KSHETRAYYA PADAMS
English translation of select Kshetrayya padams (songs) elucidated in Telugu
By: Dr. Kanakam Devaguptapu
In English & Telugu. Published in 2024. By Suryakala Foundation for Performing Arts. Paperback. 274 + xvii + 59 pages.

This book titled “Kshetrayya Padams” is an English transliteration and translation of Prof. Veturi Anandamurthy’s book “Kshetrajnulu” (1991) — the second edition of which was published in 2022 by Dr. Kanakam Devaguptapu. This includes padam lyrics in English, Telugu and Sanskrit along with detailed meanings and elucidation of the songs. Included are notations set by eminent musicians and scholars for all the padams.

Dr. Kanakam Devaguptapu has been a Carnatic musician, music teacher and researcher for several decades. Since her retirement as an English professor, she has been devoting her time to musicology and music research, with special focus on Telugu compositions of earlier centuries.

Dr. Kanakam has presented this book in three sections. The first section consists of transliteration and translation of the introductory segments of the Telugu original “Kshetrajnulu” , her Introduction and Preface to this book, explanation of some terms and a transliteration key. The second section comprises the lyrics of the padams in Telugu, Sanskrit and English, followed by word for word as well as overall meanings of the lyrics, the transliteration and translation of the commentary and song notation, with a bibliography at its end. The third section given as Appendix, is an interesting value addition — it presents Kshetrajnulu (Telugu original) and Varadayya (play written in Telugu by Veturi Anandamurthy for All India Radio in 1959 which is a dramatised version of the life of Kshetrayya.

Dr. Kanakam has been sharing the fruits of her research through books (published through their family Trust, Suryakala Foundation for Performing Arts) that serve as informative guides for practitioners as well as connoisseurs of music and dance. “Kshetrayya Padams” too is one such. A copy of this book as well as her earlier book “Varna Varnanam” (an exposition of some rare tana and pada varnams) are available in the Music Academy library.

S. JANAKI