Vimala: From 'Adavi Uppongina Ratri' to 'Mrugana'

 

Vimala is known for revolutionary feminism and her commitment for revolution through her writings and powerful speeches in public.Her poetry collection 'Adavi Uppongina Ratri is a representative poetry of revolution from feminist perspective.It had a great influence on later literary movement of feminism.

 

After eighteen years, she came up with her anthology of poems titled as 'Mrugana'( 2008).As she wrote in her foreword ,What shall I write, when my beliefs, ideology, philosophy and its practice are challenged? She consoled herself  that poetry may be "intenemo".In telugu society from early nineties onwards identity politics has radically changed the political discourse, especially the struggles of dalit, women, madiga dandora and telengana.We have seen new intellectuals and writers in this time.The established writers too influenced by these struggles and changed their literary and political articulation by internalising these sensitives. of course, there are dilemmas for intellectuals!

With her commitment and grasping of social dynamics of telugu society, she can reflect on these easily.But her 'Mrugana' came up with many doubts, questions.Her poetry become 'I' centric contrary to 'We' centric.The poetry is filled with Samundramu (Sea),chandrudu (moon), seetakokachilukalu (Butterflies), nostalgia , and disturbed dreams.Konni sandarbhalu-konni sandehalu.The poetry seems to be dense and philosophical expressed from lived experience.It is not explicitly political like her earlier collection.

But in this Mrugana, we may not find any poetry either in identification or expressing solidarity with ongoing struggles such as dalit, telangana or dandora.It doesn't mean that the writer doesn't have concerns for these struggles. She has to come up with fresh expressing rather struggling herself philosophically. This is the responsibility of the celebrities of revolution/marxism of yesterday rather disillusioned with the dream of revolution.