Truth: A Play by Rachakonda Vishwanatha Sasthry : Translated from Telugu

Though written history of Telugu drama is of recent origin the sculptural and inscriptional evidence suggests that the performing arts flourished in Andhra by the second century b.c. The first written evidence of the dramatic enactment was by Palkuriki Somanatha in the thirteenth century ad. The only extant play of the medieval period is Kridabhiramam translated from Sanskrit by Vinukonda Vallabharayudu. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries Sanskrit dramas were translated as kavyas in poetic. Later the Nayaka (1565–1673) and Maratha (1674–1855) kings of Thanjavur chose Telugu as their court language and patronized drama through song-and-dance yakshaganas performed both in the court and village squares.