Pani Puri also has a history

Who doesn't know pani puri? This roadside recipe is loved mostly by youngsters. Many people know where this pani puri was born, and not exactly in the south. Yes, it originated in the surrounding areas of Uttar Pradesh. The local people have given place to Kunti Devi and Draupadi of Maha Bharat in its preparation which means that this pani puri is being prepared since a few hundred years.

One day,  Kunti devi gave her daughter-in-law Draupadi some wheat flour, lentils, coriander, and some spices, and asked her to make a dish that would please all the Pandavas. There is a story in Uttar Pradesh that the daughter-in-law made this pani puri and everyone liked it so much that Kunti Devi gave her blessings that this dish of yours will remain in the world forever.

Pani puri has travelled to cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, etc. If you use clean water, fresh potatoes, wheat flour, tamarind, as well as coriander and onion, it is very good to eat pani puri. Apart from this, if you use a cheaper variety, it will make a difference in taste. Not only this, it can also cause stomach ache. It contains 51 calories. It contains 58.3 per cent carbohydrates and 9.3 per cent protein.

In many states, it is also sold by the roadside eateries. In some areas, it is called gol gappa. It is known as Phulki in Madhya Pradesh, Puska in Assam and Puchuka in West Bengal. In Bihar, it is known as Jal Puri. Round balls made of wheat flour, boiled and mashed potatoes, small legumes, chopped coriander, onion and other ingredients used in it .

There have been many experiments in this regard. Many people, irrespective of small and big, poor and rich, like to eat this pani puri. This is expected to cause a good digestion. This dish is served to guests at weddings in the northern states. Many  businessmen have flourished by getting  such contracts.

Kashinath Vaman Rao Gali is one such businessman from Jalna, Maharashtra. He has been in this business for the past 18 years. Initially, his profit was Rs 250. Gradually, he impressed the customers by using quality materials. Apart from this, wherever there is a wedding in the vicinity, he takes the pani puri contract. Now he is a rich one on par with a CEO of any successful software company.

Many national newspapers have reported about it. 

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                                                                                                                              Words : 407

Koraput and Other stories

 It is no exaggeration to say that reading this English story collection 'Koraput and Other Stories' remains an unforgettable experience. Gourahari Das ji's stories in Oriya have been translated into English by Saroj Mishra and Gopa Nayak. There has been a book before. Its name is "The Little Monk and Other Stories." As a newspaper editor, storyteller, playwright and columnist, Gourahari Das was well known to Oriya readers and had his own unique style in every process.

On hearing the name of Koraput, the natural scenery stands in front of our eyes. I also remember the workers there. The book contains 15 stories. All of them have different themes. The first story is related to Koraput. Let's talk about some stories. There is a magic in the stories of Gourahari Das ji. No story is like another story. In every little thing, something new is presented to us that we cannot see.

The story strategy also does not let the reader stay. Go to the end. When you think that the story is going to happen in a short time, then it seems as if the 'ending' has been known. But when we come to the last sentence, it gives us an unexpected twist and brings a smile on our lips. Such an craftmanship comes with a lot of practice and thinking power. While describing some important scenes and psychological situations, we are introduced to those characters.

Let's talk about the first story. The girl, identified as Purnima, was coming to Koraput from Bhubaneswar by Hirakud Express. She is soon to marry a man named Prashant, who works as a high official there. The train leaves from Koraput and takes a taxi to Jaipur, where the government offices are located. She is kidnapped by the Naxals. It is located in a village inside. She doesn't know how to escape. Conditions there are terrible. Even after so many years of independence, it is understandable how some people still live.
She is shocked to know that her fiancé Prashant is also one of the corrupt officials. Even after getting money and some benefits from him, the terrorists  left her. In this story, the situation and life of the tribals of the Oriya and Andhra border will be seen. Koraput showcased its beauty.

'Once the Sky Was Blue 'is another unique story. It depicts the search for a Bangladeshi refugee family in the state of Orissa. Shiraz and Tutul have been friends since childhood. Tutul goes to another state for higher studies. Shiraz spends his time at the roadside shop, helping his father. A big mall will be built there. They also collect overtake shops nearby with their monetary and political strength. In fact, even if it is a government place, the owners of small shops cannot do anything. Then Tutul sees it and asks his father to help him. He's the man around.

How can you tolerate if there are such small shops in front of such a big mall? owners asked, If you want a job, join us as a salesman in our shop. At the end, the children will be given masks to wear. It explains how once the cheapest vegetables and groceries were sold at inflated prices, and how they were given different English names to create hype. We know for a fact that the market economy involves the big fish swallowing small fish.

The story titled "The Mirage" depicted the lives of goons who survive by taking shelter of politicians. Tax is a huddle of 12 villages in the vicinity. A goon carefully mauling his opponents, he takes a young woman's small test as a challenge, descends into a serpentine pond, cuts white lily flowers, and becomes a victim of poisonous snakes. The entire story unfolds in front of us. Gourahari Das ji has described the mindset of gangsters in detail. The tax lifeline is painted very close to reality.

In the story "Handwriting," a teacher marvels at the lives of two students studying with him. A child who studies well in school and is his favorite student, grows up and becomes a high official in the Secretariat. When the master needs his service, he tells him to go and give bribe to him, and then he does not care. Another student who always scolded in school that your hand is bad becomes a bus conductor. But when teacher's purse is gone, he reminds himself from a humanitarian point of view that he is an old student. So teacher realizes that it is wrong to imagine that all those who read well as children will have a great heart.

The story titled 'Where Has Sudam Jena Gone "narrates how foreign investors invest in domestic companies and take control of the system. Garuda traces the process of how a TV company earns foreign funds, expands its operations, and ultimately mercilessly lays off employees. Why should Sudam, who works as a peon in that company ponder over taking foreign funds, we have got independence now, can't we do business without the need of foreigners, he doubted.

When all this is known, Sudam is fired from his job. There is a twist at the end. The name of globalization has been well described how even big corporates are flirting with very simple scenes. The rest of the story is unique. We can find out many changes taking place in the contemporary Oriya literature through this story.

 Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Words : 905

To Kill a Mocking bird (A Novel)

 To learn about Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" is to travel to the small town of Maycomb in the state of Alabama in the United States and learn about the discriminatory incidents against black people there. It is also a reminder that a white lawyer faced opposition from fellow whites for fighting for a black man, not his contemporary methods. Although the town of Maycomb's name is fictional, events there were common in the United States, especially in the South.

The novel was published in 1960. The story takes place between 1933-35. The novel was written by Harper Lee and is based on several events that took place in the Monroeville, Alabama, area where she was born. All the characters present us with the realities of contemporary American society. In this novel, you can find out how bad black discrimination was in the society of that time. However, along with compassion, the author has provided humor and reformation in this work in a beautiful style.
The original Mockingbird was so named by the author because the bird was known in the southern Alabama region as a very gentle, innocent singing and entertaining bird. 

Everyone sees it with love. But there are people in this world who kill even such a good creature. Tom Robinson is a young black man. And why such a young man was killed... and how a white lawyer named Atticus tried to save him.

The whole novel is a memory. That's when Scout Finch tells us what it was like living in the typical town of Maycomb as a child. It's a small town called Maycomb, always sleepy. There aren't any great things. But it's as good as it gets. A nice house, a good school and a nice place to play. This girl named Scout belongs to the Finch family. There are many names for them. Then Scout was six years old and her brother, Jeremy, was called Jem. He's ten years... At school,  enjoy reading and playing games.
her dad's name is Atticus. His wife died and he never remarried. He is a lawyer by profession. It is a small family. The Great Depression also affected the region.

 However, the train continues to move. Meanwhile, when a boy named Dill arrives at their cousin's house in the town, Scout and Jem form a friendship. The three of them play together and plan to go to Boo Radley's house at some point. Because this Boo Radley spends time at home without ever going out. All three of them are interested in what his character is. There are also many rumors that Boo Radley is a ghost.

Father Atticus tells his children that there are many things in other people's lives that cannot be understood from their point of view. When Dill comes to town again in the summer, the three children try to get into Boo Radley's house and run away when they hear a whistling sound. Gem's clothes will be torn off in time to escape! Even after that, when these children come out of the house, they see some gifts kept in the trunk of the tree. Again, this happens a few times. But they seem to be good. Once in a fire accident, he puts a blanket over himself as protection... Scout thinks it's Boo Radley.

Atticus, defends Tom Robinson in a criminal case against him. He is accused of raping a young woman. Atticus thinks that Tom Robinson has been accused of being a white man. Atticus is abused by fellow whites, asking if he would be a white man and support the Negro. Atticus says that truth is more important to him than race. Even at school, the kids are raving about it. And yet, they are courageous.

The trial of Tom Robinson begins. All the white people come together to Atticus' house. Though Scout is a child, she convinces them all with her argument and sends them back. Atticus proves in court that the alleged rape victim, Mayella Ewell, lied and that her father, Bob Ewell, was also involved. The court tells him that the young black man is not at fault, and that he should be put in jail for a while. Judges are discriminated against for being all white. A young Negro boy, Tom Robinson, tries to escape and is shot by the police.

So far, the Finch family has been a firm believer in the justice system that justice is different for white people and different for black people. Even kids like Scout and Jem get angry. Bob Avell goes on a rampage and attacks Atticus's offspring on their way to a Halloween party, while Boo Radley arrives just in time to kill Bob. The town sheriff lies and protects Boo Radley from the law. He says that Evel fell on his sword near the beginning of the tree and died.

After talking to Scout and the others, Boo Radley goes back into his house. Scout says I didn't see him when he came out again. And that's how the story ends. As her father said, she no longer wants anyone to have an opinion about them.

The novel tells the story of how the American courts also treated Negroes in those days. The lifestyle of the southern states and the day-to-day affairs of the people were told from a child's point of view. Author Harper Lee is said to have included many events of her life in this novel. Her father was also a lawyer who, like Atticus, worked for the rights of blacks. Monroeville, where she was born, was also one of the sites of conflict between the two communities. The novel won an Academy Award when it was adapted into a film in 1962. The British Library describes it as one of the books everyone should read. The work was introduced as a modern American classic in high school and middle school. It also won the Pulitzer Prize. Harper Lee has lived without hope of any publicity since 1964 and died in 2016.
 

Written for ##WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                    Words : 1012

Thoreau - A Unique Thinker

 

Henry David Thoreau has a special place among American writers. He is loved by book lovers as a philosopher, nature lover and an innovative thinker who has experimented with life. Taking a break from civilized life, Thoreau came up with the idea of what it would be like to be alone in a forest, with the fewest necessities, in the bosom of nature. He has also written a book on the subject. Its name is "Walden."

On July 4, 1845, he entered a small cabin in the forest and lived there alone until September 6, 1847. That is, approximately lived for 2 years and 2 months in a self-made wooden cabin next to a pond called Walden, day and night, mixing with the plants, animals and insects there. He did this experiment to see if man could live as normally as possible without the need of anyone.

Thoreau was influenced by his friend and fellow writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson is actually the owner of the site of Thoreau's small hut or cabin. He built the house with his own hands. It cost $28 at the time. The amount of wood, plaster, nails, window etc. bought for it, he wrote in detail.
He recorded his day-to-day life. He wrote in detail about various plants, animals, insects, birds and their movements. He finds many small creatures that he didn't know existed. He plants a garden of beans. He worked there for some time. He reads and writes in the middle of the night. There are some sounds in this valley, where a few miles away there is a railway track.

The Irish laborers who came to lay the railway line and the farmers who passed through that route to their villages would occasionally meet Thoreau and ask him why he was alone in the valley. Walden in front of his cabin recorded how the pond looks in any season, when the snow accumulates there. In  three-pages of that book, he describes the lives and struggles of black ants and red ants. The problem with Thoreau is that he goes too far into everything. From Greek and Roman stories to the research of agricultural scientists, he wrote extensively without saying so. He talks about poets and philosophers from all continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.

He also mentioned about Bhagavad-gi ̄ ta ̄ and Vedas in the work. The contents of this Walden book are divided into 17 types for the convenience of the students. Because of the old-fashioned style and the combination of many spiritual and secular themes, this book will not be rushed if we want to read it like a diary. In this book, he has given a very fine picture of the sounds he heard while in the cabin, the beauty of solitude, the people who came to him, the garden of beans he grew, the neighbors who used to hurt others, the nature that changes in different seasons, the birds, especially the Walden pond.
The essays, poems, and other books Thoreau wrote during his lifetime total up to 20 volumes. He gave many speeches against slavery. 

He asserted that citizens have the freedom to oppose the government. His name is synonymous with the term civil disobedience. Leo Tolstoy, Gandhiji and Dr. Martin Luther King was inspired by Henry David Thoreau.

The book contains 280 pages of history. He mentioned many things like an encyclopedia. The book sold over 2000 copies. Over time, it became known as a prominent in American classical literature, gaining fame through numerous reviews. Got a lot of prints. Particularly when Robert Frost wrote about it, everyone's attention was drawn to Walden. 

A Film was also created based on the book in 1968. 
To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school, but to love wisdom as to live according to its dictates, a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity and trust. Henry David Thoreau was born and died in Concord, Massachusetts, twenty miles from Boston.

        Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                                                                                                                      WORDS : 668

     

Tiger - A rare animal

  Although the tiger is a rare animal, it has a special place in human society. If some person is said to be a tiger then it is considered to be very honorable. Actually, the lion is the king of the jungle. The tiger should be told as if there is any animal that can compete with it. The main difference is that lions live in flocks of 10 to 15. But mostly tigers love to live alone.

The life expectancy is only 15 to 20 years. Half of all tiger cubs die within the first two years due to various reasons. The highest number of these in the world is in our country, which is in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Of the total 3,167 tigers, more than 300 are in Madhya Pradesh.

It is followed by Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat. The tiger hunts for its food only at night. It has six times the power to see in the dark than the human eye. Therefore, it lurks in the bushes and among the trees, listening to the sounds of the animal it wants, and at the right time it breaks down.
The tiger's paw is even more powerful than the lion's forelegs. Any animal can be killed with one or two blows. And then it bites. Its principal food is ,cows, rats, mice, rabbits, deer, and lizards etc. It eats birds, fish and small mammals.

The experts who have studied the nature of the tiger say that as much as possible they will run away from the sight of man. If we have seen a tiger once while living in the forest, it means that the tiger has seen us at least fifty times before that! But if you resist, you will be killed. When a large animal is hunted, it spends a week eating and resting.

Especially when it is cold, it spends hours beside streams, in bushes, in caves, and even in the shade of trees. They love to spend a lot of time in the water. When you see a tiger, you talk with your eyes. It will not tolerate another male tiger coming into its territory. However, when the female arrive, they make a loud noise. The sound can be heard three miles away. Hearing this, the female tiger comes to make love.

The female has a territory range of 15 to 20 km. The male tiger declares that he is in control of more than this area. It means that all the animals within that area are their property. If another tiger enters someone's territory, a fight ensues. The winner will win the area. Ironically, nowadays, the humans are more cruel  than the tiger and the territory is occupied by the man to build his habitats. And tigers are coming into villages nearby forest.

As a result, the tiger population has declined significantly. They do not know where to go, and they fall in the trap of humans to get killed. When the tiger is old and its teeth are broken then it does not have the power to hunt any other animal. At the same time, they hunt even people for food. That has to be remembered.

 However, the Bengal tiger will attack and kill the elephant. The tiger runs from thirty to forty miles per hour. That is, it is less fast than the cheetah, but the tiger is ahead in terms of power. The Jim Corbett National Tiger Park in Uttarakhand is spread over an area of 500 acres. Birds roam freely here. Hunting is not allowed. The government does not allow hunting even in the parks located at Bandhavgarh and Ranthambore. They roam free there. The Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the largest tiger reserve in the country. It is spread over Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar, Kurnool and Prakasam districts.

Many efforts are being made internationally to increase the number of endangered tigers. There are currently only 13 countries in the world having these ones. In other countries, the demand for their body parts is a prime reason getting killed in the hands of poachers. The white tiger living in the Rewa region of our country is almost extinct. The national and international day for the conservation of rare animals should not be forgotten, and the spirit should be effectively imbibed in the future generations as well. 

  Written for  #WRITEAPAGEADAY 

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Our E - Paper and A Milestone

 

Bhadradri Incredible, an e-paper, reached a milestone with the present issue. It's our 12th issue, glad to announce the happening. We haven't brought it out in order to get fame or fortune. Started as a feeble effort but turned out an undeniable achievement. There were only two motives when it started. Different voices from different states to be heard and with unique articles like book reviews, stories, poems, travel experiences, and any human interesting pieces in it's own way. Our country is synonymous for diverse cultures and wanted to uphold it through this e-paper. Behind these two things, there is a secret desire. That's to nurture Indian writing in English. 

Many writers like Dr. Pratap Kumar, Dr. Snehaprava Das, Sri Alajangi Muralidhar Rao, Sri Tomichan Matheikal and others have sent their articles and enriched the e-publication. And some friends have also encouraged it as an innovative venture at the right time. Interestingly, all these are from different states and they have become the participants in the decisive journey of our brain child. Hope you all with us in the years to come. Send us your feedback and news of literary meetings, unveiling books so on and spread a word about it. Our core mission and vision is to celebrate writing by connecting people.

                                                                                                         WORDS : 214

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY

A Novel by Chinua Achebe

 

I've recently read an African novel called Thing Fall Apart. The author is Chinua Achebe. He was an English teacher himself. The picture that comes to our mind when we say Nigeria is different but after reading this novel, it disappears completely and takes a different form. In this way, Chinuba Acheba did a great service to his Ebo tribe and to the African continent. The novel has been translated into more than 50 languages and sold more than a million copies. Could someone like Joseph Conrad have heard the heartbeat of black people? But a new voice is heard in it, because Chinuba Acheba himself is a son of the soil.

Let's go into the novel. There is something interesting on every page. Maybe it's because we know so little about life in Nigeria. Where did you read a lot of American, Russian, and other European novels? Well, there are many reasons for that. This book is available in almost every country in Africa. They, like us, were ruled by the British. This book is the story of that period. And the British did not understand what psychology was, but this novel was first published in London! 

Okonkwo is known as a warrior and a big man not only in his village but also in nine surrounding villages. It is a tradition to win prizes in competitions held during festivals. Such people deserve special attention. In the village of Umuofia, our hero Okonkwo is also a large farmer. His father Unoka is famous for being an extravagant man, a drunkard, a debtor and a bad name. He is determined not to be that way in life. Yams is widely cultivated. Beef and chicken are good. He built houses for his three wives and their families in his compound. 

There are 11 children. Polygamy is common in their Ibo tribe. There is nepotism. Okonkwo's second wife was a man who came here after leaving his first husband. Well, life to life is one of the customs of that tribe. For example, if a woman from their village is killed by a man from a neighboring village, they are asked to kill a member of their family. Then they give a three-year-old child. His name is Ikemefuna. After three more years, the boy is killed. That's the thing there. If it is not given, the entire village falls on the house of the culprit. That's the thing... It's wrong to think that if someone falls, they will be crushed. For example, when an Okonkwo gun goes off accidentally, one of the elders of the village destroys his house and the family is expelled from the village for seven years. Our hero also bears it silently as it is all part of his commitment.

 I am most grateful to them. A god. The serpent is also a god. It doesn't kill under any circumstances. When it comes into the house, it will wait until it has eaten what it wants. Adults also use goat skin as a mat to sit on. Do you remember how our ancestors used deer and tiger skins? Well, very happy. The life of our hero, which moves with small contradictions, turns in seven years of exile. That exile was not somewhere, in the courtyard of his great-uncle's house.. in the village of Mbanta. .! It must have been seven years since Ramani came to this village, because by mistake, his gunshot wound caused the death of someone in his native village. 

One or two years later, his friend comes to see Obierika and tells him about the changes that have taken place in their village. He explains that Christian preachers came to town and converted some of his tribe, and that Mr. Brown, a white man, was responsible. He says that the spirits of our ancestors and gods are chanting. Okonkwo also suffers. A big man from the village also goes to church. How the missionaries divided the town in a systematic way is discussed. Some of the questions raised by the Ebo elders about the Bible intrigue Mr. Brown. He takes a different route. He brings schools, hospitals and teacher training institutes to this village by talking to the government. Seeing the educated people working there, the upper class of the Ibo tribe also begin to send their children to missionary organizations. Until then, only the lower classes could send their children. 

At the end of the sojourn, Okonkwo returns to his village. All things seem to change. The souls of their forefathers and gods have become worthless. Songs are heard from the church. My friends say we can't do anything about it. Some of us wonder what we can do when we do. White missionaries brought business to the village. Purchase centres for palm oil and pulses have been opened. The money is well in the hands of the locals. While in Thaidi, a person who has adopted the religion of Kiaga creates a ruckus during a local festival. There will be riots. Under the leadership of the hero, all his followers go to Kiyaga's house and destroy it and kill the man. The church will also be destroyed. In this case, however, there is a white man other than Mr. Brown. He goes to the Deputy Commissioner and tells him all about it. He's also a Brit. 

The officer immediately sends the jawans for talks and brings some of the elders of the village, captures them and tortures them. They are told by Odalali that everyone should pay the penalty together and some like Okonkwo should come and surrender. The protagonist kills a government messenger. The commissioner comes to this town with his force as there is no more profit. The villagers say that a corpse hangs from a tree at the end of the village. The bodies of those who committed suicide will be cremated, they said. The commissioner says okay and unloads the body with the jawans. It's not Okonkwo's body. The commissioner is shocked. I don't think he'll ever be on the field again. On the other hand, he felt happy because he had found good material and furniture for the book he was going to write. His book is called The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. The book also contains a suicide note. 

   Written for # WRITEAPAGEADAY            

                                                                                                        Words : 1056

Are you going to Japan for the first time ?

 

Those who are going to Japan for the first time should remember a few things. Japan reminds us Tokyo. But in fact, there are many places to see in this country. There are many cities like Osaka, Kyoto, Nagano and Yokohama. Wherever we go, we should respect the local customs and culture. If you want to go to any house or some business place in Japan, you have to leave your slippers outside. Also, when we go to a restaurant, we should not give a tip to the servers or employees working there by mistake. And they take it seriously.  

Tattoos should not be displayed in public. If you want to be respected, you have to respect others. This means that if you do so, you are being respected. Stand on the left side on the escalators. If you want to travel cheaply in Japan, you need to buy a rail pass. Buses, trains and other means of transport are cheap. Otherwise, it will be costly. Most people in the city speak English. So language is not a problem. It would also be useful to download the Japanese dictionary in Google Translate.

 In Japan, cash is more widely used than cards. It is important to have enough cash on hand when shopping.

Cash can be obtained using cards not only at ATMs, but also at post offices and 7 Eleven stores. Unlimited internet can be used to buy pocket Wi-Fi rather than data roaming. To experience the flavours of their local cuisine and hospitality in Japan, one must stay in a traditional abode called Ryokan. That is, they are like a kind of lodge. There is a luggage service called Takuhabin. If your luggage is heavy enough, just give them an address and they will bring it there. This is done at a nominal cost. The Japanese give a lot of importance to cleanliness. If there is any garbage then keep it in your pocket till you reach the hotel or if there is any store nearby then put it in the dustbin there.

The emphasis in primary education is on keeping the surroundings and house clean, learning how to mingle among  people, how to cooperate with each other, and so on. Every child above the age of five should learn these things. They clean the school and the office. Schools that teach this type of mannerism from an early age are called yo-chin in Japanese. It is best to visit Japan between March and May and between September and November.

                Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                

                                                                                                                           WORDS : 421

A Telugu story collection portrays Tribal life

 'Chappudu 'is a collection of unique stories. There are four stories here. But the special thing is that these are the stories that have touched an important part of Koya tribal life. Everything is based on death. They are the two most important things in a person's life. One is birth, the other death. The fight between them is called life. The author of this collection of stories is Paddam Anasuya, herself an Adivasi. This book is an attempt to show the life of her people to the world. As far as I know, this is the first time I've read in Telugu of its kind . It has a special place in the history of Telugu literature. With the inspiration given by this book, many tribal writers will definitely bring to light the various facets of their lives and their glorious history that will never be forgotten. 

The quality to arouse such curiosity is in abundance in this collection of stories. The history of Santhal tribal warrior Birsa Munda is known to the world by the novel of the Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi. Similarly, Gopinath Mohanty's novel "Amrita Santana" in Oriya has depicted the history of Kondh tribal community in a very beautiful way. The Telugu translation of this novel has recently become very popular. Needless to say, that is the reason.  And before all this, a great novel came in Bengali during the British rule. It is called "Aranyaka." 

 Author Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay. Gradually, all these were translated into many other languages and effectively showed the aspects of the life of the indigenous people of this country, which did not come to light for many reasons. But they are not born tribal writers. That's something to be noted. There is no equivalent novel or collection of stories that has touched the tribal life in Telugu. It must be said that they do not show the culture of the tribals as much as they show the political angle. Later, some aspects of tribal nature could not be understood. Like other oppressed classes, the writers of the elite class seem to write from that point of view, thinking that the tribals are inferior to them. In fact, an Adivasi does not feel that he is inferior or superior to others. It has nothing to do with the Hindu caste system. It starts to make sense when it comes to the outside world. Well, there are many differences when it comes to research. For a tribal writer to write about his life is to convey many things to the outside world in an empowering way. Here... Now one is here in the form of Paddam Anasuya ji. 

And it's a special time. Okay, let's take a look at Anasuya's story. The name of the first story is "Kakamma." A woman with age. It depicts the plight of a daughter who marries a man who is not of her caste. Agree that it hurts. After that, he invites his death without anyone's hand and without depending on anyone. In the same way there is a major difference in the fact that the strings of marriage also go away from their customs. The language and expressions used in the story are similar to that of an average tribal woman, except that they do not leave the ground. The descriptions are natural. 

 It can be said that his desire to slaughter a pig as a gift to the mob was not fulfilled. That's the second story. This is an important point in the story. Death is very important in life. The process of Purbham is performed by the Doli clan on this occasion. This includes the family history of the deceased, their relationship with different surnames, and various aspects related to ethnicity. They are like historians. Believe that if they come and do those rituals, the soul will be at peace. And the story tells how a Koya tribal family faced the situation when they wanted to make such rituals in the city. 

 In the villages of the forest, if you listen to the rhythmic winking of these cables from a distance for a few days at night, then along with the unrelenting wind, you will also feel that somewhere the spirits have reached there. "Musli" is the third story. In this story, an old woman dies while plucking leaves. The story is about a pet dog who gets bitten and then dies. But the way Adivi is described in this story is heartbreaking. The presence of bear cubs in the lily bushes, plucking the leaves from the bushes by putting a stick in it, catching the joy. He said more about the times of death. It's nice to be compared to an old man's night-drinker. I remember a great man saying that the two extremes meet. 

 And the fourth story is the "muffled voice." In this story, the religious conversions taking place in the Koya Adivasi community and the problems they bring have been told. The converts explained how they did not follow the usual Eastern customs during their deaths and how they were disrupting unity. Images such as mouth rattling at the sight of nekkara fruits and trees, mukku slipping on a karangi tree and tuk-tuk taking the reader somewhere. The story ends by asking whether the Dolis, who have been singing and saving their histories from time immemorial, should stay away from them anymore. 

 The author's style is interesting and enjoyable to read. The story unfolds in villages and villages around Palvancha. Although the words of Koya language are used in some places as per the need, nowhere they stop the storytelling. In all the selected stories, the theme should be "death." However, in the way of saying the object, it was carried without any hindrance. Let us move forward by choosing more themes related to tribal life so that more new lights shine in the field of Telugu literature. In this context, I would like to give a little advice to writer Anasuya garu. I suggest that you read Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's writing in English very carefully. His novel The Adivasi will not dance was also awarded by The Hindu for 2015. He was very much aware of the changes and problems in the tribal society today and brought a lot of fame to his Santhal tribe in Jharkhand.

                   WRITTEN For #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                              Words : 1058

Dr. Zhivago novel #WRITEAPAGEADAY

 

The name of the novel Dr. Zhivago is most familiar to literary lovers. The novel won the Nobel Prize in Literature. In Russia, the birthplace of the most controversial writer, for a long time was not even published. The book was banned in Soviet Russia. Why is there so much controversy? Let's take a look..

The author of Dr. Zhivago's novel is Boris Pastor Knack. Even though he had a big name, he became famous with this name. He was born in Moscow. Originally a piano player, he left that job in 1912 to study philosophy. He wrote poetry. He translated Shakespeare and Goethe into Russian. The style of Boris Pastor's knock in particular is fascinating. Be it poetry or prose, he entertains the reader with his signature.
A voracious reader of ancient poetry and contemporary European writings, Pastor Nock reinvigorated his text. Every sentence of his novel is so simple and subtle that it seems as if poetry is taking a different form. This is the main theme of Dr. Zhivago's novel. And the English translation itself says, how beautiful it looked in the Russian model.

The same sentiment was echoed by Max Hayward and Manya Harari. We have tried to get as close as possible to the Russian matrix of Boris Pastor Knack. One hundred percent translating his work is nobody's business. The two translators say that his text in Russian has a strange beauty, a poetic fragrance, and at the same time simplicity that stands the test of translators.

In 1958, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Dr. Zhivago. The Soviet government at the time, however, forbade Boris Pasternak from receiving it. If you cross the country to receive a prize, you will not be allowed to enter the country again. Pastor Knack sent a telegram to the Nobel Committee saying that he would stay in Russia until his death.

The novel was first published in 1957 by a group of Italian friends in Milan. It was immediately well-received. There have been many prints. The novel tells the story of the Russian Revolution of 1905, the Japanese-Russian War, and World War II. But above all, there is a love story. The implication was that it was banned by the Soviet government, not as a symbol of collective consciousness, but because of its emphasis on love and interpersonal human relationships.

Also, in some scenes, there are dialogues that individual freedom and independence is the most important thing. For example, Nikolai Nikolaevich writes: "True talent is never in a group. Nowadays, it has become a fashion for everyone. All of these writers are human beings. If the group supports it, they support it. It is neither Kant nor Marx... That's how it goes.

Also, the kidnapping of the hero, Yuri Zhivago, by a gang of Bolshevik sympathizers, and the fact that the hero was black-drinking and lecturing about communism, led the Soviet government to ban the novel. !
Well, let's tell the story as simply as possible. .! After reading all this novel, no matter how great the reader is... I want to tell from the beginning to the end, but it does not make sense which scene should be chosen from which event. Even the main characters, when they come and when they leave, everything is a mess. But one... For those who are aware of the history and culture of Russia, it seems somewhat good. I don't think it's a great story. But there is a magic in the style and gesture of Boris Paster's knock. The same leads to the reading.

The main character is Yuri Zhivago. He is known as Doctor Zhivago. Each character has two names. You have to be prepared for it, otherwise it will be very confusing. Right now, I just use names as short as possible. For the convenience.

The main character is Yuri Zhivago. His mother died when he was young. My father took over the country. The story begins with these scenes. Uncle Nikolai is ready to take care of him. Nikolai was not only a pastor, but also a good writer. He encourages Yuri to read many books. He takes them to different places. In the end, he is sent to study with the family of Gromyko in Moscow. Yuri goes there to study medicine. Though he is a doctor by profession, he loves to write poems and stories. Everything is written in a book. Yuri combines his surname with that of Dr. Zhivago. 

The story revolves around him.

Gromeko marries their daughter, Tanya. She is studying law. Meanwhile, a girl named Larissa comes as a sub-plot. Larissa's mother is a widow who came to Moscow from Belgium. The name's Amelia. She runs a clothing store. Some of them work with her. Amalia has a relationship with a general named Komarovsky. After some bitter experiences with him, Larissa moves away from Moscow. She works as a babysitter at a friend's house in a small town.
He works as a private tutor in a private school. As a child, she marries a young man named Pasha (Pavel's nickname) who lives on their street. They have a child. War with Austria in the Ural Mountains. Then Russia takes part in the war as a volunteer on behalf of the country. After that, the details are unknown. With that, Laura (Larissa's nickname) goes to the area as a nurse. This is exactly where our Dr. Zhivago serves as a doctor in the battlefield. Laura learns that Pasha has died in the war. Later, love blossoms between Lara and Zhivago. A few days later he left for Moscow. The wife and daughter go to a town called Euratin. The wife misunderstands Zivago's letter and leaves.

Two women run away from him. Zhivago's works are published by his friends. That's his name. As a result, his brother's love for him grows. The revolution in Russia brought the Communists to power. In that case, the stepbrother helps to avoid arrest in the incident. Nor does Laura. Dr. Zhivago dies of a heart attack while running to stop seeing such a woman. Then a man tells Laura that Zhivago's newborn daughter appeared on the battlefield somewhere, and takes a greeting card for the novel. That's the whole story.

There are many more roles. There are scenes. There are some interesting points. It takes a lot of writing to say it all. The Gromyko brothers, for example, went on holiday from Moscow to their village of Cvitsev Vrzec to give piano concerts and their preparations reflected the lifestyle of the Russian aristocracy of the time. It is interesting to note that Phalgone Shura Shulsingar was well acquainted with Indian Mantralaya.

Zhivago, who is an army doctor, says this about the life of a soldier. "A soldier who does not like the place he goes to, but is troubled for some time and gets used to the place and thinks how much better it would be if he stayed here. "

With the beginning of the Reformation in Russia, Dr. Zhivago's novel gained unprecedented popularity. It was a TV series. The film has already been released in several other countries. It was introduced as a textbook in class 11. However, Khrushchev felt that it was not a book to be read and banned.

                                                                                                                            Words : 1215

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY

Thailand and a new perspective #WRITEAPAGEADAY

 

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of tourists visiting Thailand. Last year, 12,55,358 people visited the country. It can be seen that those who go with the interest of excursions and entertainment programs available in that country. Beautiful beaches, nocturnal banquets, and stunning structures of the past are what make a trip to that country so special. Above all, the nature of the Thai people, who make everyone smile, is even more impressive. The exploitation of tourists that happens in our Goa is not there. The government will take steps to ensure that taxis and hotels do not increase rates. That's why we're heading to Thailand. Last year, the country earned $59.8 bn from tourism.

The cities of Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok offer many facilities to tourists. There are 24 hours in Pattaya like an other place but It is called the place of  no sleep. As far as Phuket is concerned, it is home to beautiful beaches and adventure sports. There are some interesting cities. It is a four and a half hour journey from our country by  flight, so many people are going even if they find any free time. If this is the height of all this, then the other aspect of our country with Thailand is the cultural connection that has been there for hundreds of years. I don't know how many people care about this, but here are a few things.

The Thai dynasty still considers themselves the descendants of Rama. They are worshipped with the name of Rama. Vajira Longkorn, now considered Rama-10, was crowned king in 2019. Like in Britain the royal family here also gets the traditional respect. One of the richest families in the world. Those who perform anointing ceremonies for the king are called Bram Luang. They consider them to be Brahmins who came from India at one time. The Ramayana is known as Thai Ramakien. Sculptures of Hanuman are found in many places. His name is a symbol of power and success.

Thai Ramakian has a special place in the literature here. The city built for the development of Ayurveda was named Ayodhya. Although Buddhism is practiced by about 94 percent of the population, Buddhist and Hindu traditions appear to be mixed. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the three as- pects of God. The three are known as Phra Kuan, Phra Narai and Phra Pharaon. Lord Ganesha is also seen in a dancing pose. Thai cuisine is famous all over the world. The country specifically sends its chefs as ambassadors to other countries. That is, they plan to further increase tourism to their country through them.

The price of gold in Thailand is much lower than in Europe and Asia. However, there is a limit for foreigners. We can buy a lot of things like spices, Thai silk, spa products, shirts and so on. Indians can stay in Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days. Earlier this limit was ninety days. There are more than eighty thousand people of Indian origin in Bangkok. The Thai currency is called baht. Our rupee gets two baht. Thailand is the 26th largest economy in the world. It should be said that the country, which chose tourism as its main source in 1970, has been progressing without looking back since then.

                                                                                                                    

                     Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                                                                                                                              Words :  557

Small video - Big hit

Click here for song

 Today I listened to the video song "Nee Bullet Bandekki Vachetta Pa" again. It has garnered over 445 million views. It felt very nice. Great work by young artists. Comments poured from many states. It's not just only from Punjab, it's also Maharashtra. And praises came from Bihar and other northern states. About the beat, about the way the song has been shot, about the artists who have acted. It's a real success for a Telangana accent Telugu. The success even couldn't have imagined by the creators.

Their praise for the southern state video is heartfelt. It doesn't cost much to make a video. That's compared to the movie. But the song, which runs like a waterfall in the Telangana dialect, has transcended language and region and entertained the hearts of music fans. Bhogaraju Mohana sang the song. It would have been better if the name of the song writer and the name of the music composer had been put in the video. Their work is commendable, and they should be known to all.

YouTube has given an opportunity to start small and impress many people with talent. Thanks for that. Today's generation is much happier than the previous generation. They go to small villages and make videos about their specialities. They are becoming very popular. That is, there has been a revolutionary change in the people as well. Especially the passion. This is something to be welcomed.

                           Written for WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                                                                                                               Words : 238

A Cop's Story #WRITEAPAGEADAY

 

After reading the life story "Nenu inkaa Shanta (Me and Shanta") I wanted to write some words. Chilukuri Rama Umamaheswara Sarma ji has described his life journey in 360 pages in this book. I saw this book a few months ago, but couldn't read it. There is no particular reason. However, in his WhatsApp message, Alajangi Muralidhar Rao once told about this book and a police officer who was born in Bhadrachalam and grew up in that neighborhood wrote his journey as a book.

When I sharpened the mind a little then the whole of my past turned in front of me like a film reel. I met this man about three and a half years ago. Somewhere, Sharma ji used to come to Koteswara Rao ji for tution , who was a lecturer of English in Charla Junior College. That's how I know him but , there was no contact with him for decades. Once when Koteswara Rao ji met me in Khammam, I came to know that he was working as an officer in the police department.

I just purchased the book online. Sharma ji 's style seemed like that of a writer. I went back to those days. He lived in Satyanarayanpuram, an hour's drive from Bhadrachalam. That's where we have met. In Bhadrachalam division many cultures are mixed. Along with the culture of the Giriputras, the Godavari dialect and the Telangana dialect are intertwined happily. On the other hand, the people of Chhattisgarh and Odisha are engaged in various works here. The borders of the two states are close. In this way, this division is a confluence of many life nerves.

When Kuchibhotla Pardhasaradhi ji and Chintalapudi Venkateswarlu ji referred in this book , it felt like talking to them again. Both are familiar to me. Going to Parentapalli and sleeping there made me remember my experiences. Venkateswara garu is more interested in undertaking expeditions, it should be said that he is Sakalakala Vallabha. Sharma's education and other experiences in Kothagudem are of exciting and interest.

After completing degree privately , he selected as S.I. Furthermore, it is a great thing with getting promotions, retired as an SP ( as a non-cadre SP till retirement). He has been through many ups and downs in his life. All of this was shared with us. The best thing is that Shanta ji entered his life and Sharma ji's life got enriched.

His life experiences are described in many pages. Different experiences in different areas. The special events of his personal life and the way he overcame them were written comfortably. The experience of working in Kosovo is very interesting. It is commendable to have a passion for literature even in the midst of many pressures and continue to host the writers' meet. Read this book whenever you can. Some of the unique elements of this book you won't find anywhere else, because each person's life is like a self-portrait.

(Rs. 250, Pages: 362, Copies: Available at leading bookstores and also on Amazon)

                                     Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                                                                                                                                          Words : 499

22 thousand tons of gold is there in our temples #WRITEAPAGEADAY

 

Be it Tirupati or Thiruvananthapuram or Puri, the most famous pilgrimage centres are dazzling people today with their amazing Kanaka, Vajra and Vaidhuryadi treasures. These temples have a history of hundreds of years. The above three have withstood the test of time thousands of years ago. In 2016, the World Gold Council estimated that 22,000 tonnes of gold was stored in Indian temples. Counting other precious diamonds, diamonds, emeralds, emeralds, emeralds and antiquities, it is impossible to say where it stops.

If you ask why the ancestors preserved such precious treasures in the temples, many things will be known. For example, the treasures hidden in the basement of the Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram were acquired by the erstwhile Travancore royal family through foreign trade, taxes and other methods. Temples in those days were not only spiritual centres but also social and educational centres. There were going on discussions. Education was provided. There were various social activities. That is why the ancient temples are said to have been built in a very large area.

As far as Tirupati Swamy is concerned, there are 7,000 acres of land in different states of the country and there are cash bank deposits of Rs 16,000 crore. The total value of these properties is Rs 2.26 lakh crore. But gold, silver and other precious metals are different. Our Seven Kondala Swami was the number one in wealth till Anantha Padmanabha Swami opened his basement treasures. The temples of Vaishno Devi, Siddhivinayak Swami (Mumbai), Shirdi Saibaba, Guruvayur, Puri Jagannath Swami and Somnath are some of the richest spiritual centres in the country. And there are many more besides.

When the rulers of the time gave donations to the temples, the inscriptions related to them were necessarily made. Other kings used to give them precious gifts when they visited the temple. In the ancient Tamil poem Silappadigaram, the Chera king Sengottaiyan was mentioned as having been given gold gifts in the temple of Anantha Padmanabha Swamy. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter temples like Thiruvananthapuram and Puri for hundreds of years. Perhaps the motive behind it is that the places of wealth should not be known to others. Recently, we saw the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar of Lord Jagannath in the Puri area after 46 years. In the case of gold, our Ananta Padmanabha Swami and Tirupati Swami are far superior level, but the temple of Lord Jagannath has 30,000 acres of land in various places of the country.

                                                                                                             Words : 415

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY

Interpol #WRITEADAYAPAGE

 

We hear the name of an international organization called Interpol, but many people do not know how it works. Its full name is the International Criminal Police Organization. It acts as a bridge between different member countries of the world in relation to crimes committed at the international level. Interpol works to share databases, assist in operations against criminals, and provide training to police forces. It is an independent institution. Currently, 195 countries are members of the organization.

All these member countries share information and cooperate in all necessary matters in the prevention of international crimes. If a person commits a crime in any country and stays in another country, then if the Interpol is informed about them, a red notice will be issued against such people. Similarly, if any member country asks for additional information about the suspects and requests to know about their activities, Interpol will issue a blue notice against such people. A green notice will be issued for terrorism and organised crime.

Yellow notices are issued to trace people who have gone missing in other countries, have been cheated or are likely to be cheated. A black notice is issued in case of unidentified bodies. Such notices are useful for exchanging information between different countries of the world. However, Interpol does not arrest people on the basis of these notices. Action must be taken in accordance with the laws of the Member States. Each member state has a national central bureau. It works with Interpol.

Defence personnel of the Bureau are involved in Interpol operations internationally. Each member country sends its police officers to participate in various assignments. Whether it is cybercrime, drug trafficking, terrorism, if there is an international angle, Interpol will accept it. In our country, the CBI works with the Interpol. Its headquarters are in Lyon, France.

  Written for  #WRITEADAYAPAGE         

                                                                                                            Words : 304

Everyone in the village is a YouTuber. #WRITEAPAGEADAY

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When we say Chhattisgarh, we immediately remember the Naxal problem and the backward districts where there is no infrastructure. But the Tulsi village of that state has been attracting many people of the country with another interesting thing in recent times. Leading media houses went to the village and interviewed the performance of the young people there and showed it to the outside world. The village of Tulsi, with a population of 4000, immediately attracted everyone's attention. The village, which is about 33 km from Raipur, is known as the village of YouTubers. There's a YouTuber in every house. From children to the elderly, everyone is an artist!

As you enter the village, you will see some people holding digital cameras, smartphones, microphones and shooting them busy in their work. They create different types of videos. Videos are made in many genres such as education, entertainment, knowledge. However, the rule is not to make indecent videos so that the whole family can watch it under any circumstances. Older people tell how the festivals and pubs used to be. Devotional stories are told. Most of the serials are made with humorous themes. There are also educational videos for children. Some are related to technology.

Once the script is ready, they will decide which actor is best suited for the role. All the artists are the same. Although there are 1000 YouTubers in the whole city, the most popular ones are up to forty. The first two channels were launched in 2016 by Jai Verma and Gyanendra Shukla. One is to teach the children, the other is to teach them the technical aspects. They do not even know that if these video channels are a hit at first, they will get money. Copyright is not known. It was a trial and error method. As time passed by, with the earning of twenty to thirty thousand per month, other young people also started a channel at home.

Being Chhattisgarh, Nimaga Chhattisgarh, Fun Tapri and some music channels are well known. They say they are appreciated by many in far-flung areas. A girl named Pinky Sahu got the opportunity to act on the big screen while acting in these channels. It is noteworthy that all these YouTubers met the District Collector and asked him to set up a studio in their village for their technical use. He sanctioned the studio at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. With this, YouTubers are getting editing, music and other modern facilities. This improves the quality of the videos. At one time, it was difficult for girls to pass through here. In such a situation, YouTubers are now getting money and fame by making up for the lack of artists.

----- Murthy KVVS                                                                              Words : 452

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY

Leitmotif #WRITEAPAGEADAY

 Receiving your ordered one through the post or couriers is fun and the smell of the pack overwhelms you all over. Our family members seem clueless about the imagination of unboxing items. Be it a book, gadget, shirt, or whatever, it compels us to feel exhilarated. Though it's available down the corner, receiving it from the postal man was something extra happier. Now, the postman is replaced by an Amazon man. A slight difference and it isn't essential. Still, the sense of expectation is there. In the same fashion, I keep subscribing to small and locally unavailable magazines too. Whenever visit other states, I never fail to watch out for local publications. Preferably English ones. Book stalls in the bus or railway stations always are filled with such kinds of papers. I don't mind whether they are dailies, weeklies, monthlies, or whatever.

Every publication has some variety in its sort of articles. That too with local flavor mixing other interesting stories. I used to pay subscriptions for such kinds of publications. English language wise also, different publications follow different kinds of styles. Sometimes they would cover what so-called reputed magazines left with pre-occupied notions. Items regarding the social, cultural, and economic conditions of the particular state open new doors for us. I got such kinds of local papers when I visited Mysuru, Bengaluru, Kottayam, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Kolkata. Subscribed soon after I returned to my place. Many of them have posted to my address without fail. But postal transit was a big problem then. Some copies were lost that way.

As I said earlier, receiving them through the post is my all-time interest. Rarely do I go for e-papers. Still, I receive many magazines through that means only. The Week, Frontline, and others. A couple of years back, Subscribed a fortnightly "Mycity links" for a year. It is purely dedicated to Orissa news items, coming from Bhubaneswar. However, it attracted my attention for its quality articles, interviews, blurbs, and heritage issues. I have a respect for the editorial team. Circulation manager Pradhan played games in sending the magazine. He was posting some issues only and my queries have gone astray. Informed it to the editorial board, but everything proved futile. Marketing with a professional spirit is also a key factor along with giving good content. 

That's only the bitter experience in my journey of receiving journals through the post. I have never faced this kind of thing with any other paper. The Week (weekly) magazine is so prompt and reciprocal for any kind of inquiries. However, my trust in print paper through the post never gets faded out.

--- Murthy Kvvs

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                          Words : 440

Nostalgic spree #WRITEAPAGEADAY

                              
(Singers at Nelakondapalli)

I was surprised to see our college mate, Talluri (Komanduri) Sasikala reciting a classical song. It was a keerthana written by saint and staunch devotee Ramadasa and the title goes "anthaa Rama mayam, ee jagamanthaa Raama mayam". She was more than a college mate. I always consider her as my elder sister and of course, there is a remote relationship. We were discussing novels and poetry in those days. And there were the days of no WhatsApp, Facebook, or any social media. Ample time was there to go through books and serious discussions with friends. We have cherished every novel of Yandamuri, Malladi, and others, and serialized parts of novels have attracted our attention. Writing and reading came into my life. Our college library and branch library quested my thirst in those days. 

It is almost 40 years since heard her singing in a group concert. Thanks for WhatsApp for that, by which I could hear and see the happening. Flooded thoughts, all of a sudden,  transported me to the bygone years. Soon after passing my tenth class, due to some reasons, my life was destined to get shifted to a small town. Yes, it was neither a village nor a town. Cherla by name. There I met some life-lasting friends and their impact or influence always on my entire life. The same could have happened to them too. Compared to present days, the environment was healthy with green fields and many people liked fine arts. For drama competitions, budding and veteran artists were used to go to different places.

Two associations kept conducting drama competitions at Cherla. Many famous writers like L.B.Sriram and Tanikella Bharani etc., have participated in it, and in later stages, they transitioned as popular film actors. Not only that, several artists sprouted from here in different fine arts. Those were the days when everybody had dreams of excelling in the future. Sasi Sis had got married off and shifted to Hyderabad. She was blessed with a beautiful life. Decades went by as if it's happened in a film. The other day, a WhatsApp update received from,  beamed the singer Sasi , performing in a group recital at Nelakondapalli, where the saint Ramadasa was born. 

And on my queries, she told me that she had joined the music classes about her elder sister. Sounds like it was a great decision to pursue an artistic form after fulfilling family responsibilities. Happened to see the different streets when I recently went to Cherla, a sea change is there. New buildings were constructed in the spacious green fields and hardly a face came across which was known earlier. The local branch library is now it's a big building with adequate equipment and job seekers are reading for upcoming exams. Here, I have read the books of Sarat, Tagore, and Chalam for the first time. Sighed with recalling good old days.    

Written for #WRITEAPAGEADAY                                                                         Words : 482

Missing of an Old Woman (Story)

 Missing of an Old Woman (Story)

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--- Murthy Kvvs

The elderly woman was well-known in our pilgrim town, but I wonder if anyone was aware of her location, including her name, place of origin, and other details. It is difficult to understand the language she speaks. People would occasionally pause there to hear her tirades. 

 She occasionally gazed up at the sky as if she were receiving a message. Occasionally, she continues to babble incoherently. Occasionally, she would sleep with an old blanket draped over her. The people in our town are liberal. 

People discovered that she was not interfering with their continued amusement in any manner. However, she was constantly holding a long, heavy bamboo stick.  The crowd keeps a safe distance, keeping it in sight. People became less interested in her as the days passed.

Despite making her bed on the road barriers, not even the traffic cops would oppose her. Thankfully, cars weren't speeding; our folks would experience such a level of accuracy in things when they witnessed such heartbreaking images out of compassion. And to treat her mental illness, why shouldn't they take the initiative to send her to the top hospital?

On the road, people who were wealthy, coveted, and influential would pass by them with indifference. If they are committed to helping these unfortunate poor people, what can stop them? 

I encountered Gopal, a buddy of mine who owns a Xerox store, one day while driving. He informed me of the elderly woman's intriguing revelation. "Are you aware of anything? I spoke with the woman who was always by the side of the barriers, which is directly across from our store. She didn't have a severe mental illness. The way she was thinking was a little bit confused. Would she have been a normal person if any of her family had taken care of her? By now she must have been close to developing delusions. I'm scared it will get worse."

"You even dared to speak with her, Gopal. That's fantastic. She never ventured to be approached by people like myself who pretended to be good samaritans. In that improvised tent that could be swept away by any brave breeze, she was sleeping, taking a bath, and doing everything else. Thankfully, despite the car being on the road, no accident happened. According to your account, she might be okay if someone of any kind took a modest initiative. However, who would that be? I let out a sigh.

It's admirable that you're worried about someone impoverished. Let's hold off for a couple more days. We will then get in touch with any NGO addressing the root cause. Or let's bring the matter to the relevant government officials. I hope that will be enough on our end. Gopal said. Admittedly, "Hmm...you're right,"

 However, she was always present whenever I happened to be crossing the street for work.  She doesn't appear to care. I was inclined to talk to her to see how sane she was. 

A few weeks later, I received a call for an interview in Chennai. Aside from the primary reason, I thoroughly liked it for different other things. I traveled back to our pilgrim town via bus from Vijayawada. Bhadrachalam Road is the closest train station to us. Ironically, it is located at Kothagudem.

It was nearly late when I got back from my trip. That elderly woman was nowhere to be seen on the road. Startled to recognize the truth. I have carefully noticed that there is no sign of her makeshift tent or rags surrounding the road's borders. 

And my conscience groaned, Who am I to think all of it? The other side of it protested, but you're a human being like her. But how hard it is to have empathy, which is the greatest thing in the world. As I slept through the night, my mind was racing with all of these worries.

"Gopal...What caused her to vanish from there? Did she have an accident or what? The next day, I asked him. He shook his head in disgust at my inquisitive inquiry. 

"I didn't know much about it because I was preoccupied with my career. One day, my wife, who runs our store, claimed that the unfortunate woman had been taken by van. We don't have any more information regarding who the van belongs to" he said.

I sighed. God, what is the secret of your playing? She is already out of her mind. Where should she go and do? Once, way back in her life, she could have been a lady like any other. 

After a few days, being that old woman who vanished clueless, I went to Aalubaka...a small village where one of my friends named Naren kept working as a science teacher in a high school. He is a bibliophile. We get engaged in talking for hours and hours whenever we meet and subjects vary to infinite. He answered one of my queries related to mental ill-health.

"schizophrenia is very prevalent among the people. There are five types in it. In our country, people consider offending to meet a concerned doctor. And it gets chronic as time passes by. A survey report says every three people out of five need this kind of checkup but hardly cared for by people. What to talk of empathy? The less we talk, the better..." said Naren

You're correct. Every street would have these unfortunate people, and nobody cared about them. They might have been in a more advanced stage, not caring about hygiene or clothing.

"Fortunately, there is a trend of recognizing such people has begun" Naren handed me a newspaper. It included a fascinating news story. I was shocked to learn that it was about our town's elderly woman.

In the picture, she was getting tonsured. All of these individuals have been sent to the special hospitals by our sub-collector. My God, at least one officer was there with a real attitude.

(The End)

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