First of its kind in Telugu literature

We are born with caste and religion. We don't have a choice but they should be as much as they should be in human life. If we always remember the truth that there was once a system without any religion or caste for humans on this earth, we will understand to what extent we should care about religion and caste in life. This is a side. Also, there was a system where people got together and prospered even though there were many religions. That too should always be remembered. This is another side.

At present, there is no time to teach and explain these historical truths to children in schools. Narrowness prevails on all sides. He does not try to understand his own religion in a proper sense, beyond the word of God. Why do you try to understand other religions?

But writers who constantly think to develop humanitarian perspective and increase harmony in the society continue to make that effort through their works. It was in such an attempt that the novel "Vendi Megham" (Silver Cloud) came out from Salim's pen. As the caste system increased, the laborers in some occupations were looked down by the society. Because of this sort of ill-treatment, some people converted to other religions for self-respect.

Salim's Vendi Megham is a novel depicting the lives of the Dudekulas who converted to Islam. I did not know that the Dudekula community people are ironically called Laddhas and Adha Muslims. The novel Vendi Megham depicts the anguish of some people who studied in Dudekula community to call themselves Noor Bashis, and the novel unfolds all the agonies they are going through.

Being themselves Hindu for generations, of course, for self-respect and self-esteem, they accepted Islam, and with the same reason they cannot completely give up some Hindu traditions and live their lives in a wonderful combination of both. When I was a child, Saibulu used to sit in front of the door of the house and sing Tatwas while they were engaging in their work with cotton for mattresses. Why they were singing Tatwas though they were belonging to other fold, I was pondering and clueless then.

Later it came to be known that the Dudekulas were once Hindus. After reading this novel, I came to know that they are Noor Bhashis. I also understand that how they are struggling for their existence and dignity and which made me more clear after reading this novel. Learned about their way of life too.

Salim's Vendi Megham is the first novel in Telugu literature that comprehensively portrays the ways of life of Muslims and the social life of Dudekula community who struggle with poverty. There is a great need for reading such novels and writing more such novels in today's conditions of increasing hatred all over.

--- Rushinarada Subrahmanya Venkateswaran (Original Review in Telugu)

( Ex Branch Manager in The Supreme Court of India)

--- English Translation rendered by Murthy Kvvs

For Copies : Vendi Megham (Silver Cloud) : A Telugu Novel by : Salim, (Available at Sri Vijayalakshmi Publications, Eluru Road, Vijayawada-2 :

Also available at Navodaya Book House, Kachiguda, Hyderabad) Price Rs. 200/-

#vendimegham#novel#review

A Timeless Nostalgia of Music Maestros : Endaro Mahanubhavulu (English) By Tanikella Bharani

  Tanikella Bharani is known for his multi-dimensional genius. He is a theater artist, playwright, film actor, director, poet, singer and many other talents blessed with. He came out this time with a book chronicling the lives of 50 music maestros. Mostly they hailed from Telugus and of course some exponents like Bhimsen Joshi and Swathi Tirunal from other states. All they were either vocalists or instrumentalists enriched the space of both Carnatic and Hindustani traditional music. These were written for a magazine named HASAM in a series and collected into a book in 2005 as "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" in Telugu. It has been received greatly by the readers and has six prints as of 2013. 

Given its success in the vernacular version, Anivikshiki Publishers Pvt. Ltd brought it out into the English language to spread the fragrance of this book among a wider range of readers. It deserves such effort a thousand times. Because the book portrayed the creative mettle and immense contribution of musicians of yore and they are not alive to speak about them. Here writer Bharani has taken up the responsibility of elaborating the lives of such music maestros. Their practice, rendition styles, awards and rewards attained, anecdotes related to their lives and more interesting things were written in this book.

One must read it to know our heritage in music and how tough they get trained and dedicatedly disseminate their art before dignitaries and lovers of music. Tumarada Sangameswara Sastry (1874-1932) the great Veena player, how enthralled Rabindranath Tagore with his mesmerizing unique rendition makes us awestruck. He was invited to Santhiniketan to teach for some time. Sastry plays in concerts only after he rehearsed a keertana a thousand times at home. Can we imagine such precision and perfection at present? This is only one example I cited here and you can read the marvels of many musicians in the book.

Tanikella Bharani's style of writing is captivating and in bringing emotions from the lives of musicians, he showed his prowess as an all-rounder and nobody can imitate such quality from him. Translator Satya Bhavana did a stupendous job. The English version is in no way inferior compared to the original Telugu and I have an opportunity to go through both of them happily. Perhaps all the deceased souls of the music could have chosen the writer to speak on behalf of them, that's what I felt once I completed with the book.

----- Murthy KVVS

(Pages : 259 + 11,   Price : Rs. 250/-  For copies :  All leading book shops & Amazon)

The Grande Matriarch of Malabar : A Novel by Sajita Nair

 I recently read a book called "The Grande Matriarch of Malabar". This is a novel written by the author Sajita Nair on the Tharavad system which was once prevalent in the state of Kerala. We know very well that matriarchy once flourished in that region. And let's see what this writer from the state of Kerala has written.

This Tharvad culture prevailed among the Nair caste, who were of a feudal community .  Tharavad consists  joint family with a big house, gardens around it, an estate of many acres...the family is headed by a woman. All that house and assets are in her name. They may then be passed on to her daughter or daughter of daughter. Even the husband not needed to give his surname. He does not have any authority over the property. 

I read this novel to know how the relationships are in tharavad type of families . The author Sajita Nair also came from the same category, so I became interested. The total pages around 238 pages. The way of writing is interesting. This is the story of Tharavad of Kalydath family. The head of that Tharavad family was Dakshayani Amma. A Big traditional house, acres of lands and other assets were there. The whole story mostly takes place before the 70s and then slowly comes to the present.

  Rohini is the grand daughter of Dakshayani Amma. She came from America  to sell her ancestral house in Tharvad and encash the property. Most of her family members are already dead. No matter how many times she tries to sell, the buyers back down. People around say that the house has been haunted with the spirit of Dakshayani Amma, which does not allow outsiders to buy the house.

But Rohini does not believe them. Yet she has some experiences when she slept there. Prema , another old woman around, narrates about Amma's life. As part of that explanation, the whole story unfolds. How she lived in those days, how she supported the family with the help of her brother, how she took care of the children, the difficulties of marrying a deaf and dumb daughter, how her son Achutan sacrificed his life all these unfolded in a beautiful way.

The book is available with Amazon.

--- Murthy kvvs

#Review#Novel#Kerala#backdrop 

Explorations into Hindu Spiritual Practices

  A Rare spiritual book with writer's own experiences here for all the seekers who have been getting doubts while being pursued in the path of Sadhana. No two persons are the same in this line but Samskaras of previous birth used to play a great role, yet , an experienced Sadhaka is a torch bearer in many aspects. Physical parameters can not work here and it's a different ball game and it starts where all games have ended. Rajarshi Ranjan Nandy is an Upasaka, speaker, and columnist, who also guides interested people in the practice of Sadhana.

The book "adhyatmikta" is all about Tantra upasana and description of different Devatas. It gives answers to many questions involving dharmic spiritual practices. Rajarshi Nandy is already renowned with his speeches in different social  media outlets. He is a good orator and well experienced in Sadhana. Every spiritual seeker especially who watch youtube in these days knew him quite well. Judicious mix of his experiences made this book interesting because practical sadhana is key rather than empty words.

It's sub heading goes like "Explorations into Hindu spiritual practices". Rightly said, many things elaborated with the genuine utterances of masters like Sri Rama Krishna and Aurabindo. Concepts like Purusha and Prakriti, Anugraha, Rituals, Asuric sadhana are told in his own way of understanding gotten through his sadhana. Different Devatas like Tara, Bhairava, Ganesh, Shiva, Hanuman and others are also discussed in the second part of the book. His (Writer) experience in the pandal of Durga puja made readers awestruck before entering the sadhana. That happening in his life opened new doors. A book for all the people who are in the Sadhana and enthusiastic about spiritual traditions.

( Pages : 186, Price : Rs.495/- Available places : Flipkart and Amazon etc.)     

--- Murthy

A Moving Story Collection

 It makes me intrigued to write a few words about a collection of stories "Badi Buvva", all these ten magnificent short stories would no doubt tickle every moving heart. It's all about innocence and intelligence of school children, of course ,with enduring their life difficulties would take us by storm. By age, they were children but by attitude they were no less than any skillful and innovative persons. And one more thing, they were not the sort of corporate blue eyed school kids but all they hailed from very modest backgrounds with enough of woes at their homes. In addition to it, all they were studying zilla parishat high school.

Author of this collection is Garipelli Ashok and he is a prolific writer with a special love towards the world of children. His keen observation into the psyche of the child is evident all along the stories. It's not possible without having a great empathy towards the children. How a girl student Padma turned multi tasker in every needed situation made us rethink about the capacity of today's children. Not only that, she was very kind and considerate about the old people and she was ready to sacrifice her quota of midday meals for them. All this described in the first story.

Do you want to know how things were being done in the government school..? And the management skills with not losing humanity and the children par excellent comparing to any corporate school ? ... then one should read this book without fail. Writer Garpelli Ashok is renowned for the activities towards the children and he made them write stories to have evolved into books. He penned many books and all of them encompass the glory of children's kingdom.

(For copies, contact  the writer and his mobile no : 98496 49101,  Pages : 68, Price : Rs.80/-)

--- Murthy