Question

What social ideas did Veerasalingam Pantulu support?

Answer 1

Hint: Kandukari Veerasalingam was a social reformer. He supported and encouraged the issues which were considered a taboo during that time. He stood up against the notion of Patriarchy and always fought for the cause of the oppressed.

Complete Answer: Rao Bahadur Kandukuri Veerasalingam Pantulu was born on 16th April 1848. He was a social reformer and he is also called as the father of the renaissance movement in Telugu and is often considered as the Raja Rammohan Roy of Andhra Pradesh. His well-wishers and followers used to call him Gadya Tikkana.He had a great knowledge of Telugu, Sanskrit and Hindi. Literature was an instrument for him to fight against social evils and many of his writings reflected ideas and thoughts. Prahlada (1885), Satya Harishchandra (1886) were his plays, Rajashekhara Charita, his novel, was published in 1880. Promotion of women’s education was one of the greatest reforms of Veerasalingam which was not acceptable during those days. In 1876, he started writing about women’s issues in his journal Viveka Vardhini but when his articles started acclaimed, he started his own press Rajahmundry.Widow Remarriage was a taboo during those days, and by quoting verses from the Hindu Dharma Shastra he opposed this to prove his points.The Rajahmundry Social Reform Association was founded in 1878. Pantulu gained popularity all over the world for his reformist activities.

Note: When Veerasalingam started the association, his students were sent all over Andhra Pradesh to find young men who are willing to marry widows. In the first Indian National Congress (INC) meeting in 1885, Veerasalingam served as one of the members.