On the trail of Muvva’s unsung poet

A revival project that seeks to bring the ten surviving songs of Puvvada Sri Ramadasu to light

The ‘sacred geography’ of India, to borrow a term made famous by author Diana L. Eck, is dotted with villages and towns that are historically and emotionally connected to one popular deity of a local temple, who takes precedence over all others. Tirupati in the south or Benaras in the north may just be names that resonate in our collective consciousness but there are many other such places, perhaps less celebrated but just as important for the devout. Most of these deities, especially in south India, have been the silent force behind the musical genius of many a composer or poet, lending a touch of renown to these small villages and towns. Think Tyagaraja and Tiruvaiyaru; think Annamayya and Tirupati, think Bhakta Ramadasu and Bhadrachalam. Place and poet are conjoined for eternity.