Athisaya Kuthirai

Athisaya Kuthirai

Athisaya Kuthirai - by Garlapati Ramakrishnacharyulu, popularly known as "Tenali Rama" and "Vikata Kavi", was a court-poet of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 16th century. He was born in a Telugu Niyogi Brahmin family. He was one of the Ashtadiggajas who belonged to the court of Krishnadevaraya in Vijayanagar. Tenali is the town from where he came and he was referred to in the Hampi court as the man from Tenali and so the name Tenali Ramakrishna stuck subsequently. As the king Krishnadevaraya was a Vaishnavite, it is said that he would have changed his name to Ramakrsihna.