Annamacharya (1408-1503) of Tallapaka wrote some of the first songs in Telugu – thousands of them, out of which some 12,000 are now available. There were of course, songs in Telugu before that, folk songs whose authorship is unknown. Palkuriki Somanatha of the early 13th century named many varieties like vennela, jajara, tummeda, lali, and suvvi. It is by the definitive forms given to them by Annamayya that we can estimate how they were in the usage of the people of that time.

From Annamayya to Arudra (1924- 1998), to name only two of about 200 who wrote songs in Telugu suitable for dance, they wrote many kinds of songs – sankeertanams, varnams, daruvus, tillanas, padams and javalis being the more popular kind.

For whatever reason, for the Telugu people, ‘padam’ has come to mean an erotic song suited to dance. The javali is more associated with Telugu, though there are songs which are termed so in Kannada. For javalis in Telugu, sringara is the base; not always so in Kannada, where some are set in a philosophical groove.

Great scholars with a particular interest in dance libretti have said many things about the etymology of the word javali and tried to define it. It is from Marathi, according to some. No, it is from Kannada, according to Kittel the lexicographer. It is a lewd song, said some. A vulgar lyric, said others. There is no dignity in the lyric, no purity in the raga employed, opined some.