Medak town. Kolichelama (Kolanu-Chelam) that means highland next to a lake later became Kolcharam.
Mallinatha Suri wrote Sanjivini Vyakhaya on Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsam, Jeevatuvu Vyakhya on Naishadhiya Charitam of Sri Harsha, Sarvamkasha Vyakhya on Sisupalavadha of Maagha, Ghantapatha Vyakhya on Bharavi’s Kiratarjuniyam and many more like Jyothishagrantham Raghuveera Charitha and Vaisyavamsa Sudharnavam.
Great distinction
Mallinatha Suri is the only Telugu poet to write comments on all the five maha kavyas of Sanskrit. After many centuries the first-ever meeting on Mallinatha Suri was held in Medak on November 21, 1981. The then Minister for Cultural Affairs Bhattam Srirama Murty, Acharya Siromani Sastrula Viswanatha Sarma and the then Medak Collector Gayatri Ramachandran attended the meeting.
Immediately after that, the State Government purchased the ancestral house of the great poet for Rs. 18,000. The Veda school, which was supposed to have been established in the house, was shifted to Vargal.
The house is dilapidated and much of the land is now encroached. Preserving works
President of the Kolachala Mallinatha Suri Sahithi Peetham S. Jagadeesh Chandra said that a committee had been formed to take up a few projects to preserve Suri’s works in Kolcharam. The committee ordered a bronze statue of the poet and hopes to set it up at the crossroads leading to the village.
The peetham also hopes to set up a library and Veda pathasala in the land donated by the Kolachala family.
Courtesy: The Hindu