Girls at ten years of age were married to men of 65 years of age or older in return the girls' parents used to receive a sum of Rs 1000/- or more. Sri Gurajada wrote the 'Kanyasulkam' in 1869 for an excellent cause - social reformism.

Sri Jonnalagadda Ramanamurty, well known for his Girisam role in the play, was honored.

On the 76th death anniversary of Sri Gurajada, Sri Jonnalagadda Somayajulu and his party performed the 'Kanyasulkam' play. Poets and writers from various places in Andhra held literary discourses on Gurajada's works. 'Kanyasulkam' centenary celebrations were held at Gurajada's residence in Vizianagaram. On the 13th of August, 1992, 'Kanyasulkam' celebrated its 100th birthday, eversince it was staged for the first time. It is one and the only book in Telugu in which dedication and preface were written in English (there may be others in existence, but they mushroomed afterwards). Gurajada's intellectual creativity gave us a keepsake, historical landmark, and a precious literary diamond - 'KANYASULKAM' play. His poems awaken the weeklings even and energize them. The style of Gurajada's poetry, neither pedantic nor enigmatic, but was the purest, crystal clear, lucid, and vivaceous. 'dESamanTE maTTika'dOy - dESamanTE manushulOy' has had been shacking the hearts of every Telugu soul, whether literate or illiterate. He graduated from the Maharaja's College (MR COLLEGE) of Vizianagaram, the so called VIDYANAGARAM of ANDHRA where he synthesized de novo the greatest of his writings which are superb, unforgettable, and immortal. He was born in 1863 in Rayavaram of Visakhapatnam distt. Sri Gurajada Apparao was a social reformer, poet, writer, philosopher, and a friend. It was the harbringer of modernism of Telugu literature. Hailed as the father of Modern Telugu literature, G.V.Appa Rao blazed a new ttail in play-writing as also in poetry and short story KanyasulkamР’В (Bride-Price) is one of his outstanding plays.

Telugu birthday poetry