ABSTRACT
Rallapalle Anantakrishna Sarma (1893–1979) was well versed in music and in Sanskrit, Telugu and Kannada literatures. Rallapalle’s perspective of writing is a reflection of the ancient aesthetic theory. Gradually he turned his attention towards Telugu literature and introduced a milestone in Telugu literary criticism. Rallapalle Anantakrishna Sarma proposed that the art extended in the three-fold feeling, content and writing perspective. This piece on the characterisation of Sita by Tikkanna, one of the three poets who rendered the Mahabharata in Telugu, presents the progressive attitude of the writer in rewriting the portrayal of Sita by Valmiki in the source text. Rallapalle rightly observes that the stories and morals have been descending from generations, but characterisation is an independent choice that the writers have been exercising. The best example for this is Tikkanna’s moulding of the character Sita in his Uttara Ramayanamu, which was originally created by Valmiki in Sanskrit Ramayana. According to Rallapalle, Tikkanna demonstrates such partiality and respect towards Sitamma that perhaps he was upset about Valmiki not calling the work Sitayanam. He elaborates how the most significant incidents in Ramayana are associated with Sita and that the part detailing her renouncement is the most significant perspective of the experience of rasa and dharma.
