Photo kind crtsy Deccanchronicle.com. Those who wish to read this newsreport, :
Click here to go to http://epaper.deccanchronicle.com/articledetailpage.aspx?id=3078114 .
World language English in Latin script: प्रपंच भाषा अंग्रेजी, रोमन स्क्रिप्ट में। ప్రపంచ భాష ఇంగ్లీషు రోమన్ స్క్రిప్టులో.
I have sat before my laptop, intending to write Part 2 of my five part series on sand dunes in rivers (pulinams पुलिन పులినములు). But a different trigger pushed me to write about gold (aurum, कांचन, सोना, స్వర్ణం, బంగారం, పసిడి ). The above linked photo relates to photo of Dr. K. Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu, being decorated with a gold bracelet, in Nellore, Residual Andhra Pradesh, India, by A.P. Gold, Silver, and Diamond Merchants Association Chief Organiser Shantilal Jain, and President K. Vijaya Kumar, at the inaugural function of their association.
ybrao-a-donkey's humble view वैबीराव गधे के विनम्र राय వైబీరావు గాడిద వినమ్ర వ్యాఖ్య
Originally, Jainism was supposed to be a lifestyle (I do not call Indian Sects as religions. They are not religions, in the style of the alien religions of West Asia and Europe, which, today, are dominating the world with their wealth, tactics of expansion and proseylitization. Hindu Sects which worship different Gods and God persons are just lifestyles. They are not organised religions having the beliefs, practices, rigid hierarchial authority structures). Jainism used to be a philosophy of complete renunciation from the worldly affairs, adopting an ascetic lifestyles, whether they continued within the frames of family life or monkhood. Strangely, historical events seem to have forced to them to adopt occupations involving money lending at market ( usurious ? ) rates of interest , and affiliated businesses of accepting pawns of gold, trading in gold, silver, diamonds, and precious stones. Anyway, we have got to live with it.
Other merchant castes, whatever name they are called by, such as Vysya, SrESHThi, Setty, kOmaTi, Gaura, Gupta, et al, have also traditionally engaged in trade of gold, silver, diamonds and precious stones.
I shall leave aside Arab, Persian, European gold and diamond merchants, who sold gold, silver and diamonds to Indian Rajas (Barons), kings and emperors. As a part of their marketing and selling strategies and techniques, they used to gift gold, silver and diamonds to Indian barons, kings and emperors. As corollaries and offshoots, they expected to receive and actually received royal favors and protections. Jahangir, Shajahan, Srikrishna Deva Rayalu, Achyuta Rayalu, Venkatapati Rayalu, Shivaji, Sambhaji, et al received such gifts and reciprocated.
Post 1947, in Independent India, politicians, top bureaucrats, Governors, have adorned the crowns of Indian barons, kings and emperors. Naturally for the Gold, Silver, Diamond Merchants, the turn has come for them to present their GSDs to the modern barons, kings, emperors i.e. bureaucrats, Governors, and politicians.
Now, can we say that, Mr. Rosaiah, Tamil Nadu Governor, receiving the gold bracelet from the GSD Merchants Assn of Residual AP, is acontinuing the custom of receiving GSDs from GSD traders and extending royal favors in quid pro quo reciprocation to them . What favors and protections our Governors can overtly or covertly extend to GSD Merchants? That Tamil Nadu Governor belonged to the same social class (caste?), to which majority of GSD merchants belong to, i.e. traditional trader Community, whether it will be material or immaterial?
Why did the GSD traders chose Tamil Nadu Governor for presenting a gold bracelet? Why didn't they chose Mr. Narasimhan, the Governor of Residual Andhra Pradesh to inaugurate their association at Nellore, which happens to be very near to Tirumala-Tirupati, regularly visited by His Highness the Governor of RAP and Telangana?
Swami Vivekananda- Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa (RKPH) सवामी विवेकानंद, Gold कांचन, కాంచనం , silver, diamonds (GSD) and women (कामिनी కాంతలు).
An impression was created that Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa,( guru of Swami Vivekananda) suffered from touch-allergy of gold. We can see a anecdotal story in this regard: A devotee of Shri RKPH wanted to test the abhorrence of Late RKPH. The devotee kept some gold under the pillows and couch on which RKPH used to sleep. Without knowing that there was gold underneath his pillows and couch, Late RKPH lied down on the bed and was immediately shocked by the touch (like an electric shock). Then that devotee came forward, lifted the couch and the pillows to show the hidden gold. All the devotees present there were greatly surprised by the renunciation of Shri RKPH.
About renunciation of gold and women (कामिनी कांचन, కాంతా కాంచనాలు), by Swami Vivekananda. himself
Swami Vivekananda, during his tour of Europe, met Prof. Deussen in Germany.
SV was consuming spirits without hesitation.
Prof. Deussen was greatly surprised because he didn't expect Indian monks to be liquor users. He expected strict abstinence and teetotallism from them.
When Prof. Deussen expressed his surprise, Swami Vivekananda clarified to him that his oath of restraint to his Guru RKPH was only against gold and women. हमारे गुरू से हमारे वादा सिर्फ कामिनी कांचन के लिये. अन्य विषयों पर नहीं. మా గురువుకి మేము చేసిన వాగ్దానం కేవలం కామినీ కాంచనాల విషయంలోనే. అన్య విషయాలలో కాదు.
Soon after that, Swami Vivekananda returned to India, sea route, via Sri Lanka.
NO HESITATION TO RECEIVE HUGE GOLD CASKET FROM RAJA OF RAMNATHAPURAM
When he reached the Southern-most tip of Madras State, he was received and felicitated by the king of Ramnathpuram. The king presented Swami Vivekananda,
a HUGE SOLID gold casket. Swami Vivekananda forgot about his pledge to his Guru RKPH about keeping distance from gold. He readily accepted the gold casket.
For proof, we shall see this PARA from his letter.
Swami Vivekananda wrote to Ms. Mary Hale from Ramnad, vide his letter dated 30th Jan. 1897:
"... The Raja of Ramnad has presented his address to "His most Holiness" in a huge casket of solid gold beautifully worked ...".
This "His most Holiness" Swami Vivekananda referred to was himself.
ybrao-a-donkey's humble view वैबीराव गधे के विनम्र राय వైబీరావు గాడిద వినమ్ర వ్యాఖ్య
Monks are Holinesses. Divine favors are expected from them direct, or indirectly as proxy for them, from Gods. Governors are Highnesses. Favors of Governance are expected from them.
Didn't Karl Marx say, that all human relationships are financial, monetary and pecuniary?
Question प्रश्न ప్రశ్న : Instead of blaming and finding fault with Highnesses (Presidents, PMs, Governors, CMs) and Holinesses (Monks and Saints), why don't you write something about yourself? Why don't you confirm that your ass (गुद, గుదము) clean is clean always?
Answer जवाब జవాబు As already clarified, writing autobiographical anecdotes may result in self-praise and criticism of others (आत्म स्तुति और पर निंदा, ఆత్మ స్తుతి మరియు పరనింద). Sometimes, in the process, we may hurt the feelings of our employers, erstwhile job-colleagues, friends and acquaintances. This may take place iadvertantly, or because truth may hurt persons. Getting hurt by truth is a human trait. For this reason only, I write in a sort of semi- incognito.
Anyway, here is an autobiographical anecdote. I am not disclosing any names, to safeguard privacy of others.
When I was undergoing training as a Bank Officer in a Rayala Seema town, at the end of my tenure in that town, my Bank Manager invited me to a private one-to-one dinner at his residence. Just before I was to throw into my mouth, the first cud of my rice bolus of which I was very fond of, he said: "Do you know, why did I call you for a dinner? Do you think that you are a special and very efficient person? No, not."
I paused, indecisive to reply in what manner, because it was a most unexpected question from my boss.
He said: "Remember, you are going to work in this Bank in different capacities. Whenever somebody calls you for a dinner, do not forget that he would come next day to the Bank with a request for a favour. He may ask you for a draft without charging commission, or to release a Lorry Receipt without collecting the bill amount. ...".
In those days, Bank Managers had authority and discretion, to waive commission keeping in view the future businesses which can be expected from the applicant. This authority was withdrawn later. By giving his advice, my boss opened my eyes.
Whether he followed his advice or not, I followed my boss's advice meticulously in my career. Knowing my nature, no customer invited me for dinner. Nor, did I give any dinners/lunches/parties to any Government Official/Corporate customer, for getting favours to Bank from them.
One or two drink parties which I attended later, with my subsequent seniors and bosses, also ended up to be rather unpleasant affairs for me, and an opportunity for party-hosts to heckle at me , while my seniors and bosses enjoyed. Later, knowing that I shall not be useful to them, my seniors and bosses stopped taking me with them, to parties hosted by customers, or given by Bank Managers to Collectors, etc.
A rule in our Bank stipulated that Officers should not accept any gifts from customers, other than flowers and fruits, small articles of no / very low monetary value. The idea was to discourage corruption. In those days, corruption in Govt. Banks in India, used to be very low (except in Loan Departments), reasons not important here. Though there was no corruption, unintentional delays used to be common, and customers used to be made to run from pillar to posts. Even now, the same is the situation, according to my perception, as a retired Officer and as an outsider.
Once, as a part of my habit, I handled a problem of a customer as soon as it came up, applying a flexible mind to rules and did his work very fast, unasked by him or anybody, as against the normal Public Sector Banks and Government Offices practice of sending a non-routine, non-monotonous-daily-problem, through a tunnel of ABCD technique. A = Avoid, B = Pass on the Buck, C = Confuse, D = Delay. Pushing the problem upward or downward, or sidewards or confusing the public, or delaying was common. Govt. employees and PSB employees in India are expected to deposit their brains in a rack in their home, before attending their offices, come to Office, blindly follow the dictates of the bosses, go back in the evening, take out the brain from the almyrah and insert it, into his-her skull.
Surprised at the speed and unasked work done by me and my assistant, the son of that aged customer visited our Bank and unnecessarily-profusely thanked me. Then it came out, that he happened to be a Police Head Constable. He said: "...In our Department, work will not move, on its own, without follow up. You have to follow up the matter every day from desk to desk. I have come here thinking that I have to revolve around your Section at least for two months. ..."
He asked for my home address and wanted to see me at my home. Normally, I did not meet customers at home, before doing their work or after doing their work, because such need never arose for me. As he was persistent, I gave my card. Next Sunday, he turned up at my home and offered me Rs. 500/-, saying that he was giving it out of his pleasure. I returned the money saying that it was not a custom in our bank. I told him jocularly (in a lighter vein) that our Bank has a rule that we should not accept anything other than flowers and fruits, and if he was so particular that he should gift something to me, he might give me one or two mangoes.
The Police Head Constable went out and returned with a cardboard box of about a dozen or two dozen mangoes. I was expecting him to give one or two mangoes at a later date. But in fifteen minutes, he brought a box of mangoes.
There was nobody in my house to eat so many mangoes. I was worried, what to do with them.
That box of mangoes, if they were gifted when I was aged 16, in dire poverty and starvation in 1965-66-67, with four younger brothers to share and fighting for one small mango, it would have immensely delighted me. But, not Now in 2000, with acidity, mangoes are unwelcome.
In spite of my best efforts, I could not force the Policeman to take back his box of mangoes. Leaving the mangoes to my fate, he left.
Shortly, came a friend of mine, as a part of a friendly drop-in. Seeing the mangoes box, he asked me at what price and where I bought/brought the mangoes. To him, I narrated the whole story of gifting by the policman.
Hearing me, my friend could not restrain himself from laughing and laughing, as if he was taking part in a World Laughter Day. Finally, he said: "Don't eat these mangoes. Don't believe that this policeman who gifted you these mangoes, bought them, paying from his pocket. Nay. They get these mangoes FREE or at a throw-away price from the foot-path sellers or fruit-cart-vendors , as a part of police mamool, and threatening them with cases for obstructing traffic, if they refuse to yield. If you eat these sinful mangoes, you will become a partner in his guilt.
This story is only 40% complete. I am leaving it, as I am apprehensive that it may result in self-praise.
IMPORTANT NOTE AND CLARIFICATION
This criticism made by me against the Banks, Govt. Offices, Police Dept., Police Head Constable, Governor of Tamil Nadu, Gold Silver Diamond Merchants Association are not to be viewed as any malicious vitriolic fault finding against them. After all, they are all, including me, slaves of this monstrous Capitalist System. Unless, it is replaced by Enlightened Democratic Total Socialism, radical changes cannot be brought out. That Total Socialism, though may appear to be impractical utopian dream, we as a poor country of 1.3 billion people have to move on for a better future. Singapore models of Chandra Babu Naidu, Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley will not solve our nearly-unsolvable problems. Resorting to Singapore model will be like, unable to bear heat, falling from a hot-pan into the stove.
This is in continuation of our blog posts 704, and 706. Our Shri Lakshmi Narayanaji, in his Vibrant India Speech, Click link to download an mp3 of the speech in Telugu, if you have not already done) like a good samaritan, wishes that our youth should stay away from vices (Telugu: vyasanams వ్యసనాలు). In his speech he has also referred to youth standing before counters of wineshops. It is a great thing that our Shri Lakshmi Narayanaji gave a timely advice to our youth not to enter into addictions and obsessions. Our rulers (M.L.As., M.Ps., State Ministers and Central Ministers) also should have done that, but they prefer to drench our Citizens, particularly youth with alcohol. In alcohol consumption, Andhra Pradesh is one of the top States in India. We shall, now , see the GRAY AREA No. 2 from our Role Model Shri Swami Vivekananda. Let us not forget that our Shri Lakshmi Narayana GAru wants to produce a number of Vivekanandas.
