"What are blots? What are flashes"

Gopichand’s novel “Merupula marakalu” ( Blots of Flashes ) shows the conflict between animal self and higher self in human. In the course of history, humans made monogamy as the virtue out of necessity. From the tribal society where relations between man and woman were relatively free to the present times when they are coercive in a sense , humanity has walked a long distance. These relations are man made and can be broken based on their consent. Anna Karenina in Tolstoy’s novel commits suicide unable to break free from religious shackles which prevented her from getting divorce from her husband. Polyandry, polygamy, monogamy , trial marriages, single parenthood—the society has been moving. Patriarchal family which has replaced matriarchal family become a norm to sustain the private property in the same lineage.
Usha Rani’s conflict has been due to her irrepressible sexuality and individuality versus monogamous norm. she hasn’t found her soul mate in spite of her legal marriage to Ramanujam, a lawyer and her affairs with Chakravarthy (a journalist), Sri Kant and Kmalakaram , husband of sister of Sri Kant. She has flouted family norms, gave happiness, deceived her lovers, felt poetic emotions, practiced coquetry, saw the chauvinism of men, their hypocrisy, pathetic dependence , violent temperament. In her deviation from the lower circle of desires, she has been reaching for higher circle of consciousness as Gopichand tries to portray.Her restlessness makes her a yogini in the Himalayas at the end after she has gone through the ordeal of internal and external journey. She doesn’t agree that love can be only with one person at a time whereas all her male friends except Kamala karam see it as a bond of pleasure rather than a means of freedom from narrowness. They excuse their infidelities but not hers. But she corners them with her glib tongue and asks them to justify their own secret pleasures with her violating so called family norms. Chakravarthy realizes his folly when he meets with an accident and his wife serves him to make him normal.
Gopichand’s discussion of psychological theories of Freud, Havelock Ellis and others through dialogues between Usharani and Kamalakaram reveal that the author is not treating sex as a taboo unlike the earlier authors who romanticized love and family system. The novel has caused sensation when it was published as a serial and Gopichand’s poetic description of Usharani, her feelings, the historical places and the Himalayas shows another aspect of this ‘Vedana jeevi’ ( creature of anguish) at the stifling nature and stupidity of the old morals.
The author reveals how people bound by norms suffer like flies in ointment .
People mouth morals in spite of nurturing lust in their hearts as shown in the behaviour of Chandravadanulu, an old poet.

The fall made one man a yogi Vemana or Tulsidas.
The ‘fall’ made Usha Rani to become a Yogini in the Himalayas.

One also likes to ask, “Need one become a saint as a penance to expression of one’s desire? Is it Indian palliative?

Karunasri's poem

Prince! In the palaces grand
You swing in the flowery swings
In the shadows of the queen's eyes
thrilled over smiling cheeks of the baby
Open your eyes ! no more sleep

Don't be angry
For disturbing your sleep or
Estranging you from the edge of your love’s saree
Merge your heart
Not just in your love’s heart
But in ‘Udayasri’ that awakens
The flowers of hearts of folks asleep.

Sweet paradise found in
Your love is not the sole aim
The wretched are crying
Go along with your wife
to wipe out their tears
you could find heavens crores and crores.

Become the Buddha and awaken the sleepy,
Give up your life for elevating peace, love and Dharma
Service to humanity alone leads to enlightenment
Cleanse the world old
In nectarine streams of love and affection.

Arise, awake! and drive the chariot
On the path of peace
Fill the mornings of new life
As the circle of light whole
Tie up the ribbons of welfare
With love as a thread
In the hearts of humanity frail like flower.

While life is throbbing in throat
Stream out tears from the eyes of the lamb
Under the butcher’s sword
Embrace it! Cajole and remove its agony!


The moon of compassion !
Turn this earth into heaven
And halahal ( poison) in to nectar
Rain rasa of love over the world!
While the shine of crown of Ahimsa
Radiate all corners.

   Gist of poems on  Freedom from  Tagore's Gitanjali  

.The poet’s heart aches at slavery but is ashamed of hoping for freedom. He clings to the tinsels and  shroud of dust and death even though He is the poet’s best friend and has priceless wealth. Though the poet’s debts are large and shame heavy, he is afraid of the granting of prayer by God.     

 The poet is building the wall of ego around him and his true being is buried in its dark shadow.

The prisoner says that he is greedy and swallowed what he owed to the  lord and slept on the latter’s bed overpowered by sleep. He woke as   a  prisoner. He forged a chain with great labour to rule the world with his invincible power and at last he found himself enchained.

 Mundane love is a bondage and possessive  whereas divine love is free. The latter waits even though the poet doesn’t pray or keep Him in his heart. 

.During the day time they come and seek  a small corner and small share of grace and act meek but in the night they snatch the offerings to God with unholy greed.

 The poet wants to awaken  his country into a heaven of freedom where one finds- fearless mind, self-respect,  free knowledge, truthful words, universalism, untiring  effort  for perfection, clear and living stream of reason and expanding empires  of mind and action.

.The poet prays to lord to root out penury in his heart. He also prays for strength to have equanimity, service with love, stand upright for the poor and against the insolence of the mighty, broadmindedness, and to bring  surrender to is will.

 The poet prays to God to offer  merely on dry heart , a burst of songs  to graceless life, peace and rest to clear the dire of daily routine, the visit of a King into closed heart. The poet prays to the holy one to come with his light and thunder when mind is swayed by delusion and dust.

 The poet’s heart has remained arid without the a sign of  cloud  or cool distant shower.  He wants to face the God to remove dark despair and wants for cloud of grace ( that looks like tearful look of a mother) on the day of His  wrath.

 The poet is impressed  by   God’s wristlet studded with stars and many coloured jewels.   He is more impressed by His sword with its curve of lightening like Garuda poised in the russet coloured evening sky.  It shakes like the pure flame that burns the dross.

The poet was abegging when he saw the King of Kings  appearing in a chariot and the poet has hoped for wealth unasked and received a little grain. The poet came home and found a little grain of gold when he emptied his bag. He  wept and regretted  if only he had the heart   to give his all. 

TRIBUTE TO RADHAKRISHNAN, THE NOBLE TEACHER

     Sarvepalli Radhakrishan’s  name stands as a lighthouse in the annals of Indian history. He has given  value to the profession of teaching. He used to prepare assiduously before he gave lectures to the students. His lectures used to be heard by his peers from other departments. He mesmerized the audience at Cambridge with his astonishing memory which  helped him lecture without the help of any notes.

His writings make him stand apart from others. His powers of synthesis and precise style were phenomenal. He sees religion in rational light and opposes bigotry of any kind.   He  champions the multicultural world and sees the world civilization as a mosaic.

 Radhakrishnan served the cause of education as an eminent professor, Vice chancellor of Andhra university who brought  eminent professors from  other countries and through his  addresses at the convocations of various  universities.

Radhakrishnan’s works on philosophy, religion  stand testimony to his profound love for  Indian civilization and its contribution to the well being of the world. They would certainly nourish the reader’s mind, widen  and deepen his knowledge and give wisdom to distinguish the eternal from the ephemeral   truths.

The person who made teaching profession noble has been sadly neglected by the Nobel committee. He had not craved for power though the latter sought him. He saw power as a responsibility. He was the ambassador of Indian  philosophy to the land of Soviet Union. Now it’s common knowledge that how Radhakrishan  melted  the iron man of Russia through his understanding  mind and gesture.

His relevance to the modern day teacher is his qualities such as  his passionate  search and acquisition of knowledge, powerful articulation, prolific writings   and  treating   power as a pious responsibility.     

Hope his legacy will increase the value of the discipline of  humanities and teaching  in the era of globalization.