Telugu script

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Telugu is one of the ancient and distinguished Dravidian languages of India. It is recognized as the official language of the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

1. Antiquity & Classical Language Status

• Telugu is an ancient language with a recorded history spanning roughly 2,500 years.
• The Government of India formally granted Telugu the status of a Classical Language in 2008.

2. "Italian of the East"

• Telugu is often referred to as the "Italian of the East."
• The Reason: Much like Italian, virtually every word in Telugu ends with a vowel sound (Ajanta Bhasha in linguistic terms). Niccolò de' Conti, a 16th-century Italian merchant and traveler, noticed this melodic similarity and coined the phrase.

3. "Desa Bhashalandu Telugu Lessa"

• Emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire famously praised Telugu in his epic poem Amuktamalyada, writing "Desa Bhashalandu Telugu Lessa" ("Among the nation's languages, Telugu is the finest").

4. Script & Alphabet

• The Telugu script evolved from the ancient Brahmi script via the Old Telugu-Kannada script.
• The traditional Telugu alphabet consists of 56 letters:
  • Vowels (Achulu): 16
  • Consonants (Hallulu): 37
  • Dual/Auxiliary signs (Ubhayaksharalu): 3 (Sunna, Arasunna, Visarga)
• The script is distinguished by its rounded, flowing letterforms.

5. Key Milestones & Literature

• Nannaya Bhattaraka: Revered as the Aadikavi (First Poet), he initiated the translation of the Sanskrit Mahabharata into Telugu in the 11th century. Nannaya, Tikkana, and Yerrapragada are collectively honoured as the Kavitrayam (Trinity of Poets).
• The Golden Age: The reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya (the Prabandha era and the era of the Ashtadiggajas—eight court poets) is regarded as the Golden Age of Telugu literature.
• Musical Heritage: Renowned composers such as Tyagaraja, Annamacharya, and Kshetrayya composed most of their Carnatic classical compositions and devotional hymns in Telugu, largely due to its lyrical cadence.

6. Modern Significance

• Telugu is spoken by roughly 95 to 100 million people worldwide.
• It ranks among the most widely spoken languages in India, following Hindi and Bengali.
• It is one of the fastest-growing Indian language communities in countries like the United States.
• Telugu Language Day is celebrated every year on August 29, marking the birth anniversary of prominent linguist and writer Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy.