[Tel.] n. The letter R, called repha repha, or rakaramu ra-karamu. When it is a subjunct letter, it is written underneath and shaped, thus, ra or L, and is calledkravati kravadi or kraravadi kraravati; thus, karra karra, vaka ramu rakramu. In many Telugu words this r is used optionally after the initial, as in manu, pakka, kinda, tova, sukku which are, in bookish Telugu, written mranu prakka.krinda. trova. srukku respectively.
The letter ra is sometimes inserted to prevent elision, as podarillu, gangireddu, bommarillu, ussuranucu.
ra in prosody, stands, for raganamu, a foot composed of a short between two long syllables.