Alas, my brothers and sisters, it is done…

With the passage of the Telangana Bill in the Lok Sabha and now Rajya Sabha, bifurcation of our beloved state of Andhra Pradesh is all but certain.

This is truly a catastrophe for all Telugu-speakers. It is also a cautionary tale of the costs of disunity, ambition, greed, stupidity, and above all, loss of culture and dharma.

But rather than wring our hands in feckless emotion, let us take a page from the Musunuri Nayaks, and live to fight another day. Let us not lose our cool. Instead, let us recognize that those sections of our Telangana brothers (not all were pro-bifurcation) that sought separation may have made a terrible mistake–but they are still our blood. They may be childishly celebrating now, but in time, they will realize the full ramification of their error.

Let us also recognize that all Andhrites are responsible too–rather than blame the rest of India. It is Andhra Pradesh that gave maximum support to the adharmic UPA government not once, but twice (2004, 2009). An appropriate saametha for the occasion would be:  “Nuvve paamu ki paalu isthey, adhi karisina tharavaatha Amma meedha endhukani prathapam chupisthaavu?”

 It would not have been possible for these adharmics to come to power had it not been for the stupidity and selfishness and self-absorption of our own people. All sections have responsibility for this tragedy. So rather than primitively acting out in hasty anger–let all true lovers of Andhra treat this injustice as the karmic debt for the abomination that was inflicted on all of India these past 10 years. So let us do our prayascitta and svadhyaya before lashing out at others.

In such trying times, the solution is not to cave into sentiment (a perennial Indian weakness), but rather, to calmly and dispassionately reflect on what happened, why it happened, what can be done, and what should be avoided.

What Happened

This was not a new scheme. Dividing Andhra has been stratagem for power hungry politicians and a dream for anti-nationals for quite some time now. But this tactic was appropriated for the purposes of a certain “grand old party” and its dynastic puppeteers who specialize in pitting brother against brother. When people follow Duryodhana instead of Bharata & Lakshmana, why would anti-nationals not succeed?

If a book were written on the history of the T-state demand to this precise moment, it would be called Breaking Andhra. The idea may have come from within, but it was appropriated from without. False propaganda, by those ironically named for Sri Rama’s sacred bow, was then produced. Superficial and misinformed histories, erroneously claiming that the Andhra name only means Seemandhra,  by outsiders then added fuel to the fire. Then so-called “students”, aka unemployed 30-something naxal goondas, were hired to bully and riot. Some poor souls were then paid off to commit suicide–and there we have it, a non-Razakar rationale to create a Nizam Hyderabad Razakar state, oh, sorry, I mean “Telangana”. And oh, what’s this, a Union Territory for Old Hyderabad too?–just like a certain razakar descendant wanted…

However, even this well-coordinated operation stumbled in the wake of ferocious last minute Samaikya Andhra agitation. The Andhra Assembly even voted against the Telangana resolution and polls showed that almost 70% of united Andhra Pradesh was against division–but a little democracy never bothered the only really true fascist party in India which has the glorious heritage of the Emergency. In fact, not a few commentators remarked that the Media blackout in Lok Sabha by Congress was reminiscent of the actions of another “Mrs. Gandhi”. So a vocal and violent minority was again able to override the sentiments of the moderate majority. Perhaps it is true what they said after the Nazis. “If fascism ever comes back, it will be as anti-fascism”…

In any event, though this game was played in the short term for votes, and in the medium-term for the cash cow that is Hyderabad (courtesy of Telugu Desam governance–pun intended), and a long term goal that should be obvious by now, others have pointed out that neither of the two main national parties did their duty to Seemandhra. While the Delhi gang of the BJP certainly does not have clean hands in the matter, let us not mix them up for the party in general.

Though it’s quite clear the TDP is the only party that genuinely and consistently cares about Telugu pride and resisting the “Delhi Sultanate”, let us not forget that they partner periodically with the BJP for a reason. TDP has state interests at heart, and at least the rank and file and literati of the BJP (like Arun Shourie garu) have the national interests at heart. So while actions speak louder than words, intentions speak more truthfully than actions. The BJP had a consistent stand on smaller states (rightly or wrongly). The Congress…well…the whole country saw what they were all about during the so-called “power glitch” in parliament…

How did it Come to This

Many today may point to volumes of movies produced by Tollywood and hail it as some sort of grand cultural accomplishment. But 99% are garbage–and most are flops. Others may say that even crooks like YSR  were proud Telugus–but they had no hesitation supporting and bowing before an unqualified foreigner. Still more may proclaim the development of Hyderabad–but is soulless material development at the cost of spiritual development true culture?

A culture bereft of dharma is no culture at all. Sophistication without sense.  Language without Etiquette.  Learning without Wisdom. Riches without Compassion. Ritual without Reflection. Power without Duty. And Culture without Dharma–these are all symptoms of a deeply sick people in a stupor of materialism and hedonism.

The word culture itself doesn’t mean crappy song and dance sequences–which are lame knock offs from the North– that we watch in an ignorant daze exclaiming “Aha Oho”. Culture itself comes from the word “cultivated”–meaning one who has sown and refined dignified qualities and interests. But do our culture and movies reflect dignity today? The highest form of civilization is spirituality–but what is the importance of spirituality in India today?

Sure, Superstars like Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan may be remaking Telugu movies–but they’re remaking the cultureless ones.  Akki and Sallu are both great actors and movie stars, but barring movies like 8×10 Tasveer and HAHK, how many movies of cultural value have they been producing of late? Their potential is being under-utilized as is our Andhra culture and Indian civilization.The fact that these atrocious Tollywood movies are being copied is a sign of cultural degradation in both Andhra culture and Indian civilization alike.

When movies like Annamayya (courtesy Nagarjuna) are being remade or copied–then Telugu cinema and Andhra culture can be proud. Ours is now a popular culture so spoilt and rancid, that one of our greatest artistic jewels–Mangalampalli, Balamurali Krishna–had to leave for Tamil Nadu to get proper patronage.

Thus, the seeds for Telangana were sown not despite of our TV shows and Movies, but because of them–and the energy going into them that should have gone elsewhere.

What must our Ancestors be thinking 

Satakarni must be spinning in his proverbial grave. The Trisamudra pitatoyavahana. The terror of the mlecchas, the destroyer of the sakas, yavanas, and pahlavas, must himself be appalled at the state of his people and land today. The Great Gautamiputra Satakarni of yore would be disgusted not only by the bickering and division among his Andhras, but the stupidity of putting national Indian interests in jeopardy in the wake of foreign imposed atrocity. He would ask, “Since when did Andhra, the land of those with a Lion as Mount (Satavahana), become those with a donkey mount”?

Musunuri Nayaks & Reddi Kings

Prolaya and Kapaneedu Nayaka gave their blood, progeny, and even lives in the cause of Andhra bhoomi. Despite being great aristocrats and Lords, they knew that their position existed to give people freedom. But the KCRs, YSRs, et al think the people exist to give them position.

The Reddy Kings proudly proclaimed themselves as Dharmic rulers and restored the agraharas to brahmanas and freedom to all other native sons who suffered under the depredation of the Turks. What would they say about the Reddies today who stirred this issue up in 2004 leading to the end game today?

Krishna Deva Raya

No man would be more enraged at the state of affairs today (or immediately after him…) than Andhra Bhoja himself. The sight of all the puke-inducing politicking, greed, and even anti-nationalism would make him wonder why he laboured so hard for twenty years, to defend Dharma, safeguard Indians, and nurture Telugu.

Liberation Struggle/Operation Polo

And what of the great Telugu patriots sprung from the soil of the Telangana region to fight the atrocities of the Nizam’s razakars? They sent their womenfolk and children to their Kosta and Rayalaseema brothers for safe refuge while they gave their own lives for freedom. What would they say to the kcr goondas who praised the very men who oppressed and outraged them under Vetti chakiri and worse?

What  would this man, this great man, this Iron Man, who more than any other, stitched together the patchwork of India from 565 princely states… What would he say in response to all the pro-nizam and anti-national cries today?

What must be done now

Humpty Dumpty can be put back together again. Warangal may have fallen, but there is  still Kondaveedu, Kondapalli, and above all Adoni (the keystone fort of Vijayanagara). Like Prataparudra, we waited until the last minute to face the enemies of Andhra, and like the Rachakonda Rajas, KCR and company sold out to foreigners so they could (temporarily) rule Golkonda (Hyderabad).

Thus, the time has now come for the Musunuri Nayaks and Krishna Deva Rayas who will unite the people by revitalizing the culture and language. Sage Vidyaranya guided Harihara and Bukka Raya to refound a city dedicated to protecting Dharma. The same spirit must be reforged today . Telangana is a defeat to the hopes, aspirations, and rightful inheritance of all Telugu people–but it is not the end. It is the wake up call to snap people out of their stupor and stupidity and get them to start valuing and–most importantly–advancing and improving upon their own native culture and language.

This is done not once in a blue moon, nor in a last minute futile effort. Rather, it is done day by day, month by month, and year by year. It is done by turning off the pop culture garbage on TV and turning on some classical carnatic. It is done not by watching the next item number in theaters but in watching and encouraging the next great historical epic. It is done by demanding quality over quantity. It is done by not wasting all our time in malls or all our money on restaurants or all our education on being BPO coolies. It is done by not seeking to just become the CEO, but seeking to become the owner. It is done by paying attention to not just political rhetoric but policy, and not just reading cereal boxes, but serious classical literature. It is done by voting for good and dharmic governance rather than for political goodies .

And above all, it is done by putting family above individual, region above family, state above region, and country above all. That is true Dharma.

What must be avoided

The rank stupidity of Andhra politicians (even at this late hour) was nowhere better seen than here when they idiotically called for a separate Andhra country. These outrageously imbecilic ideas only play into the hands of India’s (and, by extension, Andhra’s) enemies. A balkanized India is precisely what China, and others including Pakistan want. Then Hyderabad (still on the lashkar/pak agenda) and Andhra would be easy targets.

Calling for a separate nation is no different than what YSR and company have been upto for the last ten years, by talking of Telugu while trampling on Andhra values and native culture. It represents a loss of sense and loss of identity (by pushing english as the language of schooling). It is also the result of loss of Dharma, which is the foundation of Andhra culture and Indic Civilization.

Many morons have been touting irrational and even anti-national ideas of India (“land of immigrants” and other such drivel…). But the truth of the matter is that India and Indic Civilization is defined by the concept of Dharma. It is this ideal that stitches together different traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. That gave a place to orthodox Kerala Christians and Jews, and Parsi refugees to Gujarat and that honors true patriots like Ibrahim Khan Gardi. It is not a communal idea, but a community idea that gives India a shared history and a perceived future destiny. It is the motivating principle that transcends religions and emphasizes that this common idea of Dharma (righteousness) is rooted in the soil and in the common ancestry of all its citizens.  Remember, great Andhra personalities like Mallinatha Suri, Apastambha,  Krishna Deva Raya and P.V. Narasimha Rao are ALL INDIA figures to this day.

It is because of loss of Dharma that like the rachakonda rajas, kcr and the telangana advocates have betrayed Telugu Thalli (even debasing themselves by calling a certain foreign origin politician as “Telangana Thalli and constructing this disgusting abomination all while our own Hindu temples are decaying or destroyed). When temples are built for vishkanyas instead of Vishnu, what else can be expected? An ignorant and uncultured people have sycophancy. A dharmic and cultured people have dignity.  It is because of loss of Dharma that the masses voted in crooked politicians who abused their office for anti-secular/anti-dharmic purposes that changed people’s religion. It is because of loss of Dharma that the Telugu people have become–despite their wealth and ancient glory–crass, greedy, bickering, uncultured, and low.

Thus as a whole, Andhras must now avoid bickering, avoid taking what isn’t yours, avoid idle talk with no action, avoid emotional action without thought, and avoid expedience and convenience in place of Dharma.

All is not lost…

This was once the land of Satakarni, Krishna Nayak, and Krishna Deva who sent shivers down the spines of Andhra’s and India’s enemies. They did this by raising up the banner of Dharma and seeking to unite, rather than divide and rule.  To raise ourselves up again, we must restore unity. To restore unity we must restore our culture. And to restore our culture, we must restore Dharma– in ourselves, in our samskruthi, and in the common protective nation of India. The battle for Telangana may now be over, but the Yuddham for Dharma is now begun.