Gurram Jashuva - Literary Works

Literary Works

• Gabbilam (1941) is Jashuva's best known work, fashioned after Kalidasa's Megha Sandesam. It is not a yaksha using the cloud as a messenger to convey his longing to his loved one. Instead it is a hunger and poverty stricken individual requesting a bat visiting him from a nearby Siva temple, to convey his prayers to God. He muses at the irony of his situation, where a bat is allowed inside a temple but not a human being! He cautions the bat to convey his message to Siva as it hangs from the roof close to his ear, at a time when the priest is not around. Jashuva used his other favorite emotion, "patriotism" as he describes the various historic places the bird will fly over en route to Lord Siva in Kasi. He even takes the bird on detours to visit some historic place of pride for Indians.

• Firadausi (1932) is his another major work. The story is about the Persian poet Firdousi, in the court of the King Mahmud of Ghazni. According to story, the king promises the poet, a gold mohur for every word in a work he commissions the poet to write. After the poet spends ten years of his life, toiling day and night to create a master piece, the king, coming under the influence of jealous courtiers, reneges on his promise and offers only silver coins. The poet heartbroken at this breach of trust commits suicide. Jashuva's depiction of the anguish of the poet is superb and moves the readers to tears.

• Baapoojee (1948) is expression of his anguish on hearing of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. His enormous love and respect for Gandhiji is poignantly expressed in these 15 odd poems eulogising his life and work and lamenting his death as this country's misfortune.