by యలమంచిలి వెంకటప్పయ్య (yalamanchili venkatappayya 1898-1997), first published in 1985 and reprinted 2009. In just seventy pages, the author describes his upbringing, social practices in the villages in his younger days, his participation in the freedom struggle and his teaching and writing activities. Navodaya Ramamohanarao has kindly sent me the book and it is proving to be a hit with the friends to whom I lent it.
P.S.Available from, Maitri book House, Jaleel Street, Karl Marx Road, vijayawada-2, Tele: 98486 31604 or from Yalamanchili Maralidhar, Tele: 9440327500 or Navodaya Book House, LANE OPPOSITE TO ARYA SAMAJ bLDG., KACHIGUDA, hYDERABAD
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2 comments:
I would like to read that book. Good that you brought to our attention. How was your trip to the IMC in Hyderabad? Another thing, have you ever heard a jola_pata which iincludes a stanza like "toluta bramhandmabu toTTi gaavinchi, paalasandrapuTalalu paTTe paanupugaa"? Let me know if you have some info. One more inquiry: is there a belief among our brmhin colleagues that they are like the Jews? If so in what way? I know it is political and may not be wise to get into it. So send a personal email and I promise I will not quote you.
I will send the book to you. About brahmins etc, as they say, some of my best friends are brahmins. It is not a homogeneous community and moreover power relations among castes has been changing with different groups powerful in different parts. There is a recent book "The Peristance of Caste" about Khairlanji massacre which makes the point that the recent atrocities on dalits are by intermediate castes. My impression is that prosperity, uneven distribution of wealth, corruption etc have intensified caste differences in several regions.On the other hand, I have met some who grew up in cities who do not seem to touched by caste. There seem to be many Indias, some of them still propped by endogomous ties, it is difficult to say what exactly it is being Indian. There are some interesting books like 'The Idea of India" by Sunil Khilnani and "India after Independence" by Krishna Ananth and an older one by Pavan Varma which attempt to tackle the question.I can send the more precise links if you like but it is some thing that I do not understand. Have you read "Butterchicken in Ludhiana" or "Reading Edmund Wilson in Benares" which give some glimpses of 80's and early 90s. More in correspondence and later if I find more suitable references. I am mainly talking to some people who have been working in developmental activities and they see that it is not all hopeless and after recent RTI and such there is some hope.
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