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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY,
A JOURNAL OF ORIENTAL RESEARCH.
TELUGU BALLAD POETRY
BY J. A. BOYLE, Esq., M.C.S. W H EN the late Mr. Gover compiled his passion of his nature, these are the three prin
"Folk-Songs of Southern India," the cipal types of early ballad poetry. And these only dialect of the Dravidian tongues which went types and subjects were repeated and varied unrepresented in his collection was the Telugu. infinitely according to the mood of bard or The omission of that dialect appeared to him, audience. A chief's funeral awoke strains that however, too glaring a defect; and in order to told all his life's story, with its wars and loves supply it he inserted a few verses from the and revels; and at marriage or festal day the poem of Vemana, as a specimen of Telugu verse. singer would strike softer chords, but on the Now the didactic, and in parts polemical, poem same lyre, and weave into his facile verse wellof Vemana can no more be truthfully classed as known names of clan-warriors, and remembered a folk-song than the Lamentations of Jeremiah scenes of love's victories or war's triumphs. or the Satires of Juvenal. Those bold denuncia-1 It is therefore to be hoped that while the tions of the vanity of Brahmanical ritualism, treasures of national poetry are being gleaned of the observance of times and seasons, and from so many languages, the stores of the sweetest of the making clean of cup and platter, were dialect of Southern India may not be overlooked, written long after that rude condition had been and that the popular songs of the Telugu people passed in which, for want of general culture and may be collected. That such exist it is the object the common use of writing, popular literature of the present writer to show; but his fitful gleanis graven on men's hearts alone, and written ings are worthless, except as they may lead other nowhere but on their memories. It may be diffi- and more competent gatherers to the field. cult to define within precise limits and beyond The specimens of popular ballads which are the reach of controversy the exact type of a now offered are undoubtedly the composition of folk-song. It is, however, quite safe to deny that rural bards. They have been gathered by the. character to so complex and elaborate & poem roadside, from rude men that could neither a3 the verses of Vemana. Simplicity of thought read nor write. The ploughman who sang to and subject is one undeniable characteristic his team, and the carter as he sat between his of the firstfruits of national composers. The bullocks, have contributed snatches of song, of War-song that sounded in the ears of rude war- which they often only half-knew the meaning, riors as they marched; the Wine-song that and which they changed and corrupted into pleased them as they revelled ; and the Love their rough and vulgar tongue. The very simsong that expressed the softer and better feel- plicity and boldness of the verses are their ings of man, when moved by the strongest certificate of genuineness, and attest the on
