A bhakt's account!

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्‌ । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥

Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya cha duskrutam | dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge ||

Vote wisely for a stronger India. Don't miss exercising your right!

Date: April 13th 2019

Tripura Vasini entrance,

Palace grounds,

Bengaluru.

"Sir, did you register for the event online?"

"No..." he replied with a tone of disappointment. "I'm a government servant from Nelamangala. My son has come from Paris and doesn't want to miss Narendra Modi ji's speech...", he said. That was an online registrations queue and we are responsible for guiding people and allowing those only with online registrations through that gate (Chowkidars you can say :-) ). I looked at my volunteer friend. He too nodded with approval and took out a VIP pass from his back pocket and handed it over to the gentle man.

"Sir, you can use this. But this queue is for online registrations only. Please use the next gate to enter" i told him. He thanked us and left. We were handing out those passes to people who came to the venue but didn't have a pass that day. That included a senior citizen & his daughter, an ex service man, a lady with her 10 year old son, a couple with their 5 year old daughter. They came to see Modi ji and listen to his speech daring the hot Bengaluru sun. Seeing educated, common people in such large numbers for a political event is a first time for me.

I & my volunteer friends stood guiding an unending incoming crowd from 2pm to 6:45pm till we closed the gates. My legs and back started aching at 7pm. By the virtue of being a volunteer, I was allowed to watch the event from the front gallery (reserved for online registrations) - standing at the back though as seats were full.

As we stood in anticipation, the convoy came in. In the middle of it, is a sleek black SUV with Modi ji dressed in white sitting in the front. Crowd at once stood up from their seats and turned back to get a glimpse. "Modi... Modi...", chants followed. I could recognize some of the faces as i was at the gate assisting their entry. None of them are paid, most are educated, their love for the man seemed extra ordinary!

He came on to the stage in few minutes. He was waving and crowd was loving it. Evening Bangalore breeze was trying to disturb his neatly combed hair and was failing half way. Once he started his speech, he just thundered. There was no stopping him. Needless to say his connect with public pulse is immaculate. Listening (in live & at the venue) to one of the most effective speakers of our times is a experience to cherish. Even who ideologically disagree, have to agree on his enigmatic elocution skills.

My experience that day made me think what was the reason that drove people who came to see him daring the heat, inconvenience and notorious Bangalore traffic. These people don't look like they are going to skip voting for a vacation! :-) They came driven by patriotism & vision of a leader which is  strongly rooted in the idea of a new, strong & prosperous India. They like his idea of India, they want to be in this new India. They want to see India emerge from corruption, sycophancy, dynasty politics to a better state of affairs. They are all bhakts ... of India!

80s - 90s kids like me have been listening to 'we are a developing country' since childhood and are vexed of it. Why can't we be a 'developed country'? What is stopping us?  Here is a leader who speaks the same tune (definitely better than other PM aspirants).

Average Indian loves a leader who loves our country! Not just by words (or compulsion of being a politician) but by deeds as well. I'm aware there are people who don't like him too, but the number of people who love him seem to far exceed the former.

I repeat - Vote wisely for a stronger India. Don't miss exercising your right!

Jai Hind!

#VoteKar  #ModiAgain

Bifurcating Andhra Pradesh

#Telugu #Telangana #Andhra #Rayalaseema

Mā Telugu Talliki Mallepūdanḍa,
Mā kannatalliki mangaḷāratulu


Did you notice, it is first time since Indian independence, a region consisting of state capital is demanding for a separate state while the regions (read Andhra & Rayalseema) farther from the state capital want a united Andhra Pradesh. Attribute that to the Telugu Unity they crave for.

A bit of re-cap, Justice Shri Krishna commission appointed by the same UPA govt few years back, toured all areas of Andhra Pradesh, did a detailed study of social, financial, geographical & political conditions of the state and concluded in its report that, Telangana is not the only region with backwardness parameters and infact, Rayalseemsa & Northen Andhra are more backward. 

IIIT, PSUs, DRDO, BHEL,ECIL,ICRISAT, the National Geophysical Research Institute, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, National Mineral Development Corporation etc...
-- The list is long and all these were alloted to and built in Hyderabad and no region or individual had qualms.  Over 57 years, other regions (read Andhra & Rayalseema) have made sacrifices for their capital city - Hyderabad. Taxes paid from all towns, gram panchayats in all districts were utilized for Hyderabad's sheen and development. People from all regions migrated to Hyderabad, became entrepreneurs, took jobs and became integral part of the city's growth engine. 

It took 57 years and IT boom of 90s for today's Hyderabad. Today,Hyderabad has ISB, Infosys' biggest campus in India (Uppal), Microsoft's only Development Centre other than Redmond to mention a few. Undoubtedly, every Telugu heart filled with pride for their capital, the crown Jewel of Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad !! 

Today, exports from Hyderabad alone are worth Rs.40,000 crores (while rest of AP sums up to Rs.1000 crores) !!  There is no need to establish explicitly, people of Andhra & Rayalseema have equal rights on Hyderabad as people of Telangana. 

How can this feat (of building a capital city like Hyderabad) be re-done in 10 years?? Unless for a practical joke, UPA's decision doesn't make sense to any sensible and rational thinking individual. Yesterday's announcement of dividing Andhra Pradesh and acceding Hyderabad to seperate Telangana state is an epitome of insensitivity and stupidity.  

Nature’s Colorful Pedagogy !!

The hypnotic blue
of the sky,

hiding nothing

yet enclosing everything.

The gleaming orange
of the fire,
born as a tiny spark

up to taking on anything in the world.

The blissful brown

of the earth,

the mother of life

not giving away from the burden of our feet.

The spell casting white

of the full moon,

uncompromising even with none in company

except darkness.

The radiant red

of the dusk's sun,

giving generous warmth

in spite of its inevitable down. 

The genuine transparency

of the water,

taking the color of whoever accommodates

yet retaining its virginal transparency. 

The elements of nature themselves must be a part of Nature's pedagogy, it's way of telling something about leading a life. Nature, which we see, touch, hear, smell and even taste but rarely attempt to comprehend its intrinsic sense, the sense which is unadulterated, perfect, pure and  COLORFUL!