Chittoor district has played a constructive role in ushering in literature with substance. The diverse nature of the writings, spanning devotional, revolutionary and progressive, which emanated from the area can be attributed to the presence of heterogeneous nature of littérateurs born in Chittoor.
After close to five decades, the convention of Chittoor Zilla Rachayithala Samakhya (Chittoor District Writers Association) was conducted in Tirupati recently, an occasion to rejoice for the writer fraternity. “Though a generation has passed since then, the younger lot are alive to the contributions of their predecessors and are all set to tread in their footsteps”, announced the conveners Sakam Nagaraja and Palamaneru Balaji.
The convention was possible with the coordinated efforts of 10 literary organisations and associations spread across the district. The meet recalled the contributions of first generation writers like Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy, Puthalapattu Sriramulu Reddy, Gauripeddi Ramasubba Sarma, Sankarambadi Sundarachari, C. Venu, K. Sabha, G.N. Reddy, Nuthalapati Gangadharam, Munisundaram and Paturi Rajagopala Naidu to Telugu literature and also the glory of Madhurantakam Rajaram, K. Sadananda, V. Venkatasubbaiah, Rachapalem Chandrasekhar Reddy, Gillella Balaji and S. Jayaprakash, who made the district proud by bagging Central Sahitya Akademi awards.
The writers discussed different literary facets like feminism, Dalit literature, minority literature, writings on Rayalaseema, globalisation and children's works, and the district's contribution to the same. Among the books released during the three-day conclave were Chittoor Sahithi Saugandham by A. Raghava Sarma, Bhagavatham Kathalu by S. Giridharan, Madabhushi Anantasayanam by R. Sriramulu and Boyakonda Gangamma Thalli Alaya Sangraha Charitra by Dasari Krishna Reddy, a novel Valasa by V.R. Rasani, Manavali Cheragani Chirunamalu by Varadaraja Nagar Cultural Association, compilation of stories such as Vonthu by Gillella Balaji and Bomma-Borusu by Vempalli Reddy Nagaraju.
Writer and former legislator M.V. Ramana Reddy recalled how reading habits and the patronage for writers came down gradually. A Kavi Sammelan was conducted by C. Sundaraiah, while Vimukta , authored by feminist writer Volga, was staged by D. Masthanamma and troupe, directed by Ananta Sayanam, Chittoor district President of Praja Natya Mandali.
