Vibhinna (Voices from Contemporary Telugu Writing)

Book Details

• Publisher: SAHITYA AKADEMI

• Authors: Alladi Uma, M. Sridhar, and K. Suneetha Rani

• Language: English

• Pages: 406

• Cover: PAPERBACK

• Dimensions: 21.5 cm x 14 cm

• Weight: 520 gm

• Edition: 2015

• ISBN: 81260483660

About the Book
Vibkinna: Voices from Contemporary Telugu Writing presents a rich and vibrant collection of Telugu literature that spans three decades of literary evolution. This anthology highlights some of the finest voices in Telugu literature, encompassing a wide range of creative works including poetry, short stories, novels, and critical essays. The contributors of this anthology are part of a literary movement that has been dynamic and responsive to sociopolitical changes. The volume gives English readers access to some of the best minds from Telugu literature, with an emphasis on their distinctive voices and innovative literary styles.

Introduction
How can one encapsulate a literature that has been so alive, vibrant, and responsive to every socio-political movement over the last quarter of a century? Vibkinna attempts to present just that—a literature that absorbed and reshaped external literary influences and adapted them to its own unique voice. In the 1970s, the "left" movement dominated the Telugu literary scene with the formation of the Virasam (Revolutionary Writers' Association). This movement advocated for free verse, people’s language, and poetry that emphasized collective experience. However, over time, this ideology faced criticism for becoming formulaic and stifling individual expression. The anthology features the work of poets such as Gaddar and K. Siva Reddy, whose recent poems still reflect a left-leaning ideology.

In addition to the revolutionary poets, the anthology features the Digambara poets who, in the mid-60s, found the existing poetic forms inadequate and created their own expressive, often "obscene" forms of poetry. These poets were rebellious in nature, rejecting the norms of polite society. Alongside the collective voices of the left, the 1980s saw the rise of individualistic poets who sought creative freedom, exemplified by the Anubhutivada poets and others who defied poetic regimentation. The collective poem at the end of the anthology, written by Afsar, Namadi Sridhar, Vommy Ramesh Babu, M. S. Naidu, and Peddi Rama Rao, captures this experimental spirit of the time.