Vows fulfilled on behalf of the Government ..... What’s wrong in it? : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Vows fulfilled on behalf of the Government

What’s wrong in it?

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

When Telangana State Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao, along with members of his family had an affectionate Darshanam of Thirumala Lord Venkateswara Swamy and presented gold ornaments I too had the privilege to be present there. It was a rare and wonderful experience! Half an hour before the Chief Minister with his Wife entered the temple premises, the temple authorities allowed the team accompanying the CM through the Vaikuntam Queue Complex. After paying respects to the gold Ornaments placed in the Sri Ranganayaka Mandapam we had Darshanam of the Lord along with the CM and his family members. The CM saw to it that all the team members accompanying him had the similar Darshanam like the one he had and he even called out each and every one of us. Harathi and Thirtham were given to all of us.

I had the rare coincidence of having a similar Darshanam 26 years ago when I was PRO to the then AP CM Dr M Channa Reddy during the same month of February.  I remember that in accordance with the rules prevailing then CM team was allowed into the temple through the Main entrance. Tirupati was the venue then for a tripartite meet on the Krishna water distribution among the then Maharashtra CM Sharad Pawar, Karnataka CM Veerendra Patil and AP CM Dr Channa Reddy. I also participated in that meeting and I still remember one issue that took place then. The three CMs then met to discuss the Krishna water sharing issue only and there was no scope for any political discussion. After the meeting on the river water sharing they did not meet at all. However, a prominent journalist then wrote in the popular national Tabloid “Blitz” that the three CMs met to gang up against Rajiv Gandhi. I brought this matter to the notice of Dr Channa Reddy and told him that the journalist wrote about something that did not take place. For this, Dr Channa replied, “Good, at least Rajiv has something to fear about!”

There is a strong belief among the devotees that unless Lord Venkateswara Swamy desires to give his Darshanam, it can never happen. Speaking to SVBC Channel, after presenting the Gold Ornaments to the Lord, the CM had detailed his own personal experience in this matter. The CM said many years ago when he came here to have Darshanam it did not take place. He also said that though he wanted to present the Gold Ornaments soon after the formation of the State it did not happen as the Lord did not desire to give till now. 

“Venkatadri samam sthanam brahmande naasthi kinchanam……Venkatesa samo deva na bhooto na bhavishyathi” It is just enough to have the Darshanam of the Kaliyuga Presiding deity for a moment and the Lord will make his devotees come to him travelling thousands and lakhs of miles. The Lord will attract his devotees to the holy Tirumala hills.

Meanwhile, it is totally unjust and unreasonable one, for some people to talk about CM fulfilling his vows with government money. This sort of prejudiced criticism on an issue like this is hurting the sentiments of majority of the Telangana people and their faith. One would fail to understand as to what is wrong for a leader duly elected by the majority of people and trying to fulfill a vow he took on behalf of the same people and region? Moreover the vow is for the welfare and common god of the people in the State.

Some people are also still criticizing the Ayuta Chandi Yagam performed by the CM. Performing Yagam and Yagnams is belief of certain people. It is also belief that through performing Yagnam and Yaagam it will result in universal peace and people’s welfare. Such beliefs and faith is in vogue in several countries in the world as well as in our own country. Even in a Communist country like China they give equal importance to Mao and Buddha. The World’s largest temple Angkor Wat was in Cambodia. The fruits of Yagnams protect the humanity. Yagnas and Yagams are the reasons behind evolution of human society. Even today, those having Practice, Prosperity, Commitment, Good Samskara, punya of the previous birth and having a desire to help others are performing these rituals.

Coming back to the vows fulfilled by the CM Chandrashekhar Rao it is known that he had taken these vows to various temples, Shrines and deities in anticipation of the dream of separate Telangana sate during the height of the Telangana movement. He took these vows before he became a CM for the well being of the people and for the formation of the State. In accordance with his vows, the state is formed and the people are happy and leading comfortable lives. Under such a situation what is wrong if the CM fulfilled his vows on behalf of the government, through government funds by donating gold Ornaments to fulfill his vows to various temples?  In case of a natural calamity in the neighbouring State, if the State wants to offer help it is done from the Government Ex-chequer but not from the personal accounts of the CM. Moreover, the CM never said he would fulfill his vows by paying from his pocket! Then why criticize him?

However, these unfound criticisms have no takers in AP State Government, its public representatives or even the political parties there. TDP, BJP, YSRCP party leaders there have actively participated in the CM programme. When the CM reached the Renigunta Airport as part of his tour of Tirupati and Tirumala along with his wife and family members, AP Minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, Tirupati MLA Ms Sugunamma, Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, TUDA former Chairman Shankar Reddy, TTD Board member and BJP MLA Chintal Ramachandra Reddy from Telangana accorded a grand welcome. Outside the Airport, Vedic Scholars welcomed the CM with Vedic Chants. Thousands of fans of KCR have thronged to the Airport to welcome him. Prominent leaders from Chittoor district, officials and others have met the CM. TTD EO Sambasiva Rao had went on record to say that no other CM in the independent India had ever presented Gold Ornaments to the Lord! He also hailed the CM for heralding a new precedent in the independent India. He also said that in the ancient past, Emperors and Kings like Sri Krishnadevaraya and Mysore Maharaj presented the gold Ornaments to the Lord on behalf of their governments. This means that there is nothing new in presenting the gold Ornaments on behalf of the government and people.

Against this backdrop the CM presented the Ornaments, had Darshanam and performed poojas in accordance with the Temple norms. Under the guidance of Temple Chief Priest AS Narasimha Deekshitulu special poojas were performed. The CM later had Darshanam of Vakula Mata, Sri Ramanuja Charyulu, Vimana Venkateswara Swamy, Narasimha Swamy and performed poojas. The CM also paid respects to the clothes of the Lord kept in Sabera Mandir and salutations to the Flag-Staff (Moola Sthamba) and had the blessings of Vedic Scholars in Ranganayaka Mandapam.

In his message through SVBC Channel the CM said, “I have taken a vow during the Telangana movement that I would present golden Ornaments to Lord Venkateswara Swamy if separate Telangana State becomes a reality. Due to Lord Venkateswara Swamy’s blessings we got the Telangana State. I am happy today that I have presented the Ornaments and fulfilled my vow. After the formation of Telangana State I wanted to come here and fulfill my vow. But it did not happen. As they say unless you have calling from the Lord you cannot make the visit. I prayed to the Lord to take care of the Telangana State and bless that it should do well. I also prayed from bottom of my heart to make the two Telugu States flourish. Not only the two states but also I prayed for the well being of the entire country….” 

CM has definitely fulfilled his vow on behalf of the Government and people of the state. What is wrong in it?  Why then the criticism? End

Tribute to Bhandaru Parvatala Rao: Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Tribute to Bhandaru Parvatala Rao

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Five years ago on this day Bhandaru Parvatala Rao passed away at the age of 71 years in Puttaparti. He was former Director Information and Public Relations of Government of Andhra Pradesh; former Public Relations Officer to five successive Chief Ministers beginning with Congress Party’s Channa Reddy to Telugu Desam’s NT Rama Rao and later to N Janardhan Reddy; former Public Relations Officer to Andhra Bank; former Managing Director State Film Development Corporation as well as Counsellor and Examiner of Open University. Parvatala Rao was also a journalist, consultant of AP Handicrafts Development Corporation and Honorary Managing Editor of the Bi-Lingual News Feature National Information Services.

Parvatala Rao entered AP Information Service as DPRO in 1958 and rose to the highest position in the department. It was for the first time Chief Minister Dr Channa Reddy introduced the position of an exclusive PRO to CM and Parvatala Rao was the automatic choice. He excelled in it and even now who ever occupies that place at some time or other quote him. He authored number of books both in verse and in poetry both in English and Telugu languages. Prominent among them were “Prakasham Gadha Sethi”-100 short biographical anecdotes of Tanguturi Prakasham Pantulu, “Mana Suprasiddha Devalayalu” (Tel-prose)-of Publications Division and “Paramacharya Pavana Gathalu”-108 Anecdotes from the life of late Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

After retirement from Government service and before he decided to settle at Puttaparti Prashanti Nilayam of Bhagavan Sri Satya Saibaba, his expertise was utilized by AP Handicrafts Development Corporation and DR MCR HRD Institute. His greatest contribution to the Handicrafts Corporation was documentation of rich but rare and languishing handicrafts of the state. Parvatala Rao visited places where craft persons engaged in work, talked to them, observed the process studied the reasons for languishing and only then prepared a report suggesting the methodology for their revival leading to establishing Craft Development Centres. This resulted in their survival till this day. The report on three important crafts namely “Veena Making”, “Mridangam Making” and “Leather Puppetry” is now being brought out as a book titled “Languishing Handicrafts of AP” on his fifth death anniversary falling on 21^st August 2011. It is a rich contribution from Parvatala Rao.

Three eminent persons Potturi Venkateswara Rao, Dr CV Narasimha Reddy and Dr AP Ranga Rao, recalled their association in their introduction of author for the book. Former State Secretary AP Branch of Indian Red Cross Society Dr AP Ranga Rao also his nephew says that he was Parvatala Rao’s admirer in his childhood. “Parvatala Rao was someone capable of finding something good even in an evil person and not to antagonize anyone. He had a tremendous potential to become a great writer, speaker, debater, reformer and a great leader. He had the capacity to influence and change for better. He could have become easily any one of those; instead he has voluntarily chosen a path to be a loving human being” described Ranga Rao.

Former Director of Information and Public Relations Dr CV Narasimha Reddy also a colleague of Parvatala Rao said Parvatala Rao was the department’s most outstanding Public Relations Professionals-who not only brought his fierce commitment to the discipline but also a quiet, grace, self-respect and dignity. Narasimha Reddy interprets the decision of Parvatala Rao to settle in Prashanti Nilayam as his inner desire to serve the cause of humanity in tune with the Baba’s Vision and Mission which bears an eloquent proof to the fact, that he committed his life, to the cause of needy and under privileged. “That was Parvatala Rao with a difference, combining in himself many unique features of great Scholarship, intellect, competence of highest standards and abundant aptitude to the spirit of service. In his thoughts, words and deeds Parvatala Rao devoted to spirituality. He was not only a highly non-controversial Person but also a Friend, Philosopher and Guide to one and all”. That makes him a True “AJATASHATRUVU” says Dr Reddy.

Senior Journalist and former Chairman AP Press Academy Sri Potturi Venkateswara Rao described Parvatala Rao as essentially a “Man of Self Respect, an extraordinary and unique personality”. Potturi as a working Journalist came in to contact with Parvatala Rao. “I had a lingering suspicion that he was like a silent volcano with problems and worries inside, a few of his own and many of others. While he never bothered others with his problems, he was always ready to share the worries of his friends” recollected Potturi.

Potturi disclosed that Parvatala Rao was qualified to practice Ayurvedic medicine and also knew certain techniques of healing by meditation. “Parvatala Rao was a great researcher. His expertise in collecting information helped the department he served. His research on the temples of Lord Narasimha Swami in Andhra Pradesh resulted in the publication of a comprehensive work in a few volumes” says Potturi.

Parvatala Rao planned to write a book with the title “Channa to Anna”. Potturi says that it is unfortunate that it did not see the light. Channa means Dr. M. Channa Reddy and Anna was Sri N. T. Rama Rao. The book would have revealed many interesting anecdotes and so far untold political happenings of historic importance. Potturi also narrated an instance that occurred when Anjaiah was Chief Minister. At that time he as Editor of Andhra Prabha weekly offered to publish a feature called “Mukhya Mantri to Mukha Mukhi”, meaning face to face with the Chief Minister. He invited questions from the readers and the Chief Minister was replying to them. Late U. B. Raghavendra Rao, CM Secretary then and Parvatala Rao were assisting Anjaiah in this exercise. Anjaiah used to ask Parvatala Rao for his views also when he was in doubt. The replies provided by Parvatala Rao were simply accepted without discussion. Such was the confidence that the Chief Minister had in Parvatala Rao recalled Potturi.

It was fifty years ago I first met Parvatala Rao while he was working in Khammam. His brother Bhandaru Srinivasa Rao was my classmate in ninth and that was how I came to know him. In later days I married his niece and our association further increased. When Dr Channa Reddy became Chief Minister of AP in 1989 I was PRO to CM. Parvatala Rao then working as PRO Andhra Bank was requested by CM to come back to the department as Director Information and Public Relations. In that capacity he was my boss in the department for about a year. We collected, edited and compiled a book based on the extempore speeches of Dr Channa Reddy as CM.

Parvatala Rao was always a friend, philosopher and guide to one and all who knew him and I am one among those many.