From: kishore@argo.rice.edu (Ananda Kishore)
Subject: Kodavatiganti Kutumbarao (Ko.Ku.), a literary giant
Originator: kishore@argo.rice.edu
Organization: Rice University, Houston
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 23:37:03 GMT


Kodavatiganti Kutumbarao (1910-1980), a giant pillar of modern Telugu
literature, is perhaps known to many as the editor of "Chandamama" for
thirty years. Probably his quotes serve best to introduce him
[translation mine]:

"Where is the human race going? Where should it go? How can people get
rid of poverty, ill health, parochialism, fear of war, caste and
religious bigotry? How can they freely build their economic, moral,
and educated lives without impediments and differences? Writers cannot
be apathetic to such questions. The better they know answers to these
questions, the closer their literature comes to life depicting its
truth. 
....

"It is our duty to bring about social awareness in those who
appreciate art. We should propagate through our writings that life is
not a sequence of accidents, that there are principles which guide it,
that we can lead life through progressive paths using these
principles.  ....

"Life is the yardstick to me as a writer. I could never understand how
a piece of literature distorting life for the sake of theory be
excellent. 
....

"Literature should not beget literature. It should arise out of life.
....

"Our experience being the litmus test for all arts is beneficial to
us: it is not enough to know some truths objectively, we should also
experience them subjectively. (1962) 
....

"The reality of life that should be reflected in stories and novels is
the truth of life itself. If this truth is not expressed, no amount of
detailed description of life is useful. Truth of life alone makes a
piece of literature progressive writing. 
....

"Once we realize we should utilize every force that is available to us
to complete our progress, we must agree that we need to be cultured not
to misuse these forces. We can attain such culture in a multitude of
ways. If writing is one such, there is nothing like excellent
literature to improve culture. (1937)
....

"Today's society is patriarchal. In this society, equality between
sexes is impossible. Not recognizing this, women mistakenly think that
man's attitude is all to blame, and woman's life will be perfect if
they can change man's attitude by preaching. Unless the marital system
undergoes drastic changes, equality between sexes will not be
possible. The current inequality is not just at the level of
individuals, it is a social inequality. 

....

"As in the movies, artificial personal and social problems and their
`equations' are creeping into today's literature. There is no piece of
literature that indicated under what social relations between man and
woman love is borne or does flourish. But tons of literature appeared
depicting variously what lovers should do, what sacrifices they should
make. All this in what society? - in a society where the fathers are
spending fortunes to get rid of their own daughters. (1968)

-----------

I will post a few of his sketches and short stories translated by me. 
I will start with sketches which are often satirical, subtle,
symbolic. 

Xref: sparky soc.culture.indian.telugu:957 soc.culture.indian:36608