Rajasekhara Charitram by Kandukuri Veeresalingam (A social reformer and writer known for his contribution to the renaissance of Telugu Literature ). This novel is written in the 1870s and published in the year 1878. This book is considered the first novel in Telugu Literature, in view of taking the “Novel” and its format, etc., from the West. Though there is a discussion on which is the first novel. Since this book is published (1878) first and also as it has the elements of a novel. The book is inspired by The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith (as written in the first edition introduction by the author. Due to the nativity of the characters and plot including the description of the customs and traditions that are prevalent in the areas that the author wrote, many consider this book as the original novel. The author while writing talks about the lack of prose literature in dealing with prevalent customs and traditions and also talk about the values.
The story in brief - Rajashekaram lives with his family (wife, two daughters, and a son) in Dhavalagiri on the banks of river Godavari. He is surrounded by people who try and take advantage of his helping nature and abide by the customs and traditions he lands in debt. He decides to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi with his family. On his way when he visits his cousin’s place how the trip is postponed and what all he encounters and later he meets a king of the principality and how he helps him to get back his property and returns to his place and how lives his life later.
The novel describes the customs and traditions of the high caste Brahmins apart from various prevailing conditions of those days. As the book is written in the 1870s the language is different from the current language.
Rajasekhara Charitram by Kandukuri Veeresalingam (Sahiti Prachuranalu, 2017) latest editon.
To know more about the details of this novel read Noorella Telugu Navala 1878-1977 by Sahavasi (Perspectives, 2015)