While reading Kondapalli Koteswaramma's autobiography yesterday, I was reminded of another book I saw in a cousin's place last year with the photo of an old woman walking on burning coals to show that there were no miracles involved. I inquired and got a pdf file of the book విరామమెరుగని పురోగమనం. It is the autobiography of Kodali Kamalamma (Kamalamba), slightly older than Koteswaramma. There are many differences. Koteswaramma was a child widow introduced to politics after her second marriage by her communist husband Kondapalli Seetharamaiah. It seems that Kamalamma's husband Kodali Kutumbarao did not take much part in politics. But he did not discourage her, though I heard there was some friction when the villagers needled him about his wife's activities. In Kamalamma's case, the inspiration seems to have been mainly her own with encouragement from her mother and readings of Gandhi, Budha and Gora. Generally, the family life seems successful with son a doctor and son-in-law with a Ph.D working in USA. She made a trip to USA to visit her daughter but carried Gora's books with her. Though she did not like caste, creed or religion the children married with in caste and the usual ceremonies were observed even though her heart was not in it. When her husband dies she refused to go through the ceremonies herself, but let the children do what they wanted. Around the age 74 she walked on burning coals to show that no miracles were involved and at the age of 80 established an atheist centre Gora Nasthika Mitra Mandali, in Inkollu, Prakasam district (her autobiography was published by this centre). One of her grandsons, Sharat (photo currently on page 8 of the photo section, with her daughter and son-in-law photo on the same page) after a Ph.D in Molecular Biology decided to teach in school and is continuing with teaching. Kamalamma is now 96 and not as active as before.
P.S. There are many people that I know mentioned in the book and a reference to my father Gadde Veera Raghavaiah as మహాకవి జాషువా గారి వీరాభిమాని.
P.S. There are many people that I know mentioned in the book and a reference to my father Gadde Veera Raghavaiah as మహాకవి జాషువా గారి వీరాభిమాని.
2 comments:
The most interesting thing in this book is her memory, and energy at very late ages....
What I find interesting is that she seems to have developed mostly on her own. There wasas some influence of the writings of Gandhi and Gora but it was not due the influence of anybody in the family except perhaps her mother. For those times how such women came about is a puzzle to me.
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