No Telugu novel in the recent past has been as eagerly await¬ed, avidly read and heatedly discussed as Tulasidalam. Never before have seminars been held to discuss a popular novel and its influence on society. The circulation of ‘Andhra Bhoomi’, a weekly which serialized Tulasidalam, suddenly shot up and surpas¬sed that of the other establish¬ed weeklies. And when the novel was published in book form it ran into four editions within one year. The unprece¬dented popularity of the novel is more significant because it deals neither with romantic love nor with wish fulfilment fantasy, which form the staple of Telugu fiction today. The novel revolves around black magic, supernatural powers, and also refers to hypnotism, electronics and open-heart surgery. Tulasi, the only child of her parents, is entitled to inherit twenty lakhs on her tenth birthday. In case of any mishap the entire sum will go to an orphanage.
Jan-Feb 1982, volume 6, No 4