Nudurupati Venkanna

Nudurupati Venkanna was a Telugu and Sanskrit poet from the Pudukkottai kingdom. He is known for the creation of the Telugu lexicon Andhra Bhasharnavamu and the Tondaman Vamsavali, a detailed chronicle of the Pudukkottai kingdom.

Life
Venkanna was born in the distinguished Telugu-speaking Nudurupati family of Pudukkottai. His father Sitharamaiah was also a poet and bore the title Uddanda Kavi.

Literary works
Venkanna's important works are Andhra Bhasharnavamu, Parvathi Kalyanamu, Raghunathivamu, Mallupuranamu, Brhannayika Dandakamu and Tondaman Vamsavali.

Andhra Bhasharnavamu is a comprehensive Telugu lexicon which is popular in the Tamil as well as Telugu country. It is composed of a total of 3 parts and is the biggest Telugu lexicon ever written. His Raghunathivamu is a Sanskrit work on Alankaras and dedicated to Venkanna's contemporary and patron Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman. Parvathi Kalyanamu is a Yakshagana on the marriage of Shiva and Parvathi while Mallupuranamu is a Telugu work on the Malla community, the only one of its kind. Brhannayika Dandakamu is a Telugu poem on Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman and is considered to be Venkanna's best composition.

Tondaman Vamsavali
Venkanna is most celebrated for his literary masterpiece, the "Tondaman Vamsavali." This eloquent 333-line poem intricately captures the rich history of the Tondaiman dynasty in Pudukkottai. Published in 1914, the vamsavali stands as an unparalleled and exhaustive historical account, providing profound insights into the heritage of Pudukkottai.