The Return to Shared Wisdom and Civic Realities >>>>> 25th Friday Evening Team Gatherings (FETE) >>>> September 11, 2026: Press Club Hyderabad : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 The Return to Shared Wisdom 

and Civic Realities

25^th Friday Evening Team Gatherings (FETE)

September 11, 2026: Press Club Hyderabad

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao 

After a six-week pause, bridging Hyderabad to the US, our Friday Evening Team Gatherings (FETE) return to the Press Club to deliberate on a bizarre civic reality. When arbitrary Booth Level Officer (BLO) notices threaten the voter franchise with ridiculous, beyond-narration non-conformities, we must ask: why is citizen X seamlessly retained while citizen Y is abruptly eliminated? Beyond mere administrative error lies a deeper, systemic vulnerability. Let us step past silent observation and look into how modern bureaucratic categorization subtly mirrors the chilling social engineering of Aldous Huxley's BRAVE NEW WORLD.

The Friday Evening Team Gatherings (FETE) at the Press Club Hyderabad stand as a distinctive, informal forum where senior journalists, communication professionals, administrators, and public intellectuals meet as equals to convert lived experience into an enduring public resource. Initiated organically without formal budgets or predetermined agendas, this 'Fellowship Celebrating Continuous Civic Engagement' has matured over twenty-four documented sessions into a vibrant living archive of collective memory and institutional wisdom.

Anchored in the principles of respectful dialogue and intergenerational learning, the forum purposefully resists polarization, cultivating measured reflection and contextual understanding on critical themes spanning media evolution, public policy, and constitutional governance. It was during these continuous weekly exchanges: which recently paused for a six-week hiatus while I was away in the United States, and also due to incessant rains, that our circle turned its analytical lens toward immediate, local civic anxieties.

The disruption of our regular meetings coincided with a wave of absurd, complex notices issued by Election Commission of India (ECI) Booth Level Officers (BLOs) regarding discrepancies in the voter verification drive. This reads as: ‘You have not filled in the details related to you or your relative that could establish you or your relative as a registered elector in the electoral rolls prepared during the previous SIR’ and directing to appear before the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, on the lines of issuing Summons from a Court. And where to appear none knows!!!

The arbitrary nature of these notices, where one citizen’s name is effortlessly retained while another’s is inexplicably eliminated without logical pattern, sparked a profound debate among our members, instantly bridging our local democratic realities with the chilling, engineered stratifications of dystopian literature. This reminded me the famous book: BRAVE NEW WORLD of Aldous Huxley, that I read decades ago, which is still in my memory, stands as the first masterpiece of its kind to expose how systemic discrimination and exclusion can be flawlessly engineered using the very language of democratic consensus.   

By cloaking oppressive hierarchies in the familiar rhetoric of stability, choice, and social harmony, it reveals how modern societies can quietly vote away human equality. The core of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World rests on the absolute elimination of human chance through systemic categorization: sorting the population into Alphas, Betas, and Lower Castes straight from the Laboratory Bottle, while isolating the naturally born ‘Savage Minority’ behind electric fences. When we overlay this template onto the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) of Electoral Rolls, a reality hit home by these ridiculous and often beyond-narration BLO notices.

Paradoxically we find an eerie parallel in how bureaucratic tools foster hostile differentiation. In our Friday Circle discussions, we observed the baffling phenomenon where citizen X is arbitrarily included while citizen Y is systematically eliminated, a process ending in mere observation rather than a clear judgment. Just as Huxley’s World State uses engineered labels to lock individuals into pre-determined slots, these erratic voter drives risk creating a high-tier ‘Alpha’ class of verified, effortlessly enfranchised elites, while pushing vulnerable or arbitrarily flagged citizens into an isolated, ‘Non-Lab-Born’ periphery of the digitally disenfranchised.

The gap in our public discourse is that we often view these Special Voter Drives through a purely administrative lens of ‘Data Cleaning,’ ignoring the structural hostility and anxiety they introduce into the citizenry. If algorithmic parameters (the invisible data boundaries that sort and score humanity) or erratic clerical interventions: all disguised as democratic consensus, systematically flag certain individuals for deletion based on trivial anomalies. It mirrors the hatchery's intentional deprivation of oxygen to engineer lower castes.

As we resume our Friday Evening Team Gatherings after a six-week hiatus, the urgent learning point and caution for our like-minded journalists, administrators, and thinkers is to scrutinize how seamlessly state databases can transition from toolkits of civic organization into apparatuses of social engineering. We must remain vigilant against any systemic drift where a citizen's basic franchise is treated not as an inherent, sacred right, but as an arbitrary bureaucratic grade, threatening to split our democracy into an engineered mainstream and an isolated, disenfranchised reserve.

My recent six-week absence from these enriching weekly exchanges was marked by a deeply fulfilling journey across the Atlantic to Houston, Texas, serving as a reminder of how shared heritage connects us globally. However, hearing, while on a drive in the car radio, a discussion on voter list maintenance in Houston, that mirrored India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) highlights, a sobering political truth came to my mind: fundamentally, all modern democracies operate as functioning oligarchies that constantly police the boundaries of who belongs.

While India's Election Commission uses the physical SIR to scrub rolls, the United States engages in its own highly digitized administrative gatekeeping, actively deploying aggressive automated database matching ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. By masking systematic voter purges and interstate data culls under the neutral language of ‘Election Integrity’ these democratic oligarchies utilize algorithmic parameters to subtly lock out marginalized populations and quietly code away human equality under a false veneer of public consensus.

notwithstanding this, I shared about my honor to attend the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Houston Sahitee Lokam, a premier literary organization sustained by the vibrant enthusiasm of NRIs of Telugu origin. Following a warm luncheon meeting with the members, I participated as the Chief Guest for their monthly literary program, Nela Nela Vennela. There, I had the privilege of presenting an analytical perspective on the Ramayana, highlighting the nuances between its well-known narratives, lesser-known traditions, unknown variations, and profound philosophical core truths.

I mentioned about the formal launch of my book on Sundara Kanda a day before my preponed return trip, due to untimely demise of my brother-in-law, Paediatrician, Dr AV Manohar Rao, in Sugar Land Ashta Lakshmi Temple. The volume was graciously released by Mrs Asha Reddi, a prominent and highly respected attorney in Texas. Known as much for her legal acumen as for her profound humility and deep-rooted commitment to cultural preservation, Mrs Reddi’s elegant presentation added immense dignity to the publication.

Asha Reddi’s humble, unassuming approach to community leadership perfectly mirrors the quiet grace of genuine contribution: a quality I later found myself celebrating with friends back home at the Hyderabad Press Club. As the conversation drifted to the recent release of the Sundara Kanda, our table naturally unfolded into an evocative, multi-dimensional discussion on the Ramayana, beautifully anchored by senior journalist and regular participant Mallepally Laxmaiah.

He shared fond childhood memories of performing on the traditional village stage in Chirutala Ramayana, vividly recalling how he once inhabited vastly contrasting characters like Child Rama, the plotting Manthara, and the formidable warrior Indrajit. This recollection pushed our collective debate past individual belief systems or theology, focusing instead on the sheer brilliance of Valmiki’s structural characterizations. We deliberated on how even Manthara, despite her cunning nature, was crafted to speak articulately on Raja Dharma in her own right.

The conversation traced the complex architecture of Ravana’s crisis management, the precision of Hanuman’s tactical ‘surgical strike’ on Lanka, and the tragic irony of Indrajit’s ignorance regarding the full scope of his own Brahmastra. Ultimately, our circle arrived at a shared consensus: irrespective of judging which side is superior or inferior, the Ramayana endures as a profound epic that mirrors a fundamental, irreconcilable conflict between two distinct worldviews, institutional systems, and value frameworks as lived out by Rama and Ravana. At this stage, Mallepally Laxmaiah, consented to be the Chief Guest for my book Sundara Kanda release in India, in addition to its release in USA.

GK Murthy, N Hanumanth Rao, Aruna Attaluri, Mallepally Laxmaiah, Dr Bharat Babu, Saye Sekhar along with his friend Ravi, and myself participated. We were also delighted to welcome a first-time participant, Shiva Mohan (former Faculty of ASCI), whose insights added fresh value to our table. If this shared spirit continues, our Friday Evenings may well evolve into something much larger than anticipated: not in physical size, but in deep academic significance.

The model is simple, powerful, and ready to be sustained across generations. What began as a simple, casual ‘Thursday Evening Thought’ over conversation and a social drink has beautifully evolved into our purposeful ‘Friday Gatherings’ at the Press Club Hyderabad. This initiative is neither about nostalgia alone, nor is it about individuals seeking recognition. And, hence, Looking forward to seeing others too at our next table. Let us continue to turn lived experience into an enduring public legacy.

Meet. Reflect. Document. Continue.

A friend, relative, and an Unparalleled Physician >>>>> Dr Aitharaju Venu Manohar Rao Reaches the Blissful Abode : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (Houston Airport)

 A friend, relative, and an Unparalleled Physician

Dr Aitharaju Venu Manohar Rao 

Reaches the Blissful Abode

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (Houston Airport)

CHILDREN'S DOCTOR WITH A CHILD HEART:{{Dr. Aitharaju Venu Manohar Rao (also known as Dr. A.V. Manohar Rao) was a respected pediatrician based in Hyderabad, India. Born on 21 June 1947, he earned his MBBS from Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) in Warangal. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he served as a house surgeon at KMC attached to MGM Hospital, where senior faculty—including surgeons and obstetrician-gynecologists—held him in high regard and frequently collaborated with him on complex family cases.He later pursued higher studies and professional opportunities in the United Kingdom before returning to India. In 1975 he settled in Hyderabad and joined government service as a pediatrician, remaining in public employment until his voluntary retirement in 2002. 

After leaving government service he established a private clinic on the ground floor of Arihant Apartments in Ashok Nagar. There he built a strong reputation as one of the city’s most trusted pediatric practitioners, valued for reliability, accessibility, and genuine patient care rather than commercial success.Although trained in pediatrics, colleagues and families routinely sought his counsel on a wide range of medical issues, from routine childhood illnesses to more complex adult and family health concerns. He actively supported public-health initiatives, including pulse-polio immunization campaigns. 

Even after formal retirement he continued clinical work and informal consultations for many years, remaining available to patients and relatives until shortly before his death on 7 September 2026. Throughout a career spanning government service and private practice, Dr. Manohar Rao was remembered for his clinical skill, broad medical guidance, and personal compassion}} - Editor Metro India Synoptic Intro to this article

Exactly 41 days after my arrival in Houston, Texas, with my wife and daughter for a holiday, the saddest news of our lives reached us. We were preparing for our return journey when we learned that my beloved brother-in-law, lifelong friend, and guide, Dr Aitharaju Venu Manohar Rao, had breathed his last and reached the blissful abode of Lord Vishnu. Perhaps it was coincidence, or simply fate, that when we met Manohar just two days before our departure, he casually asked, ‘Why now to USA?’ Within moments, however, he wished us a happy journey and safe travel. Little did I know that those would be our final words together.

Until barely three weeks before his passing, he continued to extend medical advice to us, even for minor ailments, particularly to his beloved sister, Bujji. Suddenly, the familiar voice that had guided and reassured us for decades fell silent. On September 7, 2026, it became as though he had simply said, ‘Please, No More. I have a call from the Almighty.’ And Manohar was no more. We both, and daughter Bunti (Prema) immediately confirmed our return journey to Hyderabad for one last glimpse of his departed soul. Kinnera and Aditya (My daughter and son residing in Houston) too were almost in tears along with us.

Our relationship began in the late 1950s, when we were both about ten years old. I joined Rikab-Bazar High School in Mamillagudem, Khammam, and that was when Manohar and I became friends. That friendship endured for nearly seven decades and deepened immeasurably when I married his sister, Bujji (Vijayalaxmi), in April 1969. I still vividly remember our wedding. Manohar, guided by his father, virtually steered the arrangements from the bride’s side. His eldest brother was away in the UK, and Manohar, though still very young, had already assumed the role of the ‘Young Head of the Family.’ His expressions, involvement, and responsibility at every stage remain fresh in my memory.

After completing my graduation in September 1968 and marrying in April 1969, I spent about three years in my village. My desire to pursue higher studies was rekindled, influenced by several relatives on my in-laws’ side who were pursuing advanced education, and especially by Manohar. At his suggestion, I decided to seek admission to Nagpur University. During my first visit to Nagpur, Manohar, then studying MBBS at KMC, Warangal, accompanied me. His encouragement eventually helped me secure a seat there.

While I was a student in Nagpur, I received a letter from him that remains one of the most significant letters of my life. It concerned Bujji’s health and revealed a maturity and sense of responsibility far beyond his years. In December 1968, Bujji developed fatigue followed by severe pain on the left side of her abdomen. An X-ray and clinical examination suggested a kidney stone requiring immediate treatment. Further investigations, all carefully pursued under Manohar’s guidance even though he was still a medical student, indicated that her left kidney was not functioning properly.

Manohar took her to Warangal to consult the eminent surgeon, Dr KR Prasad Rao. Considering her very young age, only 15, the doctor advised removal of the ureteric stone first and recommended waiting before deciding whether the non-functioning kidney itself needed removal. Accordingly, major surgery to remove the stone was performed on March 15, 1968. But for Manohar’s intervention, this might never have happened. Eight months after our marriage, an examination at MGM Hospital, Warangal, confirmed that the kidney remained non-functional.

My wife with her brother Dr Manohar Rao

Leaving it untreated could endanger the other kidney, and nephrectomy was therefore considered necessary. The difficult question was how to inform me, because by then I was not even aware of the earlier surgery. That was when Manohar wrote me a deeply moving letter—convincing, confident, yet respectful of my right to decide. With complete faith in him, I said ‘YES.’ What impressed me most was not merely his medical judgment, but the responsibility with which he exercised it. Although barely 22 years old, he did not impose his decision on me.

He offered another consultation if I wished and assured me that he and his brother would take Bujji anywhere in the world for treatment, regardless of cost. Before the final decision, he arranged another IVP test, confirmed the need for surgery, and gently explained the situation to my parents. On January 10, 1970, Dr Prasad Rao performed the nephrectomy at MGM Hospital. The surgery was successful. More than 56 years later, by God’s grace, all is well. I have often felt that Manohar was nothing less than God in human form in that chapter of our lives. His concern for his sister continued virtually until the day before his last breath.

When Bujji became pregnant for the first time, Manohar, then working as a house surgeon at KMC attached to MGM Hospital, arranged her consultation with Dr T Padma, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He was so highly regarded by his professors that Dr Padma generously provided accommodation for Bujji and her mother in her own home. Together with Dr Prasad Rao’s advice, every aspect of her care was attentively handled.

Our daughter, Bunti (Prema), was born on July 8, 1971. Her bond with her uncle remained so deep that she was literally rendered speechless on hearing of his untimely demise. Before she and Bujji returned from Warangal, the ever-courteous Manohar invited about 25 prominent friends and relatives, including Dr Prasad Rao and his family, Dr Padma and her family, and several medical colleagues, and hosted a dinner at his home.

Manohar was also the bridge through which some of my enduring friendships began. He introduced me to BVSS Sharma, son-in-law of Customs and Central Excise Officer Anjaneyulu. My acquaintance with BK Rao also came through him. Both had known Manohar since their Warangal days in the early 1970s. After going to the UK for higher studies and employment, Manohar returned to Hyderabad in 1975, a year after I joined BHEL Higher Secondary School as Librarian.

For a few days, before he could rent a small house in nearby Chickadpally, his family stayed with us. Those days remain precious memories of our growing families and enduring friendship. Later, when my family lived in Ashok Nagar, our son Aditya faced a serious health problem with infantile eczema (atopic dermatitis), affecting his entire body and causing him considerable discomfort. Manohar was once again our pillar of support. He accompanied my wife to dermatologists and remained closely involved in his care.

On another occasion, Aditya developed severe diarrhea. When the medicine initially prescribed did not help, Manohar advised us to move first to Chary Nursing Home and later to Niloufer Children’s Hospital, where his friend Dr Suresh was working. Once again, everything turned out well, and, as always, Manohar was with us throughout.

After opening his clinic in Ashok Nagar, Manohar soon became one of Hyderabad’s leading pediatric practitioners, not in terms of wealth, but in terms of trust, service, and affection. Though a pediatrician by profession, his knowledge and willingness to help extended far beyond pediatrics. From a simple cold or cough to cardiac problems, cancer, urinary infections, and countless other concerns, people turned to him because they trusted him. His medical practice was never merely a profession. It was an expression of his concern for people.

There was another quality of Manohar that I have always admired. On his return from the UK, he once told me that in Britain one should invariably begin a conversation with ‘Please’ and end it with ‘Thank you.’ He adopted those words so completely that they became part of his personality. In doing so, without preaching, he taught all of us the quiet power of courtesy and respect. Manohar leaves behind far more than memories.

He leaves behind an example, of how to shoulder family responsibility at a young age, how to serve without expecting recognition, how to combine professional excellence with human compassion, how to remain available to those in need, and how to make courtesy a way of life. For me, he was simultaneously a childhood friend, beloved brother-in-law, trusted adviser, family physician, and one of the finest human beings I have known. Our association began when we were children and continued almost until his final breath.

The pain of losing him is immeasurable. Yet gratitude is stronger than grief when I look back at the extraordinary life he shared with all of us. Manohar, my dear friend and brother-in-law, you served your family, your patients, your friends, and humanity with distinction. Your physical presence may have ended, but your kindness, wisdom, affection, and example will remain with us forever. May your soul rest in eternal peace at the blissful abode of Lord Vishnu.

My Book Valmiki Ramayana: Sundra Kanda Launch >>>>> By Yashwin, Ansh, Medha, Kanak, and Irah >>>>> Chief Guest: Attorney Asha Reddi, Bend County, Texas (USA) : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (

 My Book Valmiki Ramayana 

Sundra Kanda Launch

By Yashwin, Ansh, Medha, Kanak, and Irah

Chief Guest: Attorney Asha Reddi 

Bend County, Texas (USA)

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (September 6, 2026)

            ‘This book, Sundara Kanda, authored by Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao, is more than a translation. It is a bridge between generations. A grandparent and a grandchild, perhaps born on opposite sides of the world, can read the same story, understand the same values, and find inspiration in the same Lord Hanuman. I look forward to reading this book with my daughters and with the author’s grandchildren. I hope that, when we read together, we will not only learn the story of Hanuman’s courage and devotion, but also carry those values into our lives,’ said Mrs Asha Reddi, Former Municipal Judge of Fort Bend County, Texas, on receiving the first copy of my book.

The occasion was the release of my book by my dearest grandchildren: Yashwin Koniki, Ansh Vanam, Medha Koniki, Kanak Vanam, and Irah Vanam, along with another beloved granddaughter Mihira Mandapaka, who, though away on a tour to Germany, was present with us in spirit. The book’s full title reflects its deep purpose: Simplified and Faithful Rendering of the Adi Kavya: Valmiki Ramayana: The Greatest Epic; A Treasure for All of Humanity: (Sundara Kanda); Devotional Effort to Bridge Languages, Generations, and Continents. Or, to put it simply: Valmiki Ramayana Sundara Kanda in English.

The attorney, who has spent much of her life dealing with the laws that govern society, noted with deep humility that despite this legal background, ‘our great epics remind us of the principles that govern our conscience and our character: Dharma, integrity, courage, compassion, duty, devotion, and service. Today, these principles transcend language, nationality, geography, and time.’ In her brief but zealous speech, delivered after the book release and following the remarks of other speakers, she began with invaluable observations on the Ramayana, Sundara Kanda, and Lord Hanuman.

Dovetailing her career as an attorney with the principles of the Ramayana, Asha Reddi said: ‘The Ramayana is much more than an ancient epic. It teaches us how to live with Dharma, courage, compassion, loyalty, sacrifice, faith, and service. And Sundara Kanda shows us Hanuman at his very best.’ She then described how Hanuman encountered vast obstacles during his search for Sita, overcoming them through intelligence, courage, sound judgment, and unwavering faith. ‘There is a lesson in that for all of us, she remarked.

Asha Reddi further noted: ‘By bringing the wisdom and beauty of the Valmiki Ramayana to an English-speaking audience, he [Jwala Narasimha Rao Vanam] is helping preserve our heritage for people like me, and especially for our children and grandchildren growing up outside India. Many in the next generation speak English far more comfortably than Telugu. Without translations such as this, some of the greatest treasures of our heritage could become inaccessible to the very generations we most want to preserve them for.’

Earlier, when my daughter Kinnera, who is settled in Houston, opened the event with her welcoming words: ‘Hello, Namaste, and welcome to each one of you here this afternoon’, the Sri Ashta Lakshmi Temple auditorium in Sugar Land, Texas, reverberated with cheers. Though intimate in size, the audience comprised well-known figures in the Telugu literary world settled across Texas, with some traveling from nearby towns to attend.

Manju and Krishna, Sai and Lalita Rachakonda, Chitten Raju, Kakani S Rao, Sonali with her aged parents, Sumana, Veena and Venkat, Maithili and Shekhar, Srujana and Anil, Sudhir Jalagam, Suguna and mani, Shilpa and Ravi, Namrata and Kishore, Namrata, Gita and Srinivas, Dr Sujata and Dr Murthy, Sitarama Ayyagari, Jaya Krishna, Usha and Ravi, Shailaja and Raju, Kamakshi, Savitha and Madhu, Vamshi, Menaka and Rammohan, Sharat, Sushma, and Pavan participated.

The Chief Guest, Mrs. Asha Reddi, has been a resident of Fort Bend County for nearly three decades (much like my daughter Kinnera, who has lived in the same county for nearly twenty years). She is highly respected across the United States for her 34 years of legal experience and 8 years of judicial experience, having built a career rooted in integrity, fairness, and public service that very few are blessed with. To illustrate her immense simplicity: driving herself to the venue, she stepped out of the car carrying a lightweight, portable lectern (reading stand) that she had brought from home.

When I introduced myself, my son, and the others, the first thing she mentioned was her long-standing desire to read a book on Sundara Kanda in English. She possesses immense faith in Lord Hanuman, and beautifully suggested that, perhaps to fulfill her wish, I had written this book with her specifically in mind! Speaking fluently in Telugu, she socialized warmly with everyone in the auditorium, though not before performing the duties of a true devotee by seeking the blessings of the Ashta Lakshmis and Lord Hanuman.

‘Born and raised as an Air Force officer’s daughter who traveled throughout India, I never learned to read or write Telugu,’ Asha Reddi shared. She explained how she eventually made America her home, leading her to stand in the Ashta Lakshmi Temple to participate in the release of this beautiful Sundara Kanda. A top-ranking graduate in Commerce and Law from Osmania University before migrating to the USA, Asha Reddi made history as one of the first Indo-American attorneys appointed to the municipal bench in Texas in 2002.

For more than three decades, Asha Reddi has practiced law and tried cases throughout Fort Bend County, Harris County, and surrounding jurisdictions, earning an outstanding reputation for professionalism, compassion, and dedication to justice. Reflecting her deep commitment to public service, she also served with great distinction as a Municipal Judge in Fort Bend County. Her career stands as a testament to the values of fairness and integrity that she brings to every aspect of her life.

Kinnera passionately introduced the full scope of the occasion. She comprehensively touched upon the book, my background, the Chief Guest, the audience, the temple premises, and the adjacent Statue of Union. Most importantly, she highlighted Teachers’ Day, which coincided with the book launch, drawing a parallel to the "Acharya Concept" by comparing India’s former President, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, as an ideal teacher, and Lord Hanuman as a divine Acharya.

‘The bond between Radhakrishnan’s vision of teachers and the character of Lord Hanuman highlights similarities in all aspects,’ Kinnera observed. As soon as Kinnera welcomed the Chief Guest, Asha Reddi, and me to the platform, my granddaughters, Kanak Vanam and Irah Vanam, stepped forward. They presented bouquets to both of us before delivering brief but lovely addresses to the audience. With Yashwin, Ansh, and Medha seated by my side, the grandchildren officially launched the book, followed by the presentation of the first copy to Asha Reddi.

Yashwin and Medha gave an enthralling speech, touching upon our family, their deep association with me, and the book's origins. Medha fondly took personal credit for the Telugu version of Sundara Kanda, noting it was written right when she was born in Cincinnati. Yashwin, as is his wont, proudly compared himself to his grandfather, highlighting their similarities and sharing how much I inspire him.

The grandchildren, especially Kanak, explained the catalyst for this English version: it was their direct loving demand to me to translate the Valmiki Ramayana with a "simplified and faithful rendering" to bridge languages, generations, and continents. Today, their wish stands beautifully fulfilled. Even Irah, the youngest, sweetly mentioned that her grandfather has an inspiring "zest for life." Amidst the celebration, there were incessant, curious mobile calls from Mihira, my other granddaughter currently in Germany, checking in with loving excitement.

Meanwhile, my son Aditya and daughter-in-law Parul uniquely used a question-and-answer format to share the context, genesis, and completion of the book. Ansh and Kishan, young men of few words, quietly showed their appreciation from the audience. Bunti (Prema) seamlessly managed the event's logistics, while my wife, Vijayalaxmi, was my usual anchor of silent support, sitting by my side with an occasional, warm smile.

Concluding her speech in the divine presence of Lord Hanuman: her favorite deity, Madam Asha Reddi celebrated this auspicious launch. May Lord Hanuman guide her success as Candidate for Judge, 240^th District Court, with our Telugu community’s fullest unflinching support.

Kshaya Masa and its profound Relevance: Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Kshaya Masa and its profound Relevance

 (A Comprehensive Analysis of Siddhanta

Astronomy, Vedic Foundations, and Dharmic Practices)

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (September 6, 2026)

{While most of us are familiar with the ‘Adhika Masa (extra month)’ added to synchronize our lunar calendars, there exists an even rarer, highly intricate calendar adjustment known as the ‘Kshaya Masa’ (Dropped or skipped month). Based on contemporary research and classical astronomical texts, leading astrologers confirm that an exceptionally rare ‘Pushya Kshaya Masa’ is manifesting in the upcoming lunar Keelaka (2028-2029) year} – Editor’s Synoptic Note.

The traditional Indian system of timekeeping (Kala Gana) is far more than a secular table of dates and months. It is a precise, scientific bridge that connects the cosmic paths of the Sun and Moon, the seasonal rhythms of nature, and the daily dharmic life of human beings. The mathematics of the Indian almanac (Panchanga) plays a pivotal role in translating complex astronomical occurrences into structural guidelines for our daily and seasonal prayers.

While most of us are familiar with the ‘Adhika Masa (extra month)’ added to synchronize our lunar calendars, there exists an even rarer, highly intricate calendar adjustment known as the ‘Kshaya Masa’ (Dropped or skipped month). Based on contemporary research and classical astronomical texts, leading astrologers confirm that an exceptionally rare ‘Pushya Kshaya Masa’ is manifesting in the upcoming lunar Keelaka (2028-2029) year.

Tracing the Vedic Seeds, physical causes, and everyday religious rules surrounding this dropped month is quite interesting. The primary baseline for this comprehensive study is drawn from the research papers presented and discussed threadbare by premier calendar architects at the ‘Telangana Vidwat Sabha Conclave’ held recently in Hyderabad, under the leadership of Telangana Vidvat Sabha Secretary Divya Jnana Siddhaanti and Treasurer Darshanam Marumamula Venkataramana Sarma.

This erudite gathering brought together: Yayavaram Chandrasekhara Sharma, Shankaramanchi Ramakrishna Sastri, Shankaramanchi Siva Siddhanti, Akella Jayakrishna Sarma, Mokrala Lakshana Murthi Sarma, Ellikanti Lakshmi Ganapathi Sarma, Somayajula Sairama Sarma, Lanka Venkataramana Subrahmanya Sastri, Gadicherla Nageswara Rao, Thoomla Kamalakar Sarma, Chikili Venkateshwara Sharma, Shastrula Krishnamurti Sharma, Borbatla Bhaskaracharylu, Borbatla Raghavendracharylu, Uppala Prasada Sharma, Pendyala Hanumanth Rao, Gouribhatla Ramakrishna Sharma, Vadigecharla Venkataramana,  Cheruvu Rambabu, the facilitator etc.  

To understand a dropped month, one must understand how our calendar breathes. The Indian Panchanga relies on a combined Luni-Solar model. According to the foundational ‘Surya Siddhanta,’ a standard solar year spans 365.258756 days, while a standard twelve-month lunar year totals only 354.367055 days. This creates an annual deficit of roughly 10.891701 days between the Sun and the Moon. When this difference accumulates to equal about a full month (roughly every three years), a lunar month without a solar transit (Sankranti) is created and labeled an ‘Adhika Masa’ to reset the seasonal clock.

Conversely, when the sun moves so swiftly that it crosses two distinct zodiac boundaries within the span of a single lunar month (from one new moon to the next), it creates a Kshaya Masa or ‘Dvi-Sankranti Masa’ (Dual-Transit Month). Therefore, it is vital to know that a dropped month does not mean thirty days are physically wiped out from existence. It simply means that a particular lunar month name (in this case, Pushya) is denied its own exclusive, independent new-moon-to-new-moon slot, causing it to merge into the surrounding months.

The concept of a dropped month is not a modern astrological invention; it holds deep scriptural authority. The ancient scriptures say that honoring a thirteenth conditional month and its rightful place in sacred rituals is a routine matter. According to commentarial traditions, a special year that hosts a dropped month actually produces three unique monthly characteristics to balance the cosmos. They are classified as: Samsarpa, Amhaspati, and Adhika Masa.  

The concept of a dropped month is not a modern astrological invention. The ancient scriptures say that honouring a thirteenth conditional month and its rightful place in sacred rituals is a routine matter. According to commentarial traditions, a special year that hosts a dropped month produces three unique monthly characteristics to balance the cosmos. They are classified as: Samsarpa, Amhaspati, and Adhika Masa.  

In the Mahabharata (Virata Parva), the great patriarch Bhishma relies on this exact mathematical math when calculating whether the Pandavas successfully completed their thirteen-year exile. He declares that the movements of the Sun and Moon naturally generate two extra months every five years, verifying the dynamic nature of our calendar. The Shrimad Bhagavatam also supports this physical math by explaining the three distinct speeds of the Sun: Manda (slow), Shighra (fast), and Sama (mean).

Modern astronomy and Kepler's laws of planetary motion reveal a beautiful harmony with our ancient systems. The Earth travels around the Sun in an elliptical (oval) orbit, rather than a perfect circle. When the Earth makes its closest approach to the Sun, a position called ‘Perihelion’ (which occurs annually in early January), its orbital speed naturally increases. Because the Earth moves faster, the Sun appears to move through the winter zodiac signs of Sagittarius (Dhanus) and Capricorn (Makara) much quicker, making those solar months significantly shorter in days.

Siddhantis explained that a Kshaya Masa can only happen when three precise physical conditions match perfectly.

1.A short solar month: The sun traveling at peak speed near earth’s perihelion;

2.A long lunar month: The moon traveling near its farthest point from Earth (Apogee), which slows its speed and extends the days between two new moons;

3.Boundary proximity: The first new moon landing just fractions of a degree before a solar transit, and the next new moon landing just after the subsequent transit.

The consensus research of Siddhantis provides concrete mathematical proof for the 2028–2029 occurrence.

On December 16, 2028, the first new moon conjoins. This is a razor-thin fraction of a degree away from the 240° zodiac boundary. Moments after this new moon concludes, the Sun enters 240°, triggering Dhanus Sankranti. Before the next new moon can form, the sun rapidly crosses the 270° line, completing Makara Sankranti. The subsequent new moon alignment only catches up on January 14, 2029, when the Sun has already advanced.

Even though the Sun’s real travel between these new moons is just 30°+ it successfully bypasses two transits (Dhanus and Makara) within one lunar month. This creates a merged Marga Shira-Pushya environment, effectively dropping Pushya Masa from its solo title. Immediately following this phase, the calendar triggers a balancing correction by inserting an Adhika Chaitra Masa from March 15, 2029, to April 14, 2029. The Siddhanta Shiromani tracks the historical return of dropped months using a classical word-number system called Bhuta Sankhya.

Siddhantis note that terms like ‘Kuvedendu’ signify a 141-year gap, while ‘Goku’ represents a short 19-year gap. They remind that Pushya Kshaya Masas returned in just a tight 19-year interval during the years 1963 (Shobha Krut) and 1983 (Dundubhi). Long-term astronomical tables mark the Shaka years 1963, 1982, 2028, and 2047 as dropped-month years. Due to the constant gravitational tugs on planetary paths, there is no permanent, rigid cycle; each instance must be mapped fresh by the calendar makers.

It is perfectly normal for minor anxieties or misunderstandings to pop up across communities when a dropped month is announced. However, according to formal scriptural science, this is not an inauspicious omen or a curse; it is a magnificent mathematical self-correction of nature. As the texts remind us, if an individual’s personal natal chart is resilient, planetary alignments remain harmonious.

To keep things completely clear for day-to-day life, simple guidelines may be followed. This is in reference to the core dropped month and extra-month phases (spanning roughly between December 2028 and April 2029). Daily home prayers, lighting the family lamp, routine Saturday or monthly fasting, reading holy books, making charitable donations, and standard ancestral remembrance rites (Nitya Shradha) must continue as usual.

The occurrence of a Kshaya Masa is an example of, timeless brilliance of India's ancient astronomers and sages, who thousands of years ago, successfully calculated the subtle speed variations of the Sun and Moon.

A Wonderful Day of Milestones >>>>> With Family, and Community in and around Houston : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 A Wonderful Day of Milestones

With Family, and Community 

in and around Houston

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (September 4, 2026)

They say home is where the heart is, but sometimes, a single day in a faraway city can make your heart expand to feel completely at home. Our recent visit to Houston, Texas, gave us exactly that: a beautiful reminder of how blessed we are with family milestones and the warmth of an incredible community.

What a wonderful day yesterday was! It was one of those rare, beautiful days where family milestones and deep community connections came together perfectly, leaving our hearts absolutely full. The celebrations actually kicked off right at midnight, ringing in the birthday of our grandson, Ansh Vanam.

Ansh had just arrived from Seattle the previous night. It was such a joy to celebrate this brilliant young man, who graduated in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and is now making us proud working with Amazon. Cutting his birthday cake at midnight was the perfect, high-energy start to an unforgettable day.

The festive mood continued into the evening with a fantastic birthday get-together at Simply South, one of the finest Indian restaurants in Houston. Surrounded by good food and laughter, it was pure fun.

From there, my grandson drove my wife and me to our daughter Kinnera’s house in Sugar Land, a beautiful Houston suburb. Kinnera had organized a truly special gathering of like-minded families from the area. These are couples who have lived in the US for a long time, but what struck me most was their bond.

They don't just live near each other; they live as one large, tightly-knit family. They are a real team: standing together through thick and thin, and finding genuine joy in each other's smallest happy moments.

The main anchor for this gathering was my elder daughter, Prema (famously known as Prema the Journalist), who lives with us in Hyderabad. While our youngest son and second daughter are US citizens living right here in Houston, we actually crossed the ocean for this trip alongside Prema, who was a special invitee at the recently concluded ATA (American Telugu Association) conference.

Kinnera’s gathering was the perfect stage for the Houston Telugu community to connect with Prema and exchange ideas. For over three hours, the room was alive with a brilliant, stimulating Q&A session.

The conversation bounced effortlessly across every topic imaginable: from thrilling political debates and faction dynamics to academic insights, informative cultural talk, and inside stories from Tollywood. It was academic, probing, knowledgeable, and deeply engaging all at once.

To crown the night, we all shared a spectacular, tasty potluck dinner, which was an absolute highlight of the evening.

As the night came to a close, almost reaching today, my wife and I looked around the room and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Seeing the sheer enthusiasm, warmth, and vibrant energy with which this Telugu community lives in Sugar Land was simply enthralling.

Distance may separate us geographically, but bonds like these prove that love, culture, and togetherness know no borders. It is the kind of energy that sustains your spirit, leaving us holding onto these memories tightly and wishing we could stay just a little bit longer.