Biographical Sketches of Dekkan Poets/Ghantaya Kavi
GHANTAYA KAVI.
Tis name was given to this poet, after a demi goddess, by his parents. He was born in the Telugu country. When he had finished his education, he selected a story from the Kasikanda
entitled "Surabhandeswara," and translated it into Telugu: the following is the subject of the poem. The God Iswar becomes enamoured of a beautiful toddy-woman during the absence of her husband, and she admits him into the house.—The husband returns, while they were reclining on the bed, and finding the door shut, beats against it violently. The god finding no way that he could escape undiscovered in a human shape, entered a toddy jar, and became a lingum, the wife then opened the door, and the husband entering looked into the toddy pot, and saw the lingum, he then-knew, that his wife had been cohabiting with the God Iswar, and far from being displeased at this circumstance he was vexed, that she had not admitted him before that he might have seen the god. The toddy man placed the above named lingum in a consecrated spot and denominated it Sura Bhandeswar. The whole story is comprised in five books. Ghantaya Kavi did not compose any original work, but confined his talents to making translations from the Sanscrit, but the harmony of his verses was much admired by poets as well as people in general. This bard enjoyed the protection of several Rajahs, until his death which took place at his usual residence.