Freeindia > Biographies > Freedom Fighters > T. Ramaswamy Chowdary
T. Ramaswamy Chowdary
The Kaviraju (As he is popularly known in Andhra Predesh), a fearless freedom fighter, a great native poet and an uncompromising rationalist, was born in a farmer's family in village Angaluru, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, on the 15th January, 1987.His entirefamily comprised of literati and in his childhood,he wanted to learn Sanskrit, but was put off by the traditional pundits.Shri Ramaswamy's zeal and quest led him to the study of sanskrit andto a very through understanding and critical study and analysis of the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Itihasas. He concluded that the decadence of hindu society was due to misinterpretation of our great Indian texts and that there is no sanction for the caste system or for untouchability and that it is the vested and self interest of the privileged section of the societythat has been keeping millions in ignorance,illiteracy, superstitious beliefs and degraded status. He took to intensive and extensive propagation of reform through his poetry, dramas,lengthy dissertations and extensive discourses.
He used his considerable literary talents to write beautifully in Telugu to lead people torational thought.His works on. Bhagwad Gita,Soota Purana, Sambukavadha Khooni, RanaPratap and Kurukshetra Sangramam stirred the masses to rational thought and action.Hesaw that social reform and awakening of themasses were inextricably linked up with the freedom movement.His songs and Satakas inspired people to participate in Gandhiji's Satyagraha Movements.He demystified the marriage rituals by writting in Telugu Vivaha Vidhi and conducting the marriages in a simple, meaningful way and also preserving the solemnity and dignity that our ancients had built intothe Hindu marriage.
2.He studied in London and Dublin tobecome a Bar-at-law but gave up is lucrativepractice to propagate social reform throughhis iterary talents.As Chairman of Tenali Municipality, he put and end to all irrational and traditional practices and rituals like animal sacrifices and superstitious observances, unmindful of popularity, but upholding his beliefs and rational thought He died in 1943.
3. The prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi paid atribute to him for his patriotic, reformist andliterary contributions and the Government ofAndhra Pradesh installed his statue as one of the Telugu greats, on the picturesque Tank Bound in Hyderabad.
The Department of Posts is happy to issuea commemorative stamp on Kaviraju Tripuraneni Ramaswamy Chowdary in the series 'India's struggle for freedom'.
Copyright © by FreeIndia.Org - India Site dedicated to freedom movement, education, culture, All Right Reserved.
