Temples of South India

Temples of South India A temple is essentially a building devoted and dedicated to the worship of a god or a pantheon of gods. “I am a believer of all religions. I will happily visit a temple, a mosque and a church. I do not differentiate between religions,” says the iconic trouper, Rishi Kapoor. Nevertheless, temples in South India stand out as wondrous architectural expressions of religion, learning and spirituality that globetrotters and the devout throng in humungous numbers to explore their sheer majesty, gargantuan size and the wisdom imparted. The incantation of ancient Vedic mantras in the agama style of rendition suffuses the mind with efficacious thoughts. These chanting wade through the swathes of the human mind where antipathetic and Sisyphean thoughts get purged and humans are filled with radiance and jollity. A mind that is stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions; thus, it is with the peregrination to a temple or any place of worship. Tourists from across the globe display immense interest in exploring the intricately carved and aesthetically designed temples of South India. These temples form an integral part of the rich cultural heritage of the region. Temples in Kerala It is noteworthy to mention that the testimony to the variegated legacy left behind by the kings of era bygone is graphically captured in the temples of Kerala. The construction of these temples has been singularly influenced by the tropical climate of the region. The temples of the state are characterized by steep and pointed roofs which are enveloped with copper sheets. The popular and most famous of temples in Kerala, the Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the Mannaarshala near Thiruvananthapuram, the grandiose Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayur and the Vadakkunnathar Temple at Thrissur, are architectural gems. Millions of followers and tourists seeking redemption pay obeisance at these places of worship. Others marvel at the massive scale on which these temples were conceived and the science behind their construction. Temples in Karnataka Standing the test of time, the temples of Karnataka are exalted and acclaimed for their sheer architectural beauty. The rock -cut temples and temples constructed in Dravidian style are the pre-eminent attractions. These impressive shrines were built by the Chalukya dynasty. The temples built by the Hoysalas are characterized by the usage of a star shaped platform as the base of the temple. The monolithic pillars and sculptural motifs of these fabled temples distinguish them from other temples in South India. Some of the august and remarkable temples in Karnataka are the following: • The Chennakesava Temple situated at Hassan • The Virupaksha and Hemakuta Temples of Hampi • The Cave and Jain Temple embellished at Badami • The ISKCON Temple located at Bangalore (this last one is of course a very recent addition to the landscape of Karnataka) Temples in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is an abode of the most alluring and prepossessing temples of India. The glorious historical records of the era bygone indicate that the temples of the state were built by the potentates of Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Nayak and Vijaynagara dynasties. Carved out of rocks; these temples exhibit various architectural designs. Some are characterized by gigantic and mammoth halls and massive gopurams. A gopuram is the rising tower at the entrance of a temple which is embellished with intricate carvings and painted with a variety of mythological themes. The must-see list temples in Tamil Nadu includes several preeminent ones. The Meenakshi Temple was constructed in the honour of Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati and is situated in Madurai; the history of the temple dates back to the 18th century. The 12 stunning, towering gopurams of the temple are absolutely majestic and draw the attention of pilgrims and sightseers alike. The Rameswaram Temple is noteworthy for the longest corridor in the country and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Other captivating temples are the Kapileshwar Temple, the Shore Temple, the Sarangapani Temple, Sri Adhikesava Perumal Temple, the Brihadeshwara Temple and the Kanyakumari Amman Temple which attract pilgrims, architects and trippers in large numbers. Temples in Pondicherry The Union Territory of Pondicherry is home to around 350 temples which have been built in an impressive manner. The Varadaraja Temple and Villenour’s Thyirukameswarar Temple were constructed in the 12th century and to date, hold their own with their old-world charm. The Tiruvandar Siva temple, the Bahur temple and the Manakula Vinayakar temple are the other attractive temples where the faithful throng to seek divine benediction. Temples of Andhra Pradesh The state of Andhra Pradesh is dramatic in the assortment of historical monuments, architectural beauty, natural attractions and several holy temples that it houses. Among the exemplar temples of Andhra Pradesh are the Tirumala Temple at Tirupati, the Diguva Mangalagiri Temple and the temple at Srisailam, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Temples of Telangana Geographically, Telangana lies in the Deccan plateau. It has several places of tourist attraction, several heritage sites, historical monuments and ancient temples. The celebrated temples in Telangana region include the Yadagirigutta Temple, the Bhadrachalam Temple, the Birla Mandir at Hyderabad, the Thousand Pillar Temple, the Bhadrakali Temple and the Meenakshi Agasteeshwara Swami Temple. It is said that there are around three thousand temples in South India and it is worth every penny to visit these places of worship. “We know about the remarkable tale of how a foreign prince was invited to rule over a kingdom in southern India because Nandi Varman II himself tells us the story in inscriptions and bas-relief panels on the walls of the Vaikuntha Perumal temple in Kanchipuram.” Sanjeev Sanyal (The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History)

The Art of Letting-go: Relish Life to the Fullest

The Art of Letting-go: Relish Life to the Fullest There once lived a cerebral physicist who taught at an estimable university. He had unravelled several mysteries and riddles pertaining to the origins of universe through sedulous and almost pertinacious investigation and exploration. The professor was decorated with awards and worldwide recognition followed. As he became a celebratory figure, he soon developed a swollen head. His affectation was to become his hubris. Once the sovereign of his field, he lost his equilibrium and was charged with salacious behaviour towards students and some colleagues. As his public image became tarnished and could no longer be ignored, troubles came shooting at the professor like meteors from the skies. Troubles come in threes The government and administration stripped him off all the awards bestowed, and his prepossessing wife deserted him. The esteemed professor was unable to grapple with these misadventures in life. Quite ironically the physicist who had been on the verge of decoding the mysteries of the universe was soon enveloped by tenebrosity. At his tethers end, his edifice of wisdom collapsed, he began dabbling with drugs and alcohol. He became addicted to alcohol and drug abuse and dependence, which had a pernicious impact on his body and interpersonal relationships. Sakhya Muni, Lord Buddha had said, “Be strong, but not rude. Be kind, but not weak. Be humble not shy, be proud but not arrogant.” These aureate words were apparently lost on the once-upon-a-time dynamo mind of the physicist. Baby steps to recovery Some well-wishers from his fraternity commiserated with him and were filled with compassion for their once effulgent colleague. The physicist was wheeled into a rehabilitation centre and under a detoxification regimen was slowly weaned off alcohol and drugs. As alternative therapies, the professor underwent meditation and yoga sessions. He also underwent the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living and learnt the unique rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya which provided the ballast for his recovery. The course helped him to eschew dependency on alcohol and drugs. Over a period of time the physicist regained sobriety. Second Innings: Seeking spiritual solace The once extolled and accomplished professor who was condemned by society for his avarice, pomposity and hedonistic lifestyle slowly regained equilibrium, equipoise and equanimity through the twin approaches of medication and meditation. Upon recovery he rediscovered his mojo and attempted to regain his lost sovereignty by unearthing the quintessential truth of the origin of universe. The process of letting go begins “Indeed, the sage who’s fully quenched rests at ease in every way, no sense, desires, adheres to him whose fires have evolved, deprived of fuel. All attachments have been severed, the hearts been led away from pain, tranquil, he rests with utmost ease. The mind has found its way to peace,” said the Sakhya Muni, Lord Buddha. The professor though sober now and purged of his hedonistic tendencies was still feeling saturated from within. His soul was yet to feel satiated. He developed a profound interest in the spiritual dimension of life and the universe. After sustained deliberation the professor embarked upon a spiritual sojourn. There was something burning and arid in his self which made him set-off upon this quest. The spiritual peregrination took him halfway around the world till he arrived at a remote village, high in the Himalayas, at the feet of an accomplished master. This suzerain of the sacred texts of different religions had gained remarkable adroitness and virtuosity in Zen Buddhism. The enlightened, holy person dressed in ochre robes and exuding jollity welcomed the professor with a warm embrace. His searching and lustrous eyes scanned the professor. The physicist narrated his story. He concluded by adding that he was now trying to fathom the mysteries hidden in the womb of the universe from the spiritual and scientific points of view. “But this is what you were doing at the university and in your laboratory, is it not professor?” enquired the seer. He felt that the Zen Master could ignite the missing spark from his life and help him expatriate antipathetic thoughts from his mind so that he could upend the pyramid. He had successfully extricated himself from the whirlpool of gloom once and he could see light at the end of the tunnel. Yet there was something amiss in his life…! It was dry like the autumn leaf that drops from the branches of the tree. Time you let loose “So, what new are you attempting to unravel? Ok, let us have a cup of tea,” said the venerated soul. The professor appeared at ease as the perspicacious and sagacious soul poured the tea. Soon the cup began to overflow. Seeing this, the professor exclaimed, “Holy Sir, the cup is overflowing!” “Precisely, and I was examining your reaction,” remarked the Holy One. “Unless you just let go of your haughtiness and self-conceit the way the tea overflowed from the cup, you will never learn anything afresh. This is the secret,” stated the Zen Master in an absolutely matter of fact manner. “Drop all your desires when you approach a Master. Let go of your baggage,” he added. The Zen Master was to further add, “Buddha advocated four concepts- Observe the body (Kayana Paschana) Observe the sensations (Vedananu Paschana) Observe the flow of mind (Chittana Paschana) Observe your true nature (Dhammanu Paschana).” The professor realised that he had forayed into unchartered territories but without understanding his mind. His mind was brimful of demonic and arrogant thoughts and ossified. He was neither simple nor humble or aware. These were the keys for him to let go and be absolutely pristine and lucid.

The Gandhi Circuit Trains

The Gandhi Circuit Trains By Ravi Valluri Do we recall the iconic blockbuster film Gandhi? The movie was a biopic on the Mahatma and went on to win several Oscars. The movie was dexterously canned by the eminent film maker Sir Richard Attenborough. There is a sequence in the movie, perhaps etched forever in the alcoves of cine goers’ minds – the ejection of Gandhiji from a train in South Africa. The year was May 1893, when Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi was travelling to Pretoria with a high-priced first-class coach ticket in hand. An enraged white man objected to the presence of a dark-skinned coolie in the first-class carriage. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was recompensed for this stoutly act of defiance and was evicted from the train at Pietermaritzburg. This epoch-making incident became the bedrock of his unique version of resistance through non-violence, what came to be known as Satyagraha. Gopal Krishna Gokhale realized the inherent potential of Gandhiji and believed this short statured man had the requisite fire in his belly to liberate the country from the clutches of colonialism. He advised him to ‘discover the authentic India’ by traversing the length and breadth of the country travelling third class by train, rather than pursuing a career in the legal arena. As a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s campaign against the British, Indian Railways planned a series of consequential and unfading train journeys. A train was flagged off from Chandigarh on April 9, 2015 called the Mahatma Gandhi Circuit Train, which took tourists on board to see various places associated with the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. The train traversed through important junction points such as Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Porbander, Bhavnagar and Surat in his home state of Gujarat. These places became the bedrock of Ahimsa and Satyagraha. The 8 days and 9 nights journey attracted widespread coverage among historians, Gandhian’s and those nostalgic about India’s freedom struggle. To fuel further interest in the life and times of Gandhiji, Indian Railways authorized IRCTC to operate tourist packages from Jabalpur and Madurai along the Gandhi circuit, in 2015. The grand design of this portentous wanderlust was to mark 100 years of the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa. Sabarmati was chosen as the starting point for the Gandhi Special tourist train. The train was flagged off on 17 June, 2017 to commemorate the centenary day of the Sabarmati Ashram. The train touched many important destinations such as Wardha, Motihari, Bettiah, Gaya, Varanasi, and Allahabad. The Indian Railways is the life line of the nation and the engine of growth on nation’s march towards balanced development. Simultaneously it plays a pivotal role in promoting tourism in the country, recalling several iconic figures. Special trains have been run periodically to spread the message of Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and Saint Teresa. Any interested person can easily obtain information and keep up to date by checking out the website of the Indian Railways (www.indianrailways.gov.in) and IRCTC (www.irctc.co.in). Not only would visitors to these websites be surprised by the range of activities, interested persons could also tie up for new and fruitful ventures in the future. As noted, American author Marianne Wiggins says, “What thrills me about trains is not their size or their equipment but the fact that they are moving, that they embody a connection with unseen places.”

The Grandeur of Bundelkhand

The Grandeur of Bundelkhand By Ravi Valluri Lalitpur Power Generation Unit (LPGU) is a thermal power generation complex is situated in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh; a region steeped in history and replete with multitudinous nuggets which attracts the attention of populace both domestic and overseas. This modern structure is situated near the historical town of Jhansi and generates 1,980 megawatts of power. Lalitpur Power Generation Co. Ltd., has synchronised its Unit 3 of 660 MW capacity. Three units of this gargantuan powerhouse are vitally critical to supply ‘power’ to this arid region of the state. Come monsoon, this seemingly infecund and parched land metamorphoses into a verdant area. This mystery of nature perennially leaves one wonder struck. How is it that the vapid and baked landscape, during monsoon and winter blossoms into a viridescent landscape. Sandwiched between the super thermal power house and smaller stations on the way, is a detour to the town of Orchha. The Ram Raja Temple is a sacred place for the faithful situated in Orchha and attracts devotees in significant numbers regularly. Interestingly, this is the only temple in the subcontinent where Lord Ram is worshipped as a king. The Orchha Fort complex bearing the stamp of nagara architecture houses several ancient monuments including the fort, palaces, temple, and other prominent edifices. The majestic fort and other structures in the precincts were constructed by the Bundela Rajput sovereigns, beginning from the early 16th century by King Rudra Pratap Singh, and extended by other valorous kings who subsequently ruled. As the evening sun sinks in the ancient city of Jhansi, a coruscating and lambent glow spreads across the robust fort of Jhansi and the surrounding skyline. The sheer grandeur and majesty of the fort transports tourist’s febrile minds aeons back. They witness history through the baritone voice of Om Puri. The one-hour sound and light show conjured images of the robust and brawny Jhansi fort, its history and provided glimpses of the run up to the First War of Independence in the country. The construction of the Jhansi Fort is ascribed to the Bundela Rajput chief and ruler of the kingdom of Orchha, Veer Singh ji Deo Bundela in 1613. Though the kingdom was administered by several rulers, it is singularly associated with Raja Gangadhar Rao and his wife Maharani Lakshmi Bai. The pious Shaivite was a woman of steel and substance. The couple rather unfortunately lost their only four-month-old son named Damodar Rao. The couple adopted a child called Anand Rao who was also rechristened Damodar. However, after the death of Gangadhar Rao, Lord Dalhousie, then Governor General invoked the instrument of Doctrine of Lapse and usurped the kingdom. Soon began the movement to free Jhansi from the clutches of East India Company by Maharani Lakshmi Bai and led to her pact with Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and other chieftains spawning from parts of India. The bugle of independence was first sounded during the First War of Independence in 1857. Jhansi ki Rani succumbed to injuries while in action on 18th of June 1858. But she fired the imagination of millions of women of India who scrimmage for their rights to this day. India was free from the foreign yoke on 15th of August 1947, but not before, Netaji Bose had formed a Lakshmi Bai regiment in his celebrated Indian National Army.

The Majestic Nilgiri Mountain Railway

The Majestic Nilgiri Mountain Railway A tourist can discover the thrill of riding a wondrous toy train, which provides an aperture to panoramic vistas during the three- and half-hour journey from Mettupalayam to Ooty. The voyage offers an exotic and unparalleled train travel experience. Ooty is a paradise for travel enthusiasts desirous of basking in a tranquil place packed with myriad landmarks. Ooty, a fabled travel getaway can be reached by road or rail. However, boarding the toy train provides a singular experience as there is an abrupt romance in the air and a spring in the step. It is veritable love at first sight as a tripper travel from Ooty to Ketti, crisscrossing the celebrated Nilgiri Mountains. The train navigates tunnels, curves and bridges. Traversing a distance of 46km from Mettupalayam at the foothills to Ooty on the lofty peak, a tripper carouses breathtaking views of terraced, green, tea plantations, steep valleys and towering, swaying trees. For its sheer majesty, this enthralling expedition has been appropriately designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the only heritage train which motors at the highest elevated place in Southern India. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a railway in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, was initially operated by the Madras Railway. It is a tribute to the robust mechanical and civil engineering departments of the British rulers that the railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. This promptly connects the globetrotter to the past and the rich heritage bequeathed to us. The toy train service first commenced operations between Coonoor and Mettupalayam during 1899 (certainly seems aeons ago). This was to link the army establishment of the sovereigns based at Wellington. The railway system provided transportation and crucial supplies to the British army. The bulwarks of the conquerors over natives were the civil administrative system, railways, police and the postal system. The foreign rulers were shaken to their core on account of the challenges posed by the First War of Independence in 1857 (also called the Mutiny of 1857). However, commercial reasons weighed on the minds of the railway mandarins and this alluring and spellbinding line was extended up to Ooty in the year 1908 to cross subsidise railway operations and also to extend the empire beyond Coonoor to Ooty. The maiden passenger service was initiated on 15 October, 1908 between Ooty and Coonoor. Ooty, also known as Udhagamandalam in Tamil, is a hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is encircled by dense forest cover and a gargantuan population of swaying eucalyptus trees. The liquid extracted from the trees acts like a magic potion for a person suffering from the pestilence of cold and fever. Ooty was a largely British town in pre-independence India, far from the heat and humidity of the Madras Presidency. Alfred Tennyson referred this place as the “sweet half-English air of Neilgherry”. For Lord Lytton, Viceroy of India, Ooty had “Hertfordshire lanes, Devonshire downs, Westmoreland lakes, Scotch trout streams and Lusitanian views” which reminded him of being home in the cool climes of England. There are several attractions to witness- a spectacular mountain range, a hop at Coonoor and eventually visit Ooty while travelling by the amazing rack and pinion rail system. A few years back there was a change in traction from steam to diesel as the train traversed between Coonoor and Ooty, which led to protests by the local denizens. Tippers did not wish the snapping of the umbilical cord of the past heritage. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) is a major tourist attraction. Approximately 5 lakh people travel every year by this toy train. Tourists depart from Mettupalayam at 7.30 am and the train moves across the serpentine bends and curves. This train covers a distance of 46 km in five hours snaking through Hilligrove, Coonoor, Wellington, Aruvankadu, Ketti and Lovedale stations, eventually terminating at Udhagamandalam or Ooty. Whenever the train abruptly comes to a grinding halt, passengers pluck flowers from trees with glee. During every start on the hill slopes the engine invariably gives a jerk while gaining momentum to push the train from the rear. After travelling three or four kilometres in the hills, occasionally the train comes to a sudden halt as a lofty eucalyptus tree would have fallen on the tracks and the process of cutting and salvaging work to restore traffic would be in progress. After a brief halt of 15 to 20 minutes the journey resumes. This is quite a regular feature and adds spice to the rail journey. Vintage steam engines ply on part of the route. Coaches are small in size with multiple coupes, each with doors on either side. The average speed barely touches 10-12 km/ hr and no one seems to be in a hurry, rather luxuriating in the slumber where time appears to have frozen. Much of the journey by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway feels like travelling in British India, before the advent of the frenzied, frenetic pace. The first two stations, Lovedale and Ketti, are buried deep in the woods. Tall, thick eucalyptus trees surround the idyllic stations. The compact station houses virtually appear as log cabins. Snatches of birdsong fill the air. It isn’t merely the town names which are evocative of the British Raj. Different old semaphore signals are fixed on the route, and not the modern electric signals. Drivers hand in a bamboo hoop with a metallic tablet at every station—this “token" is a testimony to ensure the arrival of the train. Coonoor which also houses the Wellington Staff College reminds the tripper on the route that they are connected with modern day India. This is the bijou town where passengers alight, and witness the steam engine attach itself to the train. Inside the distinctive black chamber are gauges, pipes, knobs and analogue metres distinctively out of a 19th century science fiction book. Post a relaxed chugging on the plain, the train crawls into the station premises of Ooty sometime in late afternoon. The sightseer looks back at the misty silhouette of the Nilgiris in the distance which by now have carved an indelible impression on the mind. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end,” writes Ursula K. Le Guin.

The Story of the Telugu Language

The Story of the Telugu Language By Ravi Valluri “Language comes first. It’s not that language grows out of consciousness, if you haven’t got language, you can’t be conscious,” writes the fabled British author Alan Moore. One can perhaps say prior to the onset of liberalisation and Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao occupying the exalted position of Prime Minister, every one living south of the Vindhyas was a ‘Madrasi’. I reckon even today, one would only sporadically be aware that Telugu is a vowel ending language, and is among the four Dravidian languages. This language has been acclaimed as the “Latin of East” for its mellifluous quality and is the second largest spoken language in India after Hindi. Very few know that Telugu literature has produced two Jnanpith awardees. These are Viswanatha Satyanarayana, who was decorated with the award for his traditional Kavya, Ramayana Kalpavriksham in 1970 and Dr C. Narayana Reddy for creating a lengthy poem in free verse, Viswambhara in the year 1988. These are precious nuggets which ought to be cherished by the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other Telugu speaking people in the country. Telugu literature or sahityam is the body of works written in the Telugu language. It comprises of poems, novels, short stories, dramas, ghazals and puranas. The embellished and ornate corpus of Telugu literature has its roots going to the early 10th century period. The Prabandha Ratnavali written in 1918 describes graphically the existence of Jain-Telugu literature during 850 BC–1000BC. In the nascent phase, it was in inscriptions that the language took literary shape. Telugu has been appropriately accorded classical status along with Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada by the Government of India. As per myths and tradition the first Telugu author was Kannaiah, who lived at the court of Andhiraya. During the reign of that king, Sanskrit was said to have been introduced in the Telugu country and Kannaiah had apparently dealt with Telugu grammar after the methods of Sanskrit philologists. Alas his works are lost in the sands of time. Three of the earliest prominent writers of Telugu language were Nannaya, Tikkana and Errana. They had translated Veda Vyasa’s Mahabharata into Telugu. This work was commenced by Nannaya at the behest of the Chalukya king, Rajaraja Narendra. Nannaya wrote two and half parvas, thereafter Tikkana was to write from the fourth parva till the end and Errana accomplished the onerous task of translating the Aranaya portion. The troika are thus referred to as Kavitraya. Thus, the Mahabharata is the first comprehensive literary text written in Telugu way back in 1053 AD. One stumbles into the history of the language while studying the trajectory of its growth. The primary genre from the 11th century to 18th century was essentially – Itihasam, Puranam and Kavyam. Itihasam revolves around the ballads of kings and the myths of Gods and Goddesses. This literature pivots around the quintessential questions of truth and dharma. Puranams focussed on the narrative of the universal creator and his myriad forms, the stories of avatars, with an intention to inspire devotion and give rise to spiritual pursuit. Kavya is an amalgam of myth and fiction. The pleasing style, the syntax and grammar was to make it popular among the masses. Apart from the above three were the Sataka, Yakshagana and Padakavita, literary performing arts. The inspirational troika were to fire the imagination of 12th century poets like Palkuriki Somanatha and Nannechoda and the 14th century prodigious writers like Nachana and Srinatha and Pothana during the next century. It would be pertinent to mention that the contribution of the troika whetted the appetite of several woman poets to pen their thoughts; these included Tallapaka, Timmakka, Molla, Rangajamma, Muddu Palani, Ramabhadramba and Tharigonda Vengamamba. Meanwhile Hindu mainstream thoughts and practices were dominated by strands of thoughts emanating from Vaishnavism and Shaivism. These movements influenced the estimable corpus of Telugu literature. Miles away at Chitrakoot, Goswami Tulsidas, author of the venerable Ramcharitra Manas was deeply anguished about the rivalry and the resultant bloodshed between the proponents of Vaishnavism and Shaivism. So much so, he beseeched his Ishta Devata, Lord Ram to pay obeisance to Shiva (for peace to prevail). This finds mention in his text through the importance of the religious place Rameswaram. But people, I reckon are ignorant that Tikkana, one of the prominent members of the troika responded to a similar unabated rivalry by declaring his religion as Hariharadwaita (a combination of Shiva and Vishnu). How history is recorded, written and portrayed indeed shapes our thoughts and vision. It is a quirk of fate that folklore regales us with numerous Akbar- Birbal encounters; history does not provide the aperture for Krishnadevaraya – Tenali Ramakrishna repartees. This was the golden period of Telugu literature. The Ashtadiggajas (the eight great poets) in Telugu exemplified variety, creativity and diversity in the language. Krishnadevaraya, synonymous with Vijanagara Empire, was himself a scholar of immense repute. During his reign, not only did he patronise art forms but over saw the flourishing genres like Kavya, Prabandha, Purana, Yakshagana and prose genre. The prodigious works of Vemana in the 18th century ushered in satire into Telugu literature. The story of Telugu literature would be incomplete if Annamacharya’s writings (Padakavita or renditions in praise of Lord Venkateswara, Hanuman and the Narasimha Avatar), Saint Tyagaraja’s Kritis and contribution towards Kuchipudi dance and Saint Ram Dasa’s Dasarathi Satakam and Surabhi theatre are not mentioned. Life is synodic and Telugu literature went into decline for some time. It was revved up with the Bengal Renaissance, the advent of printing press and growth of English education and literature. Around this time Kandukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu emerged as a profound thinker and a colossus of Telugu literature through novels, one-act plays, essays, columns, biographies and autobiography. Alongside emerged Kanyasulkam Gurazada Apparao to write modern plays. Wordsworth, Shelley and Keats inspired the Romantic Movement in Telugu literature, where there was unalloyed focus on pristine love, dignity of women, spirituality, sentiment where lyricism was the bedrock of all writing and from the penumbra emerged writers like Rayaprolu Subbarao, Devualpally Krishna Shastry, Nayani and Nanduri Subba Rao and Gurram B Joshua. Krishna Paksham by Krishna Shastry is a monumental work of this period. The ever-evolving story of Telugu literature wound its way through the nationalist, progressive, revolutionary, feminist and Dalit movements where several writers emerged. “Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can bring tears from the hardest hearts,” writes the famous author Patrick Rothfuss.

Efficacy of Satsangs

Efficacy of Satsangs It was a desolate sight to see my nonagenarian grandmother. A deeply religious person whose life was dedicated to the almighty afflicted by Alzheimer’s, lying in an incapacitated condition in a small nursing home in Bangalore. There was just a nurse to attend to her needs. Misty-eyed, I entered the room along with two gentlemen. Grandma was quite unexpectedly injected with vital prana as she stared at us. “Moorty garu aa,” she exclaimed, much to the astonishment of the nurse and was involved in an animated conversation with him. As we left, grandmother looked forlorn and her benefactor blessed her. A somnolent 94-year-old woman abruptly awakening up upon seeing Shri VSR Moorty, obviously meant that the satsangs he rendered were exemplar. There was one rendition on the Narada Bhakti sutras at our Capri Towers house in Hyderabad which is etched in my memory bank. *********************** The year was 2014 and it was a crisp and cool morning in early November where I was posted on South Central Railway. As I was poring over files, in walked Shri VSR Moorty. Moorty garu focussed his attention on my computer screen. Pictures of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar were flipping across the monitor. He looked at Gurudev’s photograph quite intently and uttered, “Ravi, I would like to have an interaction with Guruji.” This interaction or Satsang would be recorded by Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel. My jaws fell in astonishment. Millions of devotees of Gurudev wait to have a glimpse of the Master and I had this onerous task of organising an interaction with the Master himself. But that is a challenge for any seeker and I promptly sent a mail to the Master and his secretariat seeking an appointment. He then shared, “Ravi, the sankalpa needs to be pure, rest Almighty God will take ensure that things fall in place, Sai Ram.” I was stunned that evening when, the Secretariat had fixed the appointment at a short notice. We made a peregrination to the Bangalore Ashram of the Art of Living along with the channel. For three days and three nights we were witness to something paranormal. The interaction ranged on a variety of subjects from ancient Hindu practices, various schools of Hindu philosophy to the present day. It is well-nigh impossible to decode the Divine and pen the interaction. A senior teacher of Art of Living, Shri Vinod Menon was to tell Moorty garu, “This is the closest one could unravel divinity, you are fortuitous coming so close to the Divine.” In the amphitheatre on my mind the graphic scene of BR Chopra’s Mahabharata, the television serial played out, where Lord Krishna tells Bhishma, “Arjun woh nar hai jo Narayan ke darshan karwayega.” (That is, Arjuna is the person who will reveal the resplendence of Narayana himself). So, this was satsang … What does one mean by satsang? (I quote Yogapedia to describe satsang) Satsang is a Sanskrit term derived from two roots: sat meaning “true” and sangha meaning community, company, or association. It can be translated as “associating with good people” or simply “being in the company of truth.” It refers to the act of gathering with like-minded, uplifting people, especially those on a spiritual path. Satsang is associated with the inner quality of sattva (goodness or purity), which is one of the three gunas (natural attributes) alongside rajas (passion) and tamas (inactivity). A sattvic person makes a natural satsangi, or “seeker of truth.” So let us all be Satsangi’s in quest of the quintessential truth.