Movva

Home of Mahakavi Kshetrayya

Movva located in the Diviseema region of Krishna district,is famous for the Venugopala Swamy temple, as well as the birthplace of the legendary poet and composer Kshetrayya.

As per the Sthala Puranam, once when Krishna was dancing, a bead from his anklet( Muvva) fell upon the earth at this place. He ordered Narada to search for the missing Muvva who whoever could not locate it. When he did severe penance, Vishnu himself appeared at that place in a blinding light, following which he made the murthy of him, and got it installed by Indra himself.

The Muvva that fell down, was reborn as Moudgalya Rishi,who became a devotee of Krishna. On doing penace to him, he appeared in a Swayambhu sand sculpture form, and the temple was built before dawn. As Vishnu descended here due to Rishi Moudagalya's penance he was called as Muvva Venu Gopala Swamy, and the village came to be known as Movva.

The temple is quite a charming place, with a sculpture of Kshetrayya, and beautiful paintings depicting the life of Krishna, set amidst green paddy fields and coconut groves.

The most famous resident of Movva however would be Mahakavi Kshetrayya, a 17th century composer, whose real name was Varadayya, and was a devotee of Venugopala Swamy there.

Though born in a Brahmin family, Varadayya never showed much interest in learning, and was more attracted towards music and dance. He also learnt Kuchipudi from an acharya. He was attracted towards a Devadasi called Mohanangi, who was known for her intellect and wisdom. She put a condition that she would accept his love, if he were able to compose 4 poems in praise of Venugopala Swamy and impress her.

In order to fulfill her condition, Varadayya began to master the language, and as he composed the poems, he came to realize that only Gopala was the Supreme Lord, and gained enlightenment. Another version states that Varadayya was an illiterate cowherd, who was taught the Gopala Mantra by a Rishi, and became a great scholar and poet, somewhat like Kalidasa.

As he began to tour all the main temples down South, singing the glory of Krishna, as well as describing about those temples, he was called as Kshetragna or Kshetrayya( the one who travels). Along with Tyagayya and Annamayya, Kshetrayya is regarded as one of the 3 great composers and poets in Telugu. He composed around 4000 padams and keertanas, mostly on his Ishta Devata, Venugopala Swamy.

The padam format perfected by Kshetrayya is used to date. Most of his padams are sung in Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam recitals. One unique feature is that the anupallavi is sung first, followed by the pallavi, and they center around theme of longing for Krishna. His compositions had Sringara as the main theme, expressing the madhurabhakti, where the relationship between the couple is a metaphor for the Jeeva( usually the Nayaki) to unite with the Divine. He used the signature of Muvva Gopala for his compositions.

His work has been a major influence in Telugu poetry, dance and music, on par with Annamayya, Tyagayya. Intimately connected with the devadasis of South temples, who interpreted his work through music and dance for a long time. With it's Venugopala Swamy temple, and it's association with Mahakavi Kshetrayya, and the picturesque surroundings around it, Movva is one of those places worth a visit, tucked off the beaten track.