Nightwalk- 12

After finishing dinner  Damini has taken Butchamma, Sarraju, Ramya in her car.  Seshachalam Ahalya and Vidisha hired a taxi to their village. They waved to Bharatavarsha. Varsha waved back. Behind Varsha stood Baireddy waving his hand to Vidisha. The taxi moved. Bharatavarsha sent his sister Manju and Mother Malini in his college car. Since the weather is nice all the boys decided to walk. 

Bharatavarsha, Kesava, Basava Agastya Raghava Sandeep and Bairreddy and his friends kanakaroa and Kondalarao were walking on the road. Bharatavarsha was in Andhra traditional dress, dhoti. There is nothing new in that. He is used to it.  Basava and Kesava also wore white dhotis. But it was new to them.  All the three were shining like pearls as they were passing under mercury lights. 

Kesava could not manage to keep his dhoti in tact. His dhoti became loose and started falling loosely as he was walking. So he simply wore it like (lungi)Tamil style. "Look with Lungi around his waist and Mrudangam in his hands Kesava looks like a porter, a daily waged labourer" said Kanakarao with his friend Bairreddy. Basava over heard. Bairreddy and his friends started walking apart. 

"Look at the wide roads and bright street lamps. Vizag city wears entirely a different look at nights." said Kesava. Kanakarao said " The roads in  America are wider and more beautiful. These roads are nothing." Have you been to America?" asked Kesava.  " No, my distant relative is there. I will go there after my studies. Who is going to stay here! " He muttered.

Why what happened to India?  Is India not enough for your talent?

There is no life here. Life means wide roads, tall buildings. latest cars  earning dollars.

The roads are wide and neat but do you know how the life is! " asked Raghava.

"No, But I have heard good stories I have seen in films" said Kanakarao. 

"You have heard good stories but there are bad stories too. Hollywood films show you the moon. Don't get carried away. I went to America, lived there I have seen both life and roads. Roads are wide but lives are congested. You earn in dollors but you must  spend in dollars. You hunt dollors and you are hunted by insecurity. Do you know how much is the house rent? More than fifty percent of your income goes to House rent. You can't spend free there. You must live like a miser.  Don't fantacize" said Raghava.

"When roads are so nice like bedrooms we can live on road side." said Bairreddy. Basava looked piteously at Bairreddy. Basava  Agastya and Kesava , Raghava burst into laughter.  

"When my brother becomes MLA. I will go to America." Said Bairreddy

7.5 Lakh Indian Students Went Abroad In 12 months. 68% more Indian students went  abroad this year. Why so many people are going each year?  asked Konda.

Greedy parents, dirty politicians, unequal laws and corrupt judiciary, above all nasty uncivilized people who poke their nose in other affairs unnecessarily.  People judge others without thinking whether they are fit to judge others. 

When you are such an intellectual why are you running away? Why don't you try to correct?

Even if I try there is no guarantee. I  don't want to spoil my life on this land. Now a days single young girls are leaving this country for sex. They don't even get sex. 

You are selfish you don't want to give life to your country. But other country should give you life. Sex is not guaranteed in other countries. If you marry you can have sex. If you want premaritial sex it is immoral. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Mother land is better than other land. 

Yes, Visakhapatnam changed a lot. Can you describe the change with a comparison in a sentence in English?" said Raghava.  "The caterpillar city became a butterfly." said Basava. Bairreddy burned with jealous " Like a buffalo becomes a poet" He retorted. Basava smiled and challenged Bairreddy to describe the night in English since he wants to go to America. 

Kanakarao said " It is not his cup of tea.  He belongs to politic family not poetic family" 

Again Raghava, Basava, Agastya laughed at his English. "Bairreddy's brother Nagireddy is the right hand to the MLA. He is going to be the MLA soon. He will even become the Minister. You can not even get his appointment"  Kesava said " I will become the Prime Minister. you can not even get my appointment"  

Baireddy said " Kesava looks like an earth worm but indeed he is a cobra!" While the argument was going on Bharatavarsha was a little ahead. He tried unsuccessfully to stop the autos and cars that pass the way. "Why are you stopping autos the weather is nice let us walk." said Sandeep."The weather is nice but the weather between us is not good. The city is beautiful but our reltions may not be beautiful. They should not turn ugly." said Bharatavarsha. Despite vigorous trials, no taxi no auto stopped. They all started walking together.  They asked Varsha to describe the night. Bharatavarsha told a poem in Telugu. "Ha hha hha...It is easy to say poems in Telugu can you tell a poem in English" asked Bairreddy

They were walking slowly. the power went off. the street lights are off pushing the city into darkness. presently they are walking  under the moon light. It was so calm . Now and then a vehicle passes. Varsha instantly told them a poem in English. 

              The quiet night

Walking alone in the quiet street at night 

filled with silence and  glimmering light 

Eyes can not the path clearly comprehend

When darkness spreads like blanket till street end

The glimmering stars look like sediments 

in the cup of sky,  they the night's ornaments

dark clouds emit deadly sparks of lightning

across the sky, lo! the distant hills whitening

The flood of white light the houses reveal

 like statues in museum with white veil

The treetops begin swaying in the breeze

My heart begins singing with ease

The night's beauty and silence by heart chosen

in the night's deep silence, peace remains frozen

Basava said "Kudos!"  to the extempore poem. Bairreddy, Sandeep and others  could not believe that it was an extempore presentation. Bharatavarsha looked around the night was splendid. The poet in him was stirred. Moon and Night are always irresistable  inspiriation to the poets. He told another poem. 

          Night's mantel

O invisible regent of the night

I hear you walk, oh your foot so light

with peace and silence in your dark mantel

in the quiet of night you amble

The tired world sleep in your lap

men and women their day wrap

with refreshing nightly romance

that leaves them in deep trance 

night draws curtains to the sky

night songs are rich mood's dye

they bring silence and silver dew 

they the feelings renew and spirits brew

Singing lovely songs you moves towards dawn

When Sun spills beams of light your mantle's gone 

       Night is a kite

God loves light God loves night

God made day with heaven's light

and filled it with darkness in the end 

night is a kite that flows in the wind  

with a string attached at the end

God made man god made woman

He made the man a part of the woman

The woman is filled with kindness

like the night is filled with darkness 

In the well of love night is a fish

night is kite that flies in the air

night is a bird that melts in the fire

men are spartan they night never miss

The third poem has made them stop and think. "Very  nice poems we enjoyed the poems." All the friends said unanimously.  "They are not poems. They are sonnets. A 14 lined poem is called Sonnet. If the poem has one line more or less it has no right to the title sonnet. It has a strict rhyme scheme." Said Basava. 

"How could you say English sonnets they are very complex?" said Raghava.

Bharatavarsha: Telugu poems demand rhyme in the beginning. Yati in the middle.  There are restrictions on the number of letters in each line besides the length and strength of every letter is determinded my Chandassu or Scheme. Telugu poem is ten times more complex than English. 

Everybody was surprised at the strength of Telugu poem. "The true strength of Telugu poem is revelead only when it is compared with English Sonnet. " said Sandeep.

Basava: Varsha was telling about one Telugu poem.  I am sure you don't know about Astavadhanam. I too did not know till recently. I will tell you the process of Astavadhanam then you tell me how much more complex it is than one Telugu poem. In Astavadhanam seven experts pose complex questions and seek solutions in the form of poems of different rhyme schemes .  The avadhani, the performer begins to answer the first questioner. He tells two lines of the poem on the topic the first questioner asked, the second questioner will pose his question, while he was answering the second questioner the third questioner , fourth questioner and so on will set their questions. The performer answers the questions one bye one. During this process the eight questioner a distorter asks irrelevant questions to distort his attention. It is a test to the performer's memory.  A person keeps throwing flowers during the entire process of Avadhanam. The Avadhani or performer should count and remember the exact number of flowers. Thus the performer should answer all the questions in poems in the rhymeschems chosen by the questioner. 

Raghava and Sandeep " Now we got the complete idea of Astavadhanam. It is a wonder.

Bairreddy and friends : It is amazing literary feat.. great...

Basava: You did n't listen to me completely. I haven't yet finished. In the end the performer has to present all the poems in a row. Now tell me how complex is telling English sonnets?

They all went mad. " Varsha's talent is beyond compare. He is a wonder of his own time." All friends sarted praising Varsha. Varsha asked them to stop praising his at once. " This is the greatness of Telugu. Avadhanam is Telugu tradition. This is not seen in other languages."

They all clapped cheerfully and wholeheartedly. Bharatavarsha said " There are great scholars like Padmasri Garikipati Narasimharao who is a Sahastravadhani. We should not forget to mention their names in this auspicious occasion. Telugu people feeling proud of Telugu and joining hands to clap and glorify Telugu is more amazing than any kind of Avadhanam. All Telugu scholars bless us." said Varsha.

What about English literature Isn't it  greater than Telugu literature? 

Today's youth don't read to form any opinions on literature and culture.  They are either carried away by films or  brainwashed by our own education system which downplays our language, culture and literature such as epics. You are no different Raghava,  Tell me which English books you have read and in what way they are greater than Telugu books?" 

Raghava had confusion. He knew well that he read nothing. He also knew that Bharatavarsha is a well read man. In that confusion he blurted out Shakespeare which is a common name. He then stumbled and stuttered and said "Canterbury Tales" 

 Varsha began "Raghava don't know and most of you don't know Canterbury Tales. I will tell you briefly two stories and you can decide what kind of book it was."  

Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 stories. 31 pilgrims going to St. Thomas Becket (Canterbury Church) 90 miles from London stay at the Tabard Inn in London. Jeffrey Chaucer organizes a story contest where everyone has to tell a story for fun. He says that those who win will get a free meal on the return journey as a reward. He thought that  each pilgrim would tell four stories (two on departure and two on arrival) and thought that 120 stories should be written.

But only twenty-four told stories. It also contains unfinished stories. The cook's story is an unfinished story. He tells half the story because he fell off his horse while drunk. Chaucer did not complete this story. Canterbury stories have a message to convey. The Second Nun's Story, The Doctor's Story, The Warrior's Story. First listen to the doctor's story briefly "Virginius is a gentleman. A corrupt judge named Appius, who wants his daughter Virginia at all costs because of her beauty, conspires with a criminal named Claudius. Claudius falsely tells the court that Virginia was his daughter and was kidnapped by him. He orders the father to bring her before the court. The father realizes the judge's conspiracy and goes home, cuts off the daughter's head and gives it to the judge.

Some consider Rome to be the birthplace of Christianity. By reading the story of the second nun, we can learn how Christianity was propagated in Rome. Before the advent of Christianity, they were following their own religion called Roman religion. In 13th century Christian nuns used to do anything for converting people into Christianity.  They used to tell such stories and lure innocent people into Christianity.  Canterbury stories reflect the extreme Christian propaganda of that time period.   Later when Bharat Varsha told the story of Second Nun, Raghava was shocked. His friends were a bit confused. Meanwhile they got a van. All got into the van.  Bharatvarsha sat in the front beside the driver. remaining sat behind. The vehicle was moving on.  Raghava Byireddy and Sandeep were unable to connect to the beautiful classical language used by Bharatavarsha. Basava understood that they are used to the  indecent  language and style of modern Telugu movies.  He started narrating the story of second nun in Andhra film style. 

Roman woman Cecilia is newly married to Valerian. She wants to keep her virginity even after marriage (and then why did she get married?) She tell her husband on the first night I will tell you a secret   if you promise not to cheat on me . The husband who entered the room  on the first night felt that his  Fuses blown off after listening to the secret. She told coolly "My virginity will be protected by an angel, if you put your hand on me , your head will shatter  into pieces."

 Hearing that, crazy yokel husband said, "If you show me the angel, I will believe you." So far so good but the wastrel has given the reigns to her.  She replies smartly the angel will appear only if you change your religion," the dull wits agrees to that condition and changes his religion. Whether he saw the angel or not no one ever knew. But that halfwits has smart brother. In deed he is over smart who buys a sweater in Andhra and goes to Kashmir to try it. One day his nostrils get sweet scent from the newly wed couple’s room. He asks what is that? Here screen play and direction titles will be shown.  A second later the brother and his wife are seen biting his ears. They begin to talk about the angel after a few seconds the words stop and background music starts, their lips begin to move faster and the background music speed increases corresponding the lips. The music gets more and more rapid, the lips move faster and faster, Valerine’s brother’s eyes grow wider and wider finally when the music stops, his mouth is opened wide.

After hearing everything, the younger brother said, god damn this is your scheme, and  it is a decent sketch.  I will buy each a scent  bottles if you dorp this plan.  If we change your religion, we will be slaughtered (killed)! He said. Bravo,  my brother asked the question I couldn't ask,  thought the elder brother.  What should we do now said Valerine.  Cecilia said leave that problem to me, it's not a problem at all, you can relax. Here is another twist. Now the interval. After the interval everyone is watching with suspense "After death you will have a good birth" it convinces. The dream shows that you have died and gone to God. Latakkani falls. (Now the situational song .. the goddess who showed the way ) After obeying, the younger brother converts. Now the femily sentimental scene. All go to the temple of Jupiter, two brothers say I am a plant of Jupiter. Burns to the king. He orders the executioner Maximus to "behead them both". When the king leaves, Cecilia shows him all the variations on the Variation Star. But he doesn't give in. Then the preaching begins. She shows him the stranger in him. Maximus and his whole family are converted by that blow. (Here's the group song.) It would be good if you put it) The king who knows about the matter asks Cecilia to raise her head

After the interval everyone  watches with curiosity and suspense how cecilia solves the problem. She says to the younger brother "After death you will go to God and have a good birth"   She shows the dream that he has died and gone to God.  (Now the situational song.) The younger one obeys  valerine After obeying, the younger brother converts. Now the femily sentimental scene. All go to the temple of Jupiter, two brothers say I don't pray to Jupiter. The kings saw all this

He orders the executioner Maximus to "behead them both". When the king leaves, Cecilia shows the executioner Maximus  all the variations of Mr. beans.  But he doesn't give in. Then the preaching begins. She shows him the combined  skills of Schwarzenegger , Tom cruise and Rajinikanth.   Maximus and his whole family are converted by that blow. (Here's the group song.)

The king, knowing about it, ordered Cecilia to be beheaded. The executioner gives three strokes but the head is not completely severed.  Here is another twist. Law does not agree to the fourth stroke.  With that the executioner leaves.  Cecilia starts preaching and converting After  three days of preaching she will stop and her eyes stand still.   violin music starts  slowly  , the camera rotates 360 degrees slowly ,  gradually the music gets rapid and the camera turns faster.  the audience thinks that the movie is over  then the first night bed scene is showed  and the titles appear.

 The audience in the van got awestruck.  A moment later they started laughing and clapping violently because the same story is narrated in cinema style with screen play. Cinema is the weakness of Indians particularly Andhrites. Cinema is the inspiration and respiration it it the heart beat of Telugu people. This excessive adoration in other words slavery is one of reasons why they lost their culture. The van reached Ananandanilayam.