Melattur Venkatarama Sastry

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Melattur Venkatarama Sastry (1770–1830) was a Telugu poet and playwright who is credited with founding the Bhagavatha Melas.

Early life

Venkatarama Sastry was born in 1770 in Melattur in the then Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. His mother tongue was Telugu and his ancestors had migrated in the 1550s after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire. Sastry's father was Gopalakrishnayya.

Venkatarama Sastry learnt music and dance from Lakshmanarya. Venkatarama Sastry was fluent in Sanskrit and was a great disciple of Narasimha.

Works

Some of Venkatarama Sastry's important works are

Prahalada Charitra
Rukmangada Charitra
Markandeya Charitra
Ushaparinayamu
Harischandra
Sitakalyanamu

References

Rao, N. Venkata (1978). The southern school in Telugu literature. University of Madras. pp. 84–85.