Srotaswati (English) - A Moving Autobiography

Gopinath Mohanty is a name that resonates with literary enthusiasts worldwide, as he is widely regarded as one of the foremost writers in India's literary history. 

Although his primary writings were in the Oriya language, the translation of his novels, such as Paraja and Amrita Santana, into English and other Indian languages has significantly broadened his literary acclaim. His depiction of the Kondha Adivasi in numerous novels has paved the way for new perspectives within the realm of Indian literature.

The publication entitled "Srotaswati" is the author's autobiography, initially released in the Oriya language and subsequently translated into English by Sudheshna Mohanty. 

I recently acquired and read this work and feel compelled to express my reflections to the readership. This autobiography unveils numerous dimensions of social and cultural conditions before independence, in addition to chronicling the author’s personal narrative.

 To begin with, the designation 'Srotaswati' encapsulates the author's perspective on existence. The term translates to 'the flowing stream,' signifying an incessant narrative of his life experiences. Furthermore, the image of the author playing the flute depicted on the cover is visually striking.

The writer discusses the people and circumstances that inspire his creative writing, as well as the challenges he faced that helped shape who he is. 

Gopinath Mohanty was born in Nagabali, a village near Cuttack, and he received his basic education at home.

 During that period, distinct states such as Bihar, Odisha, and Bengal did not exist. The individual's father was employed in the princely state of Sonepur but subsequently resigned due to health issues.

 The family's insufficient income resulted in hardships, compelling the father to seek employment once more. At the age of 58, he obtained a position as a surveyor.

 He moved to Sonepur and eventually to Patna due to his father's career demands. Patna was equipped with good facilities like spacious roads, planned housing, and standard educational institutions.

 Gopinath's elder brother was an employee in the secretariat. He mostly completed his high school education in Patna. One had to change three trains to go to Patna from Cuttack.

 The workforce predominantly consisted of individuals of Bengali descent, primarily engaged in fields such as education and secretarial roles. They perused Bengali and English periodicals dispatched from Calcutta. 

Gopinath frequently contemplated the absence of a similar practice among the Oriya populace in acquiring vernacular publications for reading. Despite a significant presence of individuals of Oriya heritage in Patna, Oriya magazines were seldom available in bookstores or at railway stations.

Rabindranath Tagore, Sarat Babu, Bankim Babu, and numerous other writers significantly contributed to the Bengali language. In response to this, the mother of his classmate inquired if he could identify similar individuals from the field of Oriya literature.

 He referenced names such as Sarala Das and Balaram Das. However, she noted that these figures were historical poets known for their mythological compositions and expressed a desire for information regarding modern writers.

She remarked that I inquired about modern authors. Gopinath maintained his composure. There is a lack of regard for any society that does not express itself forthrightly regarding its language and its literary figures.

 In every distinguished nation, numerous writers have contributed to the elevation of their cultural heritage. He started to grasp this concept.

 The experiences of his student life in Patna reveal the distinct characteristics of the educational system of that era. He developed a keen interest in both Oriya and English literature, demonstrating a strong passion for reading.

 During a visit to his school, an educational official of British nationality engaged with him. In this interaction, Gopinath elaborated on the works of Shakespeare, which left a notable impression on the officer, ultimately leading him to approve two additional holidays for the school.

 Upon his return to Cuttack, he engaged in profound self-reflection regarding the lapses and manipulations present within Oriya society. 

The book will illuminate how Bengali elites appropriated the literary and spiritual luminaries of Orissa, such as Jayadeva and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, alongside various social and cultural dimensions.

 It serves as a valuable read for anyone seeking a comparative social narrative, despite being an autobiography of a distinguished writer from the state of Orissa.  

--- Murthy Kvvs

Horses unknown

 A strange spectacle of two horses amazed me when I was returning from a place near Triveni Junior College of Bhadrachalam. The two gorgeous animals trudge back and forth in the limited space of the street. Clueless and mysterious as to where those ones ended up here. Fortunately, they were lingering amicably in the close proximity of onlookers.

Animals do understand the body language of people swiftly and act accordingly. Perhaps, they have been brought in by some nomadic people. It is quite common to see nomadic shepherds from Madhyapradesh, Chattisgarh, and Kutch, rearing their own cattle across the fields.

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Bhadrachalam

 The statue of Bhadra Maharshi can be seen once you disembark at the roadside of the temple town's entry point. The town's name is derived from the sage, and a statue of him was established some years ago. It looks beaming with a colorful presence. In the background, a dhwaja sthambham can be seen, taller in front of the Abhayanjaneya Swami temple.

Visitors coming from far-off places to have a darshan of the temple have to cross the bridge to enter the town. Some people who used to come in their own vehicles would take a turn from the alley of this temple and end up at the ghats of the Godavari River to take holy dips. Weekend days seem to witness more footfall compared to other days.

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Looking out of the window

 The first thing I saw when I woke up was my window. It lets in some fresh air and offers a fascinating scene of green trees, where birds chirp without making a loud noise. Usually, I see parrots and sparrows. I thought that whoever was there made them awake at a certain time to start their life afresh daily. There was another pertinent question about how they remember their route to come back to their nests. The trees were exactly in front of my window, and every day they didn't skip their routine time to wake up and start chirping. It was such a beautiful place to be, but I happened to get left at the house for some reason.

caption: Way to my residence

At present, looking out of the window is interesting in some other way. Different plants would be seen soon after opening the window. Sometimes, monkeys would come and linger around them. They are very clever and fearless. If we try to hoodwink them, they start on their other side to disturb things. Until or unless we maintain eye contact, they don't try to harm us. They don't like people staring at them. For some reason, these days monkeys are not being seen around here. They must have gone somewhere. The window gives a micro presence of the world. 

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If I could relive one ordinary day...it would be !

 

We have been in a serene and spiritual ambiance today. It has materialized at this moment due to our stars unfurled into blessed realms. Siddhasramam or Pothuluri Veerabrhmendra Swamy Asramam is located in a hillock, and the place is exactly at Peda Bandirevu. It's on the way to Parnasala.

When I saw it at a certain distance during the bus journey, graffiti-like letters beamed on a plank as there was an asramam. On inquiry, people said that on the hillock, there was a Sadhu in a hut, and he was living in his yogic practices. It seemed that he was not a publicity seeker like many others. I was enthusiastic to meet him. But it became a reality this day, almost after three decades.

I usually care not a fig if it's about a fake swamy, but here he was well known for his simple manners and spiritual practices. Let me get into my own account on the visit. Now, a modest temple is there on the hillock dedicated to Lord Siva. And the photograph of the Swamy or Sadhu is hung over there on the inner wall. What a heavenly atmosphere with such a variety of greenery.

A cool breeze started exploding across the hillock, and eye eye-feasting surroundings made us awestruck. Mango, neem, and peepal trees, apart from other naturally grown thickets, are there. An ethereal destination sans the hustle and bustle of daily life. It's a place where a yogi performed penances and left so peacefully without much ado for worldly comforts.

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Hardest good bye said

 Sabbati Vishnu Murthy (ACP) passed away a few days ago. He was our batchmate from 1984 to 1987, when we graduated. As far as I know, he was one year younger than I was in our studies.

And he was two years younger than me in age. Memories flooded my mind while watching his death memorial service card, which will be held in line with Buddhist rituals.

He has been a firebrand since our college days. He actively participated in all kinds of student agitations. He was well-built and his baritone voice commanded respect.

Occasionally, he would tell his friends about his plans to join the police department. He fulfilled his dreams and rose to the position of ACP.

I lost touch with him after he joined the department, but I would read about him in the news. I never imagined his death would come so early.

Our lives are not in our hands; it's all in the will and wish of the Almighty. Life offers different things to different people, and we cannot predict our final journey. My sincere condolences to the departed soul.

--- Murthy Kvvs

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The most unexpected teacher

 The most unexpected teacher in my life is more than one. However, I would like to mention one teacher in particular, namely our local library. Learned many lessons that are useful throughout all these years. Read many novels, stories, and daily papers without fail. Moreover, it gave me good friends who are interested in reading and traveling. The library is not only a platform for reading, but is also used for different cultural activities. Learned the value of silence from the ambiance of the library. I maintained cordial relations with almost all librarians.

By reading various travelogues, I got inspired to take journeys at an early stage of my life. One such effort was to meet a writer cum painter, Sri Sanjiv Dev. He was living in the Guntur district in those years, and my first travel was aimed at meeting that great person at his house. Thus, my travel life continued for many years, and I learned many valuable lessons throughout my life. All this became possible with only our local library. That has become an unexpected teacher if I look back now.   

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Skills learned outside of school

 Diplomacy—that's what I learned by focusing on the ways of society. I was not aware of the importance of diplomacy in everyday life.  I was used to expressing my ideas freely. I was, in short, open-minded. Always following the academic books as the ultimate truth makes one naive, and it happens due to a lack of real-life experiences. Revealing our plans at their earliest stage is certainly doomed, and it's how some people around us work against us to achieve triumph. In this uncertain world, when a friend turns into a foe, it is unimaginable. Therefore, it's not always advisable to express our opinions freely.

Relatives are another level of people who are always jealous of our success, of course, in secret. On the same grounds, we can't cut off all our transactions with them. That's even more dangerous. One should be careful in revealing our new projects. Otherwise, they grab our opportunities and foil our efforts. As we have been interacting with different kinds of people in the world, we come to know them. And no school teaches us the intricate ways of the human mind. Self-experience is the only true way to gain insight; at times, we misinterpret sweet words or displays of affection as the individual's genuine character.

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Something I once gave up but returned to

I began writing throughout my plus two days. It's tough to remember my first poem, but the first one that was published in Praja Sakthi, a Telugu daily, occurred while I was studying for my degree. Happiness knows no bounds, which motivates me to write more in succession. 

 Many of my early essays and stories were published in the magazine "Kathanjali," which was published from Chennai but is in Telugu.

 Unfortunately, the monthly journal was discontinued following the death of its publisher/editor, Sri Raghavachary. I should be grateful to the gentleman for encouraging me as an aspiring writer. 

My writing has taken a back seat since I got married. I should clarify that the key causes are a focus on employment and additional businesses undertaken to supplement income. 

 Both made me a practical person rather than a dreamer. Writing requires imagination, as well as interaction with others who share your interests. There was no internet available there. Those days were completely different.

 I had a strong desire to write, but my idleness kept me from making any headway with my pen. What immediate benefit will I derive from devoting time to that? My thoughts were such. In reality, I stopped writing for over ten years.

It's very interesting how I came back to writing articles and other creative pieces. A friend suggested that I translate an English novella into Telugu. That novella was also my favorite one, and I started translating.

 By the way, that translation work has been sold in a good number and has made me popular among the readers of the Telugu language. That's how I got returned into writing habit. Writing can never be a profession in our country, with a few notable exceptions.

--- Murthy Kvvs

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Small act of kindness I will never forget

 Almost seven years back, I was at Berhampur. I had just arrived for a friend's book launch. As you all know, a considerable chunk of Telugu people are there, as it is a neighboring state. I have taken a room near the railway station.

 The program is scheduled for the next morning. So, I have leisure time in the evening. I decided to take a guided tour of the town. The railway station in Berhampur is adorned with artistic walls that depict local luminaries and folklore details. Kept watching bit by bit with enthusiasm.

 I have taken some refreshments too. I also enjoyed reading local English publications.  Oriya people who write in their vernacular language also mostly write beautiful English. I understood it by going through several Oriyan writers. I also gained insight from reading local English publications.

They have created towering bilingual authors like Manoj Das, Sitakanta Mahapatra, and Jayanta Mahapatra, and so on. But the Oriya people are down to earth and not boastful of their greatness, as I discerned about things there. 

My respect has increased more with one particular incident. I checked my wallet to buy a book at the station. My heart started pounding. There was no wallet in my pocket, and I found it missing elsewhere. But I certainly missed my wallet at the station; there must have been skillful pickpockets around here.

 All of a sudden, my judgment changed about the state. Deep down somewhere, my conscience was warning me against my unguarded thoughts. Helplessly lingering around the ticket counter.

A young person, who could be 20 years of age or older, approached me and asked whether I had lost my wallet. I said yes and gave some details about the wallet contained in it. He told me that it was found on the floor while he was having tea, and fortunately, he was the first one to see it. 

My happiness knows no bounds. He handed me the wallet and refused the amount when I tried to give it to him. It may have been a small act of kindness for him, but I was filled with immense joy, and I will never forget it in my life.  

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The book I have read the fastest

  Ruskin Bond's novella The Blue Umbrella is the one that I have read the fastest in the recent past. Both children and adults can enjoy the narrative of Bond's unique style. Children would go to their imaginative world while the adult readers slip into their childhood. His descriptions are quite natural, and the theme selection is deceptively alluring. Even the way he names the characters sounds prone to hearing in our surroundings. This novella is all about a fancy umbrella that is owned by a village girl, Binya. It caused jealousy among the villagers, including the petty shop owner  Ram Bharosa. He wanted to own it, but he failed to get it even by offering money.

The umbrella was a unique one and not available in the nearby towns. It was fortunately owned by the girl Binya from a family who arrived in the forest for a picnic. She bartered for a tiger nail. The family thought that the tiger nail brought good luck; thus, she had the blue umbrella. For her, it's a prized possession, and she keeps it held always whenever she goes to rear cows in the forest. Ram Bharosa offered money to own it, but was denied by Binya. Raja Ram, the boy who works for the shop owner, took it as a challenge to grab it from her. He snatched away while she was working in their fields.

She lamented losing such a beautiful umbrella. Her brother Bijju came to know it and caught Raja Ram in the forest near the village. There was a duel that took place between them, and the umbrella reached Binya, fortunately. Villagers got to know the cunning attempt of Ram Bharosa, and they all stopped buying anything from the shop owner. In that way, the business of  Ram Bharosa took a dangerous toll. How Binya and Bijju came to terms with Bharosa was a smooth twist in the story. This small book reveals the value of honesty and forgiveness. Archana Srinivasan's illustrations are suitable and eye-feasting.  Available on the Amazon platform.

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What stops us there ?

 

What stops us there? a picturesque landscape of lush green ambience and the river Godavari keeps flowing in torrents even in early October. Temple town received moderate rainfall this time and, amazingly, witnessed floods multiple times. Due to incessant downpour in the upper areas of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. 

Several small rivulets gush over the hillocks through the passes of Chattisgarh, be it from Dummugudem mandal villages or other places. It's how sometimes, Bhadrachalam can be seen with lots of water in the river though there was no drop of rainfall here.

Even in these months, visitors come from far-off places to have darshan through private and public service vehicles. Before going to the temple, they usually take a holy dip in the river. Recently, there was an incident of verbal exchange that led to a physical fight between devotees and the coconut sellers. And it hit the media platforms on the next day. 

It's almost the first of its kind, but it could not have taken place. Certainly, an isolated one once in a while. Apart from it, the statues in line depicting Ramayana are installed across the Karakatta, once designed by film director Bapu. They are still intact and inspiring. 

The Last Post (Book Review)

The Lost Post, written by Anil Dhir, is a unique publication. He penned many interesting details of the postal department. Anil traveled far and wide to explore unnoticed fragments of the postal journey in our country. As he belonged to the Orissa state, the intricate accounts he furnished about the remote regions are amusing. Krupasindhu Mohanthy, a teacher cum writer in a small village called Kalamita, caused the opening of a post office to circulate his English grammar book throughout the state.

 It opened in 1964 and served the person who rushed his mail. The anecdote told us how the postal department strived during the days of those struggling times, when a good road was a luxury in the village.

A family was serving the postal department by using a tonga for some generations. The place is Jeypore, a small town in the Koraput district. The story was tickling with the horse and its antics while taking the mailbags to the post offices. Although the honorarium was meager, the family was content and doing the duty as a ritual. Anil is an avid philatelist and heritage lover. 

His multifaceted personality was admired by Khushwant Singh, and he requested Anil to design a mourning cover on his death. Munnar post office details and the Andamans post office story reveal many interesting aspects.

The good old days trigger our nostalgic chord, how once the postal department intertwined our lives with unforgettable memories and made us think about the present situation. And the comparison takes us to unbelievable realms. 

The book spoke about many things about the colonial days of the postal system and its gradual development. With the onset of electronic gadgets, sending mail is at our fingertips. An exotic book to read. Available on the Amazon platform.

Book Brahma Literature Festival - 2025

   

 St. John's auditorium in Koramangala, Bengaluru, became a melting pot of all major languages of South India, where the trends in literature were discussed. Many writers from different states gathered at the venue provided by the BookBrahma Literature Festival to express themselves.

 Mantapa, Manthana, Akshara, Angala, Anavarana, Pustaka, Mukhamukhi, and Chinnari loka were the classified places for the form of each cliche, and it made it easier for people to reach where they wanted to. The three-day bound event happened from 8 Aug to 10 Aug, but I was able to attend the first two days. And I am going to write a few lines about those only. Another striking point is the space given for Marathi and Indian English writing, as well.

On the 8th, there was a talk on "regional identity in Telugu literature," a topic that has already garnered extensive discussion on various platforms. No palpable or substantial points were elicited other than what we have known, so the talk inspired a little to think upon. Furthermore, the time constraint of 50 minutes took a toll on the entire talk, as the subject was as wide as the sky itself.

 However, Attada Appal Naidu, Bandi Narayana Swamy, and Peddinti Ashok Kumar delivered their best. Kadheer Babu was the moderator. The event took place on the 9th day. The flute concert done by Pravin Godkhindi was the one that compelled me to attend the confluence of the entire happening. 

He is an outstanding flautist, in my view, a stalwart next to Pandit Hariprasad Chourasia. The main auditorium swerved with music lovers, and their rapt attention awed me. Pravin's association with saxophonist Kadiri Gopala Krishnan was legendary. Listen to their Jagadoddhaarana Jugalbandi. The experience was truly extraordinary. Well, music intervals resumed their own course to spell out to the audience.

 The other session covered "in case literateurs write for movies." Chaitanya Pingali opened up on how film bigwigs jeopardize a writer's view and give little preference even to a valid thought. Peddinti Ashok Kumar cited some anecdotes about how the film world treats people around it. 

On the same day, "Travel writing in Telugu today" was another interesting interaction with Dasari Amarendra. He was an authority on the subject, as he was an untiring traveler. He elucidated the differences between a tourist and a traveler engagingly. Swarna Kilari made it an enthralling talk with her meaningful questions. 

Also attended Madhurantakam Narendra's Mukhamukhi session. It's a great time being there; listening to his insightful answers is always a pleasant experience. Apart from all these, I used to switch to other places to see how they were doing. 

Altogether, it's an exciting moment to meet some people who are known to be only on Facebook. Of course, I met some literary personalities and a set of raconteurs par excellence. In fact, I usually don't like to socialize with the authors whom I liked most. And I have my reasons. Well, there were lots of books in different languages in the auditorium.

 It was an exhilarating experience for those who love reading. You could see people bustling all around who have fame with their passion for writing. BookBrahma Literature Festival-2025 brought lovers of literature together, and it led to a feeling of immense joy.

A Narrative in Transition

 The average Indian psyche is unique and sometimes difficult to predict. When viewed from the perspective of other nations, it becomes even more confusing and indecisive, ultimately falling into a certain chaotic condition. For example, all of a sudden, on seeing the other, some people spit to the side without any solid reason. 

Sometimes, people make loud sounds, and at different times, they perform the same action in slow motion. Is it a way of expressing a derogatory attitude towards others, or is it a sign of inferiority? Regardless of the reason, this behavior confuses others and evokes a mix of emotions. 

Proper etiquette in social relations seems obsolete, be it in cinema halls, petrol bunks, or any entity that requires a queue; they are least bothered about it and make the whole spectacle the worst possible. Everyone understands the benefits of creating a queue, yet they perceive it as a strategy for winning a war. Moreover, they possess knowledge and understanding of the necessary actions. 

When they worked abroad, they were careful in public. What makes people so rude when they reach their hometown? It's baffling all over. Currently, our professionals are moving to many developed countries, and they have a greater responsibility to teach the best practices to our community.

 Once, the youth, be it out of respect or fear, heeded the words of elders. Currently, the influence of movies that mock teachers and ridicule time-tested traditions has led to hooliganism and a belief among youth that they live in a different world. These half-baked junks knew nothing about either the West or the East. And they became a weird breed. 

Being freed from corporal punishment in school led to increased indiscipline, which is reflected in all walks of life. Even in the USA, corporal punishment is still legal in 19 states, and there, people have split opinions.

Reading habit

Is book reading declining in India, especially among young people?  This quizzical thought is quite too common for any ardent book lover. Over the last few years, with the advent of digital distractions, it's a rare sight to see a teenager engrossed in reading. Once upon a time, parks or bus stands, or railway stations were resplendent with people who adapted their leisure time for reading. 

And those places would draw readers to buy the various magazines at the outlets specifically opened for bibliophiles. Now, the mags or periodicals or novels seem to lose their sheen. Coming to the Telugu scenario, many good weeklies like Andhra Prabha and Andhra Patrika have gone out of print. Literary mags like Bharathi and Rachana are nowhere to be seen.

Surprisingly, the 2009 national youth readership survey revealed that 80 million youths have been buying books in our country. But the sales of vernacular books seem to be getting slower compared to English books. With the protege of the convent-educated lot, almost in every state, English fiction and non-fiction books are gaining a strong hold.

 It's an inevitable phenomenon. Amith Tripathi, Chetan Bhagat, and other new-age writers have made a niche for themselves. Veterans like Sudha Murthy, and Ruskin Bond have become favorites for our children. The present youth are not able to say anything about our vernacular writers, even those who have won Academy Awards. 

Recently, I got this experience when I tried to elicit a few words from a college goer about the "myraavana" Telugu novel, which has won an Academy Award. It's heartening not to know the best literature happening in our language. Who is to blame? The habit of reading other than textbooks should be created right from school age.

 Bringing good books into English is necessary. E-books can not be complementary in terms of printed books. Excessive reading of e-books on smartphones damages eyesight and brain function. Even Elon Musk and Steven Spielberg prefer printed books to read compared to e-books.  

KUBERA Movie

 KUBERA,  a much-talked-about movie, and opinions are heard in a split way on social media. Amidst all these, I moved to test the waters. Have seen it in a theater on a spur to speak my mind on it despite seeing it through the glasses of others. Sekhar Kommula was known for his fine flicks like Anand, Godavari, Happy Days, and so on. 

 His pictures have had scintillating songs, neat photography, interesting storyline. Veturi lyrics displayed a rare exuberance in his movies. It's how he captured the audience who has an aesthetic bend. But what makes it different this time? Before all else, I doubted that it was really created by Sekhar Kammula or someone else.

First of all, the movie is based on an illogical and utopian storyline. To make an empire of shell companies to loot the oil-rich area of the Bay of Bengal, a skilful chartered accountant or personnel from the ED department is competent enough to do the things, and the history of the country has glaring examples in this aspect. 

But in the picture, the CBI guy was selected by the multi-billionaire father and son duo. They are the kingpins in all the greed-driven plots. Four beggars have been chosen to establish shell companies in their names, and they were started to be killed after the paperwork was done.

That was the basic story, but Dhanush, one of the beggars, was sniffing the smell of foul game, had escaped from the evil brains, and the manhunt started for him. The movie was all about nabbing Dhanush as he was being operated on a big deal. 

His get-up and acting as a beggar were quite natural. Mumbai could have been shown much better since it was the place where the story was set. Heroin Rasmika never failed to frustrate the audience with her soulless, dry dialogues. Every sequence goes on without any suspense or thrills, or heart-tingling.  

A very common movie in all aspects. A good chunk of research about how shell companies,binamis, and hand-in-glove relationships with politicians would have made a lot of difference. No songs were catchy, and the music was average. Nagarjuna did his job well. 

However, an obvious hit is long overdue. Some YouTubers gave much hype about the movie, but in reality, it tested our patience with such a long time of screen show.   

----- Murthy

A Unique Classroom

 

Tiled roofs and sloping-type buildings have almost become a past narrative in our temple town. Curiously, with the influence of the British administration, some remnants of constructions that belonged to such an era stood as indelible signatures.  

 A meeting hall cum classroom in the Govt. junior college is one among them. It served many decades and hundreds of pupils could have been imparted education under this roof. Everyone should have sensed the uniqueness of the classroom with its rectangular shape along with a gabled roof and the space outside on its four sides.

 The design is suitable for the monsoon season to protect against drizzling. The tiled roof is a perfect match defying heat in the summer. Expansive Iron jolly for both side walls would permit ample light and air. Altogether, an ideal and comfortable classroom where everyone would feel stress-free. 

Now it has stopped its journey as many other age-old buildings came to their peril. Yet, it never ceases to inspire people who have a real heart for aesthetic pleasure along with a sense of utility. Each construction has its purpose. 

And it should be fulfilled the cause. Be it an educational institute, government office, or residential entity, for every different purpose, the construction should be done according to its needs without sacrificing environmental and hygienic balance. 

Concrete slabs using iron beams are no longer the answer for every kind of living. Copying every structure from other countries is not suitable for our climatic conditions. We should not forget the best-kept practices of the past. And at the same time, it shouldn't stop broadening our artistic palette.  

Sine qua non

Bhadrachalam Karakatta

 Monsoon seems to be almost arrived. This year, with the onset of rains and gusty winds, mercury levels are getting subsided. It's a bit earlier compared to the bygone years. Our temple town, usually synonymous with sizzling heat, turned out to be modest in temperature. 

Well, plants and trees wear green masks and take our minds off the humdrum of life. With effective initiatives taken by voluntary organizations and state government,  different saplings used to be planted every year as soon as the monsoon hit the town.

 Either side of public roads along with educational institutions and other places will be decked up to have planted with the likes of neem, peepal, tamarind, and so on. These are supposed to be grown well to provide immense shade and increase oxygen levels.

Here, the real surgical strike remains lurking around the corner. As soon as the plant bursts bigger, some people would arrive from nowhere to start their mission impossible to cut the branches with axes. Leaves and twigs will be seen on the ground in heaps to upload into a tractor. 

Who are they? Some are shop owners who want their boards blocked free of grown-up trees and others from electricity people with the pretext of protecting ongoing current wires over the branches of trees. The same exercise has been performed almost every year.

 It shows clearly the damn dimwit nature of the average Indian. There must have been clear-cut planning before the plantation and a tree should not be axed down at the wish of every Tom and dick.

If it is so with plantation without foresight, what's the meaning of the entire idea of go-green? It should not be a hollow exercise every year. By exploring new avenues to protect every planted sapling, the green dream would come alive.

 Most of our educated people also think that development means sky-rising concrete buildings with less green cover. But in reality, superpowers like the USA, Russian Federation, Canada, China, and others have more than half of the world's forests. 

And one more example, if we see London from above, fifty percent of the space is covered with greenery.  

----- Murthy Kvvs

Z For Zamindari System

Lord Cornwallis introduced Zamindari system

There are some villages in Dummugudem mandal and they all have prefix letter Z in their names. For instance Z. Veerabhadra puram. I came to know that all those villages were under the Zamindar before independence. It's a strange phenomenon I have never seen in other districts, though they were also under Zamindars. Of course, that could be the choice of local people. In our college times, I had certain friends who would always boast of their large tracts of land. In those days, I was so naive and ignorant of the importance of having a great amount of land.

As I am old enough with years passing, came to understand that most of their forefathers were Zamindars and in that way, their entry into politics and business happened instead of securing a government job soon after their education. And protection of their assets is guaranteed in that way. Interestingly, most of the Zamindars in Telugu states were from Shudra castes like Kamma, Reddy, and Velama and they are still dominant in present-day politics apart from other fields.

Unlike Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, Zamindari families from Brahmins and Rajputs (Kshatriya) were rare in Telugu states. That's a unique point. The Zamindari system brought many changes in our socio-economic conditions.

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Y For Yellaa Venkateswara Rao

 Yella Venkateswara Rao is a great musician and percussionist. Whenever one hears the name Yellaa, one should think of the Mridangam instrument.

With his exponential experiments, he brought special recognition to Mridangam. Also, solo recitals started all over soon after his initiative toward Mridangam. 

Yella associated great legends like M.S. Subbu Lakshmi, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Mangalampalli, Hariprasad Chourasia, KJ Yesudas Bhimsen Joshi so on. At the same time, he strived to keep the Mridangam as a solo instrument.

He played 9 Mridangams for 36 hours continuously. And recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records. It has been named as Nava Mridangam. Yellaa performed performances in India and abroad extensively. 

Also, he tried music therapy for ill-health people. Many film directors have also taken his services. His name is synonymous with Mridangam in Telugu states and of course beyond it.

Now he is in his eighties, so taking a rest in Hyderabad. Yellaa performed many times at the temple of Bhadrachalam. 

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X For Xerox shop

 

When individuals required multiple copies of the original, there were only Xerox stores to cater to their needs. Additionally, they wouldn't sell anything else or provide any other services.

 These days are different. In addition to a desktop computer and printer, spiral binding is available in every Xerox store. They gave me a sincere response when I questioned them about it. 

 They believe that adding other services like online, printing, and spiral binding is marginally better than operating just the Xerox service, which is not profitable given the rise in electricity costs.

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W For Waterfalls

 

This Waterfalls is getting momentum to attract people. And it's name is Muthyala dhara located at Veerabhadra puram of Venkatapuram mandal, Telangana state. This is not accessible for everyone and somewhat arduous journey needed. One has to walk 10 km in the deep forest to reach there. In fact, the waterfalls can be visible from the bus when you go to Venkatapuram of Mulugu district. Only some young people are visiting but no facilities are available at the steep falling water. The roaring sound of the water can be heard from the distance.  

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V For Veeraswamayya Enugula

 Veeraswamayya Enugula or Enugula Veeraswamy was the first travel writer in Telugu. Perhaps in the history of Indian travelogues, he could have been the earliest one who brought out a book on his travel. He started his travel in May 1830 from Chennai and reached Varanasi in September 1831. There were no buses, cars, or any vehicles. He used horses and palanquins. With establishing tents for resting whenever they got tired amidst the journey, Veeraswamayya launched his adventurous journey with his friends and relatives. He paid all expenses for them. 

It was a pilgrimage basically but he described all contemporary social, economic, and political things that come across throughout his sojourn. He embarked on an upward journey through Tirupathi, Srisailam, Hyderabad, Nirmal, Nagpur, Jabalpur, and Prayaga and a downward journey through Patna, Calcutta, Berhampur, Chatrapur, Srikakulam, Rajahmundry and Nellore. All journey culminated in approximately four thousand kilometers. We could know how lives went on in different provinces and petty kingdoms or princely states. In brief, the British India stood in front of our eyes.

Veeraswamayya wrote two letters every day to his friend Komaleswarapuram Srinivasa Pillai. He described every interesting bit about different kinds of places and people. We should know one thing Veeraswamayya was fluent in Telugu, Tamil, and English. Worked as a head interpreter in the Supreme Court of Chennai. And he obtained needed recommendation letters from British Judges. So his journey went on with fewer obstacles. However, he excelled in some problems with meticulous planning and of course with armed people. Now, that old type edition turned into easy modern Telugu by the effort of  Dr. Machavarapu Adinarayana. 

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U For Unique e-paper

 There are numerous e-papers we have been seeing on different topics. With the advent of advanced technology , launching an e-paper is not a big task but push it to maximum without stopping is something really unique in nature.

 We have started an e-paper named Bhadradri Incredible and successfully we have brought out 16 numbers continuously. It takes up book revwies, travel stories and articles related to literature and social issues. If anyone wish to send your articles (300 word limit), rush to godavari333ATgmail.com

 

First page is given above

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T For Tribal Museum

 Here I am sharing two pics of Tribal museum established at Bhadrachalam. It showcases the utensils, arms, indigenous tools and everything belonged to the life of Tribal people like Koya, Konda Reddy and Nayak podu and these are pre-dominant tribal communities in the division. ITDA and Dist. Collector took initiative to establish the museum and there are eateries to provide delicacies of local tribal people. Amusement park for children has also established.

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S For Squirrel

 

Can we pet a squirrel in our country? I don't know much about it but some friends said it's not legal to do so as the squirrel is the wild animal. I used to see at least one squirrel when I went to our local park. They looked timid, yet, they observed humans keenly. Sometimes, I remain still or motionless whenever they are lingering near me. They tried to come nearer and nearer, perhaps, on the perception of safe vibrations. If we keep moving around, the tiny animal would run away and it never stops observing from a safe distance.

The shining little black eyes have a strange beauty like baby's and the swift movement leaves us helpless when we ever try to near them. Perhaps they love shade compared to sunshine. Strips on its back remind us of a tale from the Ramayanam. Squirrel was said to have helped in the mission of Rama Sethu, of course, in its capacity. It was a touching part of the classic and showcased saint-poet Valmiki's great imagination about the little animals doing their bit.  

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R For Review

 

How I Write, is a book carried with the experiences of writers, journalists, and poets. It unraveled many secrets which are very useful for budding writers. Almost 20 people were interviewed to elicit their candid opinions and how the agent system in the western part of the world keeps playing to get printed any book. The same work here was done by the editor. Everyone accepted that how the first draft to be evolved through various phases. Their starting troubles would open doors for struggling writers to hone their skills in different aspects.

Pankaj Mishra explained how his distraction-free environment led him to write. How he transitioned later with the places he moved can be an interesting read. Mayukh Sen, a Bengali immigrant food writer recalled how he got passionate about Merle Oberon's book. Manjushree Thapa, of Nepalese origin, talked about her years of struggling as a writer. How her foreign upbringing created chaotic conditions in selecting themes with authenticity. Many other voices were having a heartfelt conversation about the creative community. The book was edited by Sonia Faleiro and brought out from South Asia Speaks. Price: 699/-, available on Amazon platform.  

----- Murthy Kvvs

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Q For Quotations

 In our daily lives, we come across numerous quotations. However, we do not recall everything. Yet, some will get touched our hearts. They will remain unforgettable all through our lives. They give occasional comfort. Occasionally boosts morale. Quotes are taken from different works and presented to readers promptly. Posting good quotes on your WhatsApp profile tends to receive positive feedback.

When the writer expresses himself sincerely in refined language, it becomes artful. It provides entertainment to others as well. The power lies within it. Quotes from philosophers, religious texts, and the works of great authors are just a few examples of meaningful sayings.

Here is one quotation from Ernest Hemingway that I like.

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