The "Religion of Love" in the poetry of Guruzada Apparao as an educational philosophy

Volkova Anna Andreevna Librarian; Scientific Library of TSU 34a Lenin Ave., Tomsk, Tomsk region, 634050, Russia ann@myttk.ru

This article is devoted to the study of the enlightenment philosophy of the Indian poet and novelist Guruzada Apparao – the so-called "religion of love". This very concept belongs to the researcher of the writer Z. N. Petrunicheva and implies the idea of uniting the Indian people, overcoming disunity with the help of literature ^{[1, p. 61]}. In our opinion, it is inextricably linked with the national patriotic movement, in which Guruzada took an active part. Therefore, the topic of the article is also interesting from the point of view of the peculiarities of Indian literature at the turn of the XIX – XX centuries. as an example of the patriotic literature of India.

Guruzada Apparao's artistic legacy includes dramas, short stories and poems. For our research, we will turn to his poetry, since it is in it that the program of the "religion of love" of the writer is most succinctly and clearly manifested. In addition, this is quite a voluminous material for studying the poet's work, since Guruzada wrote much more poetic works than prose ones. His poetry is saturated with civic motives, and contemporary social problems of the poet come to the fore even in romantic poems, which are based on a folklore plot. "He is a critical realist with a genuinely romantic streak... Remaining on the basis of critical realism, he reaches the heights of romantic poetry" ^{[2, p. 153]}, writes Guruzada's compatriot and writer Lakshmanar Ao.

Recall that in the XIX century. India is still a backward, colonial-dependent country, where the top of the ruling elite is occupied by the British, and the Indian people are mostly disenfranchised. At the same time, under the influence of European ideas penetrating the country and liberal British figures ^{[3, p. 115]} in the second half of the XIX century. Liberal political associations arose in India, promoting the ideas of reforming the government, expanding the rights of the Indian people ^{[4, 5, 6]}, which served as an impetus for the development of journalism and literature. The "new" Indian literature, which differs sharply from the traditional one, was formed under the influence of the rise of patriotism of the indigenous population of the country. Traditional (or classical) literature "glorified gods and goddesses, rajahs and rani", repeated "over and over again the plots of Sanskrit mahakavyas" (epic poems) ^{[1, p. 6]}, was religious, the new one turned mainly to modern plots and social problems.

The processes of the national liberation movement were regional in nature and proceeded differently in different regions of India. Thus, in Bengal and Bombay, cultural and educational organizations have been developing since the middle of the XIX century, periodicals appear, the purpose of which is to awaken national consciousness ^{[7, pp. 83-84]}. The artistic work of the Indian authors of these regions was already educational in nature at this time. In Andhra, in Southern India, where Guruzada Apparao lived and worked, these processes began much later. The economy, education and other industries in Andhra were backward and began to develop more actively only by the last decades of the XIX century. At that time, there was a cultural revival here, and literary art developed. Along with classical literature, educational literature that exists in English and the Telugu language of the Andhra people is widely distributed here. Its founders, one of whom is Guruzada, the local intelligentsia, mostly educated in Europe, in their works advocate social and everyday changes concerning caste inequality, religious prejudice, attitudes towards women and children, and other problems. All these public issues are connected with an equally acute, urgent problem – liberation from colonial oppression. These themes formed the basis of Guruzada's "religion of love".

It should be noted here that by the period we have indicated, education "on the Western model" had spread significantly in India, thanks to which, as D. S. Nikitin writes, "a stratum of European educated and politically active people began to form", "progressive-minded young Indians" ^{[7, p. 83]}. The era of the "Great Dawn" began in India ^{[8, p. 23]} (or Enlightenment, to use the terminology adopted to designate the European literary era). G. V. Sitopati calls this time a "renaissance period", and the fiftieth anniversary preceding it a "transitional period", referring primarily to the gradual rise of national consciousness after the great uprising of 1857-1859 ^{[9, p. 139]}. By the end of the 19th century, a whole galaxy of Indian writers, scientists and social figures had formed in Andhra.

So, Guruzada belonged to the social stratum of the intelligentsia. He received a decent education, knew English perfectly well, and European literary classics, which had a significant influence on his work. The writer understood and appreciated the contribution of the British colonialists to the future of India, which, in his opinion, consisted in educating the people. In the poem "Comet" he speaks of the British as intelligent, learned people, unlike the obdurate, superstitious and ignorant Indians:

Our pundits promote anxiety,

It is difficult to talk about the heavenly, –

It remains a terrible secret in the end

Something that the West has solved long ago.

Now much is known to their scientists,

The British get into the essence of the idea,

Superstitions and useless inventions

Not allowing a sober mind to be deceived ^{[10, p. 150]}.

On the other hand, Guruzada did not accept the way of life of Europeans, capitalist relations, which, in his opinion, carry discord among the Indian people, making the problem of social inequality even more acute. He also spoke out against liberals who defend the possibility of granting freedoms to the Indian people, because he believed that their struggle for social reform was only apparent, and all their activities amounted to just "frantic talk." Thus, the poet openly spoke out against members of the Indian National Congress who promoted "the issue of the need to reform the colonial system" and advocated "Indian reforms" ^{[3, p. 16]}. In this regard, his poem, written after the Madras conference of the National Congress in 1908, is indicative, included by the author in the article of the same name, where he accuses its participants of indifference to Indians, empty chatter and caring only about "their rule" ^{[8, 132]}:

So take a nap or chat,

Like a flock of parrots,

To fight for a good goal

You, the loyal ones, don't need anything! ^{[10, p. 132]}

At the same time, the poet does this without sparing his opponents, in a harsh tone, with sarcasm and with special audacity. The poem itself is a pamphlet. The choice of genre clearly expresses Guruzada's point of view.

It should be noted, however, that this is the only example of his political poetry and the only poem written in this genre. Although civic lyrics form the basis of Guruzada's poetic work, he did not consider it at all as a political weapon. The purpose of poetry, in general, he understood more deeply and broadly. Guruzada dedicated his poems to the people of Andhra, wrote about them and for them:

Homeland is not only the land,

Homeland – those who live on it! ^{[11, p. 222]}

This is how the poet writes in his "poetic manifesto" ^{[8, p. 100]} "Love for the Motherland" ("Deshabhakti"). True patriotism for Guruzada is not verbal arguments, but work for the good of the country. "Work hard in the fields of the Motherland", "comprehend the secrets of crafts" ^{[10, p.158]}, he instructs his compatriot. This is the so-called "practical patriotism" ^{[8, p. 96]}.

The educational poetry of Guruzada Apparao is of a creative nature. He is convinced that it is not wars that lead to liberation, but the unity and unity of the people, a theme that sounds in many of the writer's poetic works, such as, for example, in the poem "Anchor!" full of hope and optimism. It also shows the author's attitude towards the British, the oppressors of the people of India, whose future he sees in liberation from the colonial oppression of England:

I foresee golden times:

An ancient country will gain freedom,

There will be no oppressors and no slaves,

For this is the wisdom of the future ages ^{[11, p. 158]}.

Guruzada does not share the views of either liberals or conservatives, and also opposes revolutionary methods of fighting for the independence of his people. Instead, the poet offers his "religion of love", the program of which he proclaims in "Love for the Motherland". No wonder the poem "became the national anthem of Andhra, and then of the whole of India" ^{[8, p. 96]}.

However, the root causes of all the social evils of the Telugu people are their ignorance and darkness, therefore the masses should be enlightened. At the same time, Guruzada understood that both traditional and new literature are not accessible to the masses. It should be close to the people, that is, written in a language that they understand – in the spoken Telugu language, resort to colloquial expressions, as well as truthfully reflect their lives or use folk tales and myths as plots. This is the humanism of Guruzada's philosophy. The poet writes his works in the language of "vyavaharika" (literary and colloquial Telugu), completely abandoning the generally accepted book - "granthika", and stands at the origins of the direction of "abhyudaya" – modern progressive democratic Telugu literature. In poetry, Guruzada also acts as an innovator of form – he uses the sizes closest to folk ones, calling them "mutyala saralu" ("pearl necklaces"):

I'm wearing pearl necklaces,

I will highlight the ringing pearls of words,

To make them shine with a gentle light,

To kindle the flame of poetry ^{[11, p. 223]}.

His lyrics are didactic in nature, which is typical for Indian educational literature, and is, as Petrunicheva writes, "a moral and ethical sermon" ^{[4, p. 61]}. First of all, it is a sermon on the unity and unity of the people, as already mentioned above. In "Love for the Motherland", using vivid epithets and comparisons, there is a call:

Let's pull together closer, good people,

And friendship, as the sun warms us... ^{[11, p. 222]}

The poem constantly repeats words such as "love", "friendship", "one", "Homeland", it is literally riddled with epithets, comparisons and personifications (the country is a "stout tree", enmity is an "evil demon", friendship is a warming sun), which gives it a high pathos, which It is a characteristic feature of Guruzada Apparao's poetry, saturated with romantic aesthetics. "Poetry of Feeling" ("bhavakavitvam") Guruzada harmoniously synchronizes with "abhyudayam" (progress): behind the beauty of the syllable there is always a life situation, a social problem.

The idea of unity is inextricably linked to the protest against caste differences and religious prejudices. Like other enlighteners, Guruzada was not against religion in general and was distinguished by moderation towards it. "The moderation of the English enlighteners was determined not only by the fact that at the beginning of the XIX century religion in India remained the dominant form of ideology, but also by the aggressive policy of Christian missionaries, who supported and illuminated the power of the European sword with the Bible. The protection of "one's" religion was often interpreted by educators as the protection of the original Indian culture ^{[12, p. 204]}; Guruzada called for peace for Indians regardless of their religious and caste affiliation:

United minds means that people are united.

Away with castes, away with differences of religions!

All people will then live in our world

A united, powerful and friendly family! ^{[11, p. 222]}

It is important for the world to reject everything that is bony and outdated, dragging progress back, including the caste system of India. The holy faith in liberation from caste survivals is visible in literally every line in the poem "Comet":

We will strengthen our spirit with glorious deeds,

And one day the shackles of the castes will fall,

There will be no despised between us –

All will go into the future as equals ^{[10, p. 150]}.

Guruzada's comet is a symbol of faith in the future of the Indian people, free from slavery and religious fetters, in unity and peace, "not an ominous, not promising sign", but "a reasonable sign of the future, a sign of scientific and social victories" ^{[10, p. 150]}.

In the fight against the ignorance of the people, the poet promotes an equally important women's issue. Guruzada opposes discrimination against women. In the poem "Purnamma", he brings this problem to the people in the most accessible way, in his opinion, with the help of a fairy tale form close to the people. In this poem, the author embodies "his dream of a wonderful future and of the beautiful, proud, brave people of this future" ^{[8, p. 71]}.

Let us add to all that has been said that the philosophy of Guruzada Apparato is crumbling towards the end of the poet's life. Shortly before his death, he wrote the poem "Cut off the anchor chain!", which is sharply different from the rest of the poet's poetic work. It is imbued with a sense of disappointment. The main motives in it are the collapse of hopes and loneliness. Thus, Guruzada admits that his concept of love and humanity has retreated before the harsh reality.

So, the basis of Guruzada Apparao's "religion of love", embodied in his civic lyrics, includes such topics as unity and unity of peoples, problems of social and caste inequality, and the women's issue. It is important for the poet to liberate not only from the oppression of the colonialists, but also from the ignorance and rigidity of the people, and he seeks to overcome this with the help of preaching in his works. Therefore, Guruzada makes his literature the most understandable to the people – he writes works in a form accessible to them and in a spoken language, which manifests the most important humanistic feature of his philosophy.