Tenneti Hemalata
Encyclopedia
Tenneti Hemalata, better known as Lata, is a Telugu
writer from Andhra Pradesh
, India
. She is best known for writing about prostitution
in India, from the perspective of the prostitutes, and her books created heated discussion in literary circles in the late 70s and 80s.
, Andhra Pradesh. Her full given name was Janaki Rama Krishnaveni Hemalata. She had formal schooling up to fifth standard, and later studied Sanskrit
, Telugu and English classics at home. She was married at the age of nine to Tenneti Atchyutaramayya, who was seven years her senior, and suffered from an incurable medical condition. Her father died at the age of 32, when her mother was pregnant with another child.
In 1955, Lata started her career as an announcer for the All India Radio
station in Vijayawada. She participated in radio plays and later acted in, and wrote dialogue for, movies. Her first radio play was silaa hrudayam ("Stone Heart"), broadcast on Deccan Radio
in 1952. She was also an admirer of the musician Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna, and wrote a lyrics for some of his tunes.
With her husband's condition, and having experienced two difficult deliveries by caesarian section (one son in 1956 and the second in 1963), as well as suffering financial problems, Lata later said that she had been confronted with profound questions about life and death (antharanga chitram) from early in her life. She died in 1997 at the age of 65.
Some of her other works, the semi-autobiographical fictions Mohana Vamsi, Mohanavamsi, and Antharanga Chitram, offer details about her life. In the 1980s, she wrote the book Ramayana Vishavruksha Khandana as a rebuttal to Muppala Ranganayakamma
's Ramayana Visha Vruksham, itself a response to Srimad Ramayana Kalpavruksham by Viswanatha Satyanarayana
.
In total, Lata stated that, “I have written 100 novels, 700 radio plays, 100 short stories, ten stage dramas, five volumes of literary essays, two volumes of literary criticism, and one volume of Lata Vyasaalu, as well as 25 charitra kandani chitra kathalu poems.”
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
writer from Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She is best known for writing about prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
in India, from the perspective of the prostitutes, and her books created heated discussion in literary circles in the late 70s and 80s.
Biography
Lata was born to Nibhanupudi Visalakshi and Narayana Rao on November 15, 1935 in VijayawadaVijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, Andhra Pradesh. Her full given name was Janaki Rama Krishnaveni Hemalata. She had formal schooling up to fifth standard, and later studied Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, Telugu and English classics at home. She was married at the age of nine to Tenneti Atchyutaramayya, who was seven years her senior, and suffered from an incurable medical condition. Her father died at the age of 32, when her mother was pregnant with another child.
In 1955, Lata started her career as an announcer for the All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
station in Vijayawada. She participated in radio plays and later acted in, and wrote dialogue for, movies. Her first radio play was silaa hrudayam ("Stone Heart"), broadcast on Deccan Radio
Deccan Radio
Deccan Radio is a 24x7 South Indian Internet radio operating from India. "Deccan" in Deccan Radio is derived from Deccan Plateau - a large plateau in India, making up the majority of the southern part of the country. Similarly Deccan Radio broadcasts in all South Indian languages besides Hindi and...
in 1952. She was also an admirer of the musician Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna, and wrote a lyrics for some of his tunes.
With her husband's condition, and having experienced two difficult deliveries by caesarian section (one son in 1956 and the second in 1963), as well as suffering financial problems, Lata later said that she had been confronted with profound questions about life and death (antharanga chitram) from early in her life. She died in 1997 at the age of 65.
Literary career
In her novel, Gaali Padagalu, Neeti Budagalu (Kites and Water Bubbles), Lata depicted the cruelty that prostitutes has suffered at the hands of men and the diseases they had contracted. Despite considerable criticism for the book's content, she later discussed the same issue again in greater detail in another novel, Raktapankam.Some of her other works, the semi-autobiographical fictions Mohana Vamsi, Mohanavamsi, and Antharanga Chitram, offer details about her life. In the 1980s, she wrote the book Ramayana Vishavruksha Khandana as a rebuttal to Muppala Ranganayakamma
Muppala Ranganayakamma
Muppala Ranganayakamma mononymously known as Ranganayakamma is a leading Telugu Feminist-Marxist writer and critic.Ranganayakamma was born in Bommidi village near Tadepalli in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh....
's Ramayana Visha Vruksham, itself a response to Srimad Ramayana Kalpavruksham by Viswanatha Satyanarayana
Viswanatha Satyanarayana
Viswanatha Satyanarayana , popularly known as the Kavi Samraat , was a modern Telugu poet.He was a disciple of the Tirupati Venkata Kavulu duo...
.
In total, Lata stated that, “I have written 100 novels, 700 radio plays, 100 short stories, ten stage dramas, five volumes of literary essays, two volumes of literary criticism, and one volume of Lata Vyasaalu, as well as 25 charitra kandani chitra kathalu poems.”
Novels
- Gaali Padagalu - Neeti Budagalu
- Rakta Pankam
- Brahmana Pilla
- Mohana Vamsi
- Neeharika
- Deyyaalu Levu?
- Pathaviheena
- Tiragabadina Devatalu
- Niharika
- Jeevana Sravanti
- Bhagavantudi Panchayati
- Omar Khayam
- Charithra Heenulu
- Kalam Krachina Kadapata
Nonfiction
- Uhaagaanam, 5 volumes
- Antharanga Chitram
- Lata Vyaasaalu
- Ramayana Vishavruksha Khandana
- Lata Ramayanam
Awards
- She was awarded the Gruhalakshmi SwarnakankanamGruhalakshmi Swarnakankanam-Swarnakankanam award:Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao launched a monthly magazine for women, Gruhalakshmi, in 1928 and founded the Swarnakankanam award in 1934 to honour women for excellence in literature and social reform.-Recipients of the award:...
in 1963. - Andhra UniversityAndhra UniversityAndhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
honored her with a Kalaprapoorna doctorate. - She was given the "Extraordinary woman award" by the government of Andhra PradeshGovernment of Andhra PradeshGovernment of Andhra Pradesh is the government for the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India.It is an elected government with 294 MLAs elected to the legislative assembly for a 5 year term.-Executive:...
in 1981. - She was a member of the Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Academy for twenty years.