Brief note on Telugu Author Nannaya

Nannaya (also Nannayya) is regarded as the First Telugu Poet. He is credited for creating the major portion of Andhra Mahabharatam.

The beginnings of Telugu literature is traced to the 11th century when Nannaya, the court poet of Raja Narendra, the Eastern Chalukyan king who ruled from Rajahmundry on the banks of the river Godavari, began to translate the Mahabharata into Telugu from Sanskrit.

The work was commenced at the instance of the ruler who traced his descent from the lunar race of kings to which belonged the heroes of the Mahabharata. Nannaya could translate only the Adi parva (Canto), Sabha parva and a part of Aranya parva.