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Ramkrishna
alias Tenali Ramalinga, as a classical romantic poet (Prabhandha kavi),
was a class by himself. He was one of the eight poet-laureates in the
"asthana"(assembly) of Sri Krishna Deveraya, who patronized
poets and scholars in his court. In fact, his was like the golden age of
Percales of the ancient Greece. His "Bhuvan Vijayam", assembly
hall, in conducting meetings of poets and scholars at frequent intervals
has almost become a by-word of intellectual activity of learning in art
and culture of Vijaya Nagar empire, and Tenali Ramakrishna was the jewel
in the crown.
Ramalinga’s
ingenuity was something different than that of Birbal: his was the
humorous distortion of wit. He won the applause of the king and the poets
in the assembly alike. Birbal aimed at his gentle humour of pleasant
laughter by touching on the vanities of great men of his time; whereas,
Ramalinga aimed at ridiculing others, teasing them to come to terms with
him. It is said that by his wit Ramakrishna saved his king and the
subjects from disgrace and humility. It is also said that his wit saved
his empire from the clutches of the Delhi Sultans.
It
is evident to say that what Birbal was to Emperor Akbar, Tenali Ramalinga
was to Sri Krishna Deveraya of Vijayanagar Empire. Both of them have their
wits of endearing beauty, if we juxtapose them one with the other. The
anecdotes in the form of Tenali Ramalinga Kathalu (stories) will give us
hilarious laughter as much in intensity as that of Birbal-Akbar Stories.
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