Chilakamarthi Lakshmi Narasimham

Chilakamarti Lakshmi Narasimham His plays include Gayopakhyanam and Ganapati (1920).

Narasimham was visually impaired since his youth, and became blind after his graduation. He nonetheless served as an instructor in Telugu at the Government Arts College in Rajahmundry. He was active in the Indian independence movement; he eschewed "foreign cloth" and wore khādī dhoti, shirt, coat and turban.

Early life Chilakamarti Lakshmi Narasimham was born on 26 September 1867 in a Dravida Brahmin family of Aaraama Dravidulu sect. He was born at Khandavalli village in West Godavari district at the residence of his maternal uncle.

Narasimham's earlier name was Punniah and was later named after a popular temple deity Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy of Antarvedi village. According to his autobiography, his aunt's daughter Punnamma died after giving birth to a child. Narasimham's mother saw her in her dream and was asked to name Narasimham after her. Later, Narasimham's father and paternal grand mother did not like the name and changed it.

As a boy, he was said to resemble his maternal grandfather, Bhadraiah Sastry who died a year before the grandson was born. His body, height, tonal quality, poetic talent, together with a sort of purblindness (sic) where all inherited from the grandfather.

At the age of five, his Upanayanam, the sacred thread ceremony was performed. His father tried a lot to make Narasimham learn Sandhyavandanam by sending him to his grandfather's village Khandavalli, his aunt's villages Velagadurru and Manchili. Finally, he stayed in Matsyapuri village near Veeravasaram for several months and learned Trikaala Sandhyavandanam.

Biographies

Autobiography At the request of his friends, despite his blindness and old age (75 years), Chilakamarti wrote his 646 pages long autobiography Sweeyacharitamu in 4 months and 24 days from 18 March 1942 to 12 July 1942. Due to his lack of sight and unavailability of written records, he recollected his entire life story from memory which included very detailed incidents, dates and people names. With all his modesty, he apologises to the readers for having written his autobiography for which he does not consider himself to be worthy. According to,

Saraswathi Monthly Magazine Chintamani monthly magazine started by Nyapathi Subbarao moved to Chennai when Veeresalingam left Rajahmundry. Therefore, Chilakamarti thought that there should be a good monthly magazine in Andhra. He conveyed the same to Polavaram zamindar Kochcherlakota Ramachandra Venkata Krishna Rao Bahadur. On his approval, Chilakamarti started "Saraswathi" monthly magazine in Rajahmundry. Krishna Rao Bahadur acted as editor and Chilakamarti worked as sub-editor.

Manorama Monthly Magazine In 1906, Chilakamarti started "Manorama" monthly magazine.

Desamatha Weekly Magazine "Towards of end of 1909, I thought that along with the Manorama monthly magazine, a weekly magazine should also be started"