neo-laakshaNika grandha
Bachoti Rao (BRAO@atlas.niaid.nih.gov)
Thu, 5 Jun 1997 14:20:03 -0400
Pillalamarri garu pointed out that once you categorize
or characterize something like vankaaya or benDkaaya,
a lot of rules will automatically follow to define it. When
people of yester years tried to understand why they liked
what they liked in literature and systematically analyzed
all their availabe data, they came up with a lot of features
which several of us don't like now. If we do the same thing
now, we can come up with a neo-laakshaNika grantha
which may contain rules or concessions for poetry like:
It should be chandO-free. (Better if there are no
guruvulu and laghuvulu).
It should be about current issues.
All current issues are not current issues.
Religion, God, love etc are not current issues.
It should contain a social message.
It should blast a traditional belief.
Better if it blasts vyaakaraNa too.
It should not contain any alankaara's including the
simplest simile.
It should not have any reference to prEyasi kannulu.
It should not be for pure enjoyment.
It shoud not be about God.
It should not be about religion.
It should not be about an object of eternal / ephemeral
beauty, whatever it is.
It should make you cry, never laugh.
It may be feminist.
It may be dalit.
It may have aspashTata.
It should be about poor man's problems.
Rich man's problems, however honest / emotional,
are not worhty.
It should not be for / about the well-fed or the well-to-do.
(It may be written by the well-to-do).
It should not contain difficult words. No Sanskrit words.
It should be easily understood. (Some may object to this
as aspashTata is allowed).
There should be only one word for one meaning (no
thesaurus should be consulted, even in mind).
Better if it is poetry without language.
------- Please feel free to correct or add more rules.
Written just for fun.
Should I take a vacation now or face the flames?
Regards
Bachoti Sridhara Rao