“…… The boy is a soft-ware engineer in Bangalore. I got the bio-data from the marriage bureau. I spoke to the boy on telephone. I think this alliance would be settled. I learn that they are not keen on dowry. They said that if the girl is qualified to be a soft-ware engineer in the States, they are satisfied.

“There is a possibility of his going to the states within one year. You are a native of that place; I learn. If you go there once and find details about the boy’s background we will proceed in the matter about Divya.”

Sivarajam who was a scientist in B.D.L.(Bharath Detonators Limited)  went on requesting Chandramouli on the telephone for nearly half-an-hour.

“Okay-let it be so. I too have some research work there. I will be around that place for two or three days. I’ll visit their place also. Okay. Definitely…” Chandramouli put the receiver down.

Chandramouli left for Jagtial the same evening.

He went to his friend, Ramesham, who lived in the Mission compound. Chandramouli opened the topic of the alliance in a casual manner. Ramesham telephoned five or six people and collected the information.

“The boy’s father Lasmaiah weaves cloth for Katakam Lingaiah for wages. The boy has a younger brother and two sisters. They boy is the only educated person in the family. The two sisters roll beedis. The younger brother failed in the degree course.” Ramesham gave the details.

“I have some work there in the poultry farm. Let us go there after eating our meal,” said Ramesham.

Ramesham and Chandramouli went there on a motor bike after food. The black topped road was shimmering. Green fields attracted their attention all sides. Also fruit gardens. The breeze was cool and Chandramouli enjoyed the ride. They stopped at the poultry from.

“Oh god! Did we reach the place so soon! Hardly half-an-hour ago we left our village,” Chandramouli expressed his surprise.

“The road is fine. So we could reach soon,” said Ramesham, praising the Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu.

In earlier days it used to take two hours to reach this place on motor bike. The road was slushy, full of ruts and pits, we had to push the vehicle in the sands of the streams.” Ramesham continued.

“Namasthe, sir.” Gangadharam, the owner of the poultry farm welcomed them courteously.

Details about the fowls, the production of eggs, their feed, their ailments, the care to be taken about the chicks were discussed by them. Chandramouli got his doubts cleared as the conversation went on.

Chandramouli was glad that many trees were grown around the poultry farm. Gangadharam took Chandramouli around the farm.

“Shall I get you date palm toddy, brother-in-law? Sri Chandramouli has come from the city. Should he not taste the village speciality?” Gangadhar .......   suggested.

“This gentleman is not used to any of these drinks. As for me I am on a fast for half-a-day,” replied Ramesham.

After a while they sat under the coconut trees by the side of the rose garden. Ramesham opened the topic.

“A number of alliances have been suggested for Ravi. The parents of girls have been visiting and going. Not a single alliance has come up to the stage of the young people taking a look at each other”, said Gangadharam.

“Yes, why is it so?” questioned Ramesham.

“What is there to be told about him? For his parents, brother and sisters, he is the only important person in the family. In order to educate him his sisters were made to stop their studies at the seventh form and were sent to make beedis. If he reaches the level of going to America, his sister should be married to atleast teachers. In these days which teacher would prefer a girl who has studied only upto the seventh class? They want a girl who is equally qualified. That is why he is keen on finding teachers for them by offering big dowries. His idea is good but in these days who will agree to spend their earnings for the house for seven or eight years? More than the girl, the parents of the girls have not been accepting this proposition. The boy will live in Bangalore or America thinking that marrying a girl from the weaver’s family itself was  a great concession. Even if the daughter and son-in-law are happy, how to run the big family? Such were the questions and doubts that arose”, Gangadhar explained how each alliance went its way.

Chandramouli was surprised at the ideals and determination of the young man and appreciated his outlook.

“When the boy is working in Bangalore why should the father weave for wages? Why doesn’t he own his loom?” asked Chandramouli.

“He tells me to stop working. He wants me to stop weaving at the loom for good. But my brother does not heed his words. He says that he will not stop weaving on the loom which gave him food all these years. If we ask him to own a loom, he says that he is not prepared to undergo all the bother connected with owning a loom and selling the yarn to seths. He said with definiteness that he would weave for wages and would not possess a loom himself.”

“Perhaps it would have been good if he had a poultry farm like you,” suggested Chandramouli.

“Maintaining a poultry farm is a risky proposition. How will my brother manage something which is so risky? Is it possible for the man to run a poultry farm who did not want to possess a loom for himself? I am afraid he has become philosophical. Once my brother had his own loom. He had a good name around ten villages that he wove fine sarees. People from different and far off places used to meet him, give advances and get their sarees woven by him. Now dogs have carried away those days….. The lives of all weavers have fallen on bad days.” Gangadhar remembered the old days and grew sullen and  pensive.

“I went along with him for the EAMCET counselling. I paid the fee myself. Of course he returned all dues after he secured a job,” concluded Gangadhar.

“This gentleman has also come in connection with finding an alliance. His close friend’s daughter is to be married. Her father is an important officer. But the girl has a squint. If she wears glasses the squirt is not observed. She is of normal complexion and is not fair,” Ramesham gave the facts.

“That fellow is not very particular about such things. If you are satisfied it is okay. I will make him agree to the match. He will not say ‘no’ to me. Did I, at any time, say ‘no’ to you? If you feel that the match can be considered favourably after learning all the facts about the girl and the family, let us make the boy say ‘yes’….” He turned to Chandramouli,” Have a look at their house, I’ll take you there,” he offered.

They started walking, leaving the bike there. Chandramouli felt elated and excited at the vegetable and flower plants which looked green and fresh.

The looms situated in homes were making noises as the shafts moved this way and that across the loom. “I think there are a number of looms in this village,” said Chandramouli.

“Not many. May be there are about sixty looms. But only twenty or twenty five persons are weaving. They too are weaving for wages with the master weaver. They are making towels and lungis mostly. Sarees only now and then. Sarees of eight or nine yards length are not available in the market so they are woven on orders.”

“How many families live here?” asked Chandramouli to satisfy his curiosity.

“Twenty years ago there were hundred families. If they all had lived here by now they would have grown into three hundred families by the lowest estimation. But now there may be fifty houses. The others left seeking employment and livelihood to different places – not one place, not on one particular job.” Gangadhar again fell into a pensive mood recollecting past events.

A cat jumped out of a window, eighteen inches high, with a mouse clutched in the mouth.

“There’s no one in that house now. The owners of that house built a house in Jagtial. No one is prepared to buy this house. It costs fifty lakh rupees to construct a house like this. No one in willing to buy the house along with the site.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Who’s living in villages now, sir? Moreover the owners had laid a condition that the house should not be dismantled but retained as it is. A lamp should be kept burning in the house. The open space before the house should be cleaned, watered and a pattern with lime stone powder should be drawn. They are not selling it for want of money. The wood of the house alone fetches fifty thousand rupees. They were born and bred in that house. The house proved auspicious to them in all respects. It is a house where goddess Lakshmi lives. In these days even if you offer two lakh rupees such a good house would not be available. When a party wanted to buy it for thirty five thousand rupees and use the house the as a cattle shed, the owners did not sell it,” informed Gangadhar.

“What does the owner of the house do?”

“What do they lack, sir? They are four brothers doing four different kinds of jobs. The eldest is a whole-sale cloth merchant in Jagtial. The second brother runs his real estate business covering the area between Jagtial up to Hyderabad. The third runs a bar cum restaurant. The youngest is a M.A., B.Ed. and runs a school in Jagtial. There are eight hundred students in the school. The two acres of land purchased outside the town for the school fetches two thousand rupees a yard if sold as plots. When young they worked hard. Now they maintain cars. When they were young all these brothers wove yarn with their father. In those days four looms used to be working in their house….”

In some homes there was no movement of people.

“Why are these houses silent?”

“They are the houses of Kapus. They all have gone to fields to cultivate lands. They will be returning in a short time.”

A few yards beyond the houses of the Kapus, the sounds of working looms were again heard.

“This is the house of Ravi Prakash. Please walk in,” said Gangadhar, going in.

“Gangadhar has come,” said Lachumbai addressing her husband Lasmaiah. She stopped her work of spinning the yarn on the charaka on the pial. She placed the cot on the pial removing the charaka and other items. She spread a bed cover on the cot, brought an old wooden chair and pushed aside the beedi leaves cut by her daughters.

Lasmaiah came out of the pit at his loom and adjusted his dhoti folds, wiped his face with a towel and put on the shirt which was hung to the peg of the loom.

Lasmaiah came out and greeted Ramesham saying “namaste.”

The house resembled a factory. The smell of ganjee emanated from the pot. 

The long wooden planks and the thick adjusting brush were placed leaning on the wall. A saree was put to dry on a cot against the wall. The loom pit was clearly visible. The other items used for weaving were all in the room. There was a window at a height of about a foot and a half above the ground. Good breeze was blowing into the room from the window. Sun light dazzled on the cloth that was being woven on the loom.

“Where did your children go?” asked Ramesham.

“They said they would spend some time with their friends. They took with them the beedi leaves,” replied Lachumbai.

She placed cow dung cakes in the mud oven, lighted the dried sticks with kerosene and started making tea.

“What brings you here?” asked Lasmaiah.

Gangadhar and Ramesham explained the purpose of their visit.

Lasmaiah was happy that a big officer from Hyderabad came to the village seeking an alliance. His face blossomed forth like a full blown flower.

“ If your son goes to America, you too have to go there. If the son and daughter-in-law go to their jobs, you will have to live in America looking after your grandsons and grand daughters.” said Ramesham smiling.

“Why? Are there no children here? There is another younger son here. We will not go to America, not only America, we will not leave this village and go elsewhere. Anyway he will live there for five or six years and come back to our country. He said he would be there till sisters are married and till we buy a house in the city,” informed Lasmaiah.

“Before they go to America, everyone says so. Once they are used to the comforts of America, no one returns,” said Ramesham smiling.

Lachumbai brought tea for them all. Her two daughters ran home learning that some visitors had come to their house.

“This is the elder one, this the younger,” Lasmaiah introduced his two daughters to the visitors.

The eyes of the girls glowed with the pride that their brother was working as an engineer in Bangalore apart from the innocence they reflected in their eyes. They looked again and again at the photograph of the girl which their father held in his hand.

Chandramouli knew that talking in a manner that would be appropriate with the situation and status of a person was an art. “They are also not greatly propertied. Their father also wove cloth once. They are also not very rich. You are also not poor. They came up in life twenty five years ago by getting educated. Your boy came up in life now. They too lived like you in earlier days. Why talk only of them? We all lived like that”, said Chandramouli.

Chandramouli reminisced his past. He wove cloth in one session of the day and attended college in the other session. His parents also worked hard. He spoke of all those experiences in a friendly manner.

Lasmaiah glanced at his wife and his children. He guessed that they liked what Chandramouli said.

“Did your son telephone to you?” asked Ramesham.

“He telephoned yesterday. He informed that the girl, according to reports, had a slight squint. ‘Someone from their side may visit you. If they like our family and our house and if you feel that things will be okay, go and meet them if they invite you' said my son,” explained Lasmaiah.

“What about gifts and other presentations?” Ramesham wanted to know.

Lachumbai interfered saying that Lasmaiah will not talk about these things.

“We are trying for a match for our first girl. One of them is likely to be fixed. The boy had not yet got a government job. It may take another five or six months. They are demanding four. The other expenses will reach one or more. We are looking for a match for our boy so that the first girl’s marriage also would be celebrated with his dowry”, explained Lachumbai. She was happy that she quoted one more than what the boy’s people had demanded.

Chandramouli calculated that the total would come to five. Sivarajam was ready to spend nearly eight or ten for his daughter Divya’s marriage. If the present boy is going to be available for such a reasonable amount, he could as well offer his own daughter. His daughter was studying B.Tech in the final year. She was more impressive looking than Divya. He was a little worried and agitated. Chandramouli felt that he should have brought the photograph of his daughter also.

Ramesham and Chandramouli went out and had some discussion. Chandramouli spoke to Sivarajam, the girl’s father. He handed over the mobile to Ramesham. Ramesham and Gangadhar described and explained the details. Gangadhar spoke to Ravi Prakash also. Later they all returned to the pial and sat on the cot comfortably.

“Then, when do you go to see the girl? Their addresses in this visiting card. Take Gangadhar with you and take a look at the girl,” said Ramesham.

“That means, you are keeping away. You are the important person. How can we go without you?’ said Lasmaiah who knew how Ramesham managed things. Can I escape if you insist on my going? “ smiled Ramesham.

Both the parties guessed that the match would get fixed.

~*~

Two months later the marriage of Ravi Prakash with Divya, the daughter of B.D.L. Sivarajam, was celebrated on a grand scale in Hyderabad. But Lachumbai and Lasmaiah were not happy with the marriage that was celebrated in a hurly burly manner. Their son arrived five days before the marriage saying he could not get leave. There was not much time to go through the many formalities and rituals connected with the marriage. They did not at all feel that the wedding took place in their house. Sivarajam sent the bride-groom and the bride on honeymoon three days after the marriage. Lasmaiah did not appreciate this going around places when the daughter’s marriage was to be celebrated a few days hence. Ramesham consoled the old man.

“In our younger days weddings took place when the boy and the girl were hardly fifteen years old. For every festival the young couple were moving between both the families. In that manner relationships were growing and acquaintances were made. People knew each other in course of time. Now marriages are taking place when the boy and the girl are grown up. They are being sent on honeymoon so the boy and the girl could know each other. That means they are being encouraged to love each other after their marriage. By the by, we are all there to help you for your daughter’s marriage.” Ramesham spoke words of courage.

Fifteen days later the marriage of Lasmaiah’s elder daughter, Vijaya, was celebrated in the village as desired by her father with fan fare and music. Ravi Prakash spent money freely for the dowry and other expenses as directed by Ramesham and others. Divya observed all the details and proceedings curiously.

Five days before the marriage the deity Pochamma was worshipped and dinner was served to all guests, sacrificing a he-goat. Divya felt it strange that Lasmaiah and Gangadhar uncle should themselves do all the cooking.

Lasmaiah wove the wedding saree for his daughter Vijaya himself. Gangadhar performed the special ritual of Vijaya being ‘made the bride’ two days before the marriage. He sent his daughter who was studying ninth class as the brides-maid to follow the bride.

Pots were decorated with lime and lime patterns and the ‘Irendla pooja’ was performed. Seven earthern ovens were dug. In olden days these huge earthen ovens were got ready for the guests who used to arrive on bullock carts for marriages as they would be dust ridden. Firewood from the forest was brought to boil water for bathing. Grain was stored in huge pots. Those traditions are being followed now also as emblems of the past practices.

The branch of “Andugu” tree was brought with music and it was fixed before the house. A platform was constructed with mud. Married women performed pooja to the well and brought water in brass pots. They made Kooraallu, the pooja of the new pots. “Irendlu” pots were taken to Pochamma temple with music and brought back after worship there. They walked to the temple of Pochamma holding a bed cover on their heads and returned holding the cloth like an umbrella. No one of them knew why this ritual was being followed. If someone suggested that a certain thing should be done, doing it had become a tradition. The family dhobi performed the ritual of mitigating the evil angel's influence with  cooked rice mixed with kumkum as they entered the house.

Women consider this ritual as very important. The married women ground turmeric into powder in grinding stones.

A marriage pandal was erected at the doorstep with coconut leaves. The pandal was decorated with coloured papers and different designs. 

The gold mangala sutras and the silver rings for the toes of the bride which were got made by the goldsmith were brought with band music and burning camphor. Songs on the loudspeakers were heard all by over the village. The dhobis and the barbers* prepared the bridegroom “Mylapolu” go through the saved bath before marriage cermoney.

The bridegroom was met half way with band music when he was coming from the Markandeya temple and the bride’s party  followed him. When the groom’s party and the bride’s party faced each other the exchange of pasupu, kumkuma between the parties and mutual offering of sugar to be eaten by both the members were gone through.

Later the process of giving away the girl to the groom’s party…. No one knows why this ritual of cumin seeds and jagery paste being placed on the heads of the young ones became more important than the actual marriage celebration. The bride groom and the bride were made to press down the feet of the other by turns. They were made to taste each other’s saliva and eats. The saree and the dhoti end were tied into a knot. In broad day light at noon the Arundhati star was shown to the couple by the priest after the marriage ceremony. Cotton seeds were made to be spread by the couple. The groom and the bride went round thrice holding a balance in their hands. Ravi Prakash wondered why his marriage in Hyderabad was not celebrated with all these rituals. Gangadhar explained that each village or place will have its characteristic traditions at these celebrations.

In the evening the ritual of handing over the bride to the groom’s parents took place. The marriage pandal, which till then presented a joyous atmosphere suddenly turned gloomy and dignified. The bride’s parents placed dried date fruits in the hands of the bridegroom, his parents and the bridegroom’s father’s brothers and shed tears. The bride, Vijaya, could not control her tears and cried aloud. Some one wiped her tears. She touched the feet of all the elders saying, ‘I’ll get going’.

The bride was about to move along with her husband. The bride’s brothers stopped the couple from going. They smiled and protested saying that their sister cannot be taken away. Chandramouli recalled Rukmini’s marriage* when he saw this argument taking place. Everyone witnessed happily this scene being enacted by the sons of Gangadhar and Ravi Prakash. The boys demanded five thousand rupees to be given to them for allowing their sister to be taken away. The amount was finally brought down to five hundred rupees. The father of the groom placed the money in their hands and asked them to be satisfied with it. With that this particular ritual ended. Then these young men carried the groom in their arms to the car. The procession reached the outskirts of the village with band music. Some young men danced while the procession was moving out. Ravi Prakash also danced with them for some time.

Lasmaiah and Lachumbai appreciated the good arrangements made by Gangadhar and Ramesham and said the arrangements far exceeded their expectations. Two days after the marriage they went to the groom’s house for the return dinner. On the third day presentations to the groom’s mother etc. Again non-vegetarian dinner. Gifts were exchanged between the relatives of both the parties, to the women and men folk of both the families. Lasmaiah and Ravi Prakash presented new clothes to Gangadhar and Ramesham for over-seeing the arrangements for the marriage and touched their feet in reverence. Divya also touched the feet of everyone there. She showed keen interest in what went on and enjoyed the proceedings.

Four days later Ravi Prakash and Divya left for Bangalore. Three months later he left for the States. Divya received her visa after four months.

The rest of the story is known to all. So I will give brief details.

The alliance for the younger sister of Ravi Prakash was settled after one year. He bore the entire expenditure for the wedding but made it clear that he will not be able attend the marriage personally. As Divya was with him in the States for only one year and as the expenses for them both to come and go would be very high, it would be impossible for them to attend the marriage. They explained again and again the position on the phone.

At the marriage people began to comment that Ravi Prakash had become an American and that he and his wife would behave like that thereafter. Lasmaiah and Lachumbai reconciled to the situation and consoled themselves thinking people would talk like that out of jealousy for the prosperity their son enjoyed. Their very close relations themselves could not bear the news that Ravi Prakash bought a car for eight lakh rupees.

Some years later Ravi Prakash secured a transport agency for his brother taking the help of his friends in India. That firm had been running well.

Limbadri of their village who was a wholesale cloth merchant in Jagitial came forward, offering his daughter in marriage to the second son of Lasmaiah. The old couple could not believe the offer for they felt it a great honour which came by most unexpectedly.

Gangadhar and Ramesham again acted the ‘marriage elders’.

“What is great about me, I am a big businessman to-day. But once I worked on a salary of ten rupees a month. Your son became a big businessman with his lorry transport quickly. It is all because of your elder son. Alliance with you is something known to every one as a good alliance” convinced Limbadri.

The marriage was settled after discussions held during two months. It was three years by then after Ravi Prakash had gone to the States. Ravi and his wife too wanted to visit India. Chandramouli’s daughter Praveen, who had gone to the States to do her M.S. also came to India as her marriage too was fixed.

Everyone appreciated Ravi Prakash during the two marriage celebrations.

Ravi Prakash pointed at his wife and said the credit went to her.

“I advanced the money to buy the house from my salary. The money sent home was mostly from the salary of your daughter-in-law,” Ravi Prakash told his parents.

Many felt jealous towards the daughter-in-law. The elders blessed her saying she was the “Mahalakshmi” of the family. Youngsters touched her feet. Divya was moved at the affection and regard shown by the relatives belonging to the village. Divya who was with child appeared more beautiful than ever what with people appreciating her.

Ravi Prakash applied for the pass port for his parents. Going back to the States they requested again and again the old couple to visit the States. Gangadhar and Ramesham took Lasmaiah and Lachumbai to Madras twice. They paid four thousand and six hundred rupees for each of them by draft and went to Madras on the scheduled date.

On the first occasion they did not know what to talk and how in the American Consulate and were confused. Visas for them were rejected. For the second trip the old couple were given training. Yet the old couple said they would not go. They felt very much humiliated with the tests. Gangadhar and Ramesham appealed to them to make the visit and looked after the papers. At last the visas were got ready at Madras. Ravi Prakash got the flight tickets reserved and sent them to the parents.

Lasmaiah and Lachumbai left in cars with four huge suitcases to the airport accompanied by Limbadri, Ramesham and Chandramouli. The Sivarajams met them at the Hyderabad airport. All other close relatives also met them there. The old couple’s eyes moistened on seeing them all together. The daughters shed tears. After a wait of two hours they boarded the plane.

The clouds were beneath them as the plane flew in the sky. As they passed Bombay and London, they felt as though they were passing through ‘deva loka’, the world of the gods.

As they got off the flight, their son Ravi Prakash was there to receive them. The joy of the parents knew no bounds as they travelled in their son’s car.

They could not but appreciate and praise the good roads and the pleasant surroundings.

The house of Ravi Prakash was beautiful. It looked like the spacious houses seen in movies. The house was built on a eight hundred yard site. The beauty of the house was never imagined in real life or even in a dream.

One day Lasmaiah asked Divya what the rent was for the house. She suggested that he should ask her husband.

“I told you I paid an advance for the house. I have to pay rent every month for fifteen years.” Informed Ravi Prasad.

“Will it be ten lakh rupees?” enquired Lachimbai.

“It is a crore and twenty lakh rupees” replied Ravi Prakash taking the hand of his mother endearingly.

His mother could not guess the value of the figure given by her son.

“This is the result of the arrival of the first daughter-in-law into our house” said the old woman blessing them both.

After a month Divya was delivered of a baby girl. The old parents were happy at the birth of a baby girl.

Divya went back to work even before the expiry of a month after the delivery. With the birth of the baby a new chapter was opened.

The American play commenced now.

The family changed beyond imagination for the reason that one member of the family was highly educated!

The old couple thought that they have now an American grand daughter. They repeated the words ‘American grand-daughter’ again and again.

Ever since the birth of the baby, the girl's parents, their son and daughter, sons-in-law, Chandramouli, Ramesham or some one from India were telephoning to them and the telephonic conversation between India and America kept going three or four times every week. The old couple felt as if all their relatives were in the next street.

On a week-end four or five friends sat together in the house of Ravi Prakash. They discussed many things. Divya also took part in the discussion.

Amarender, the close friend of Ravi Prakash, was often finding fault with Ravi Prakash, in all seriousness though smilingly.

“I’ve been telling you from the beginning not to buy a house. You are converting money into dead capital by paying rent for fifteen years,” said Amarender.

“Skies have not fallen on our heads! How old are we? All of us are just thirty plus. I am only twenty seven. Some of my classmates in India have not been employed even now. Anyway we have to pay a thousand dollars as rent for a house. We are paying another seven hundred as extra amount. Okay. Forget, what has been done. What do you propose for the future?” said Divya.

Praveen’s husband Parthasarathi said that he was not prepared to take a risk so soon.

“What is life without taking a risk? You can’t drive a car without taking a risk. Show me the place where there is no risk. Are these jobs permanent? This is not India,” said Viswender Reddy, a friend.

“My husband says so in the beginning. But later he is the first to do things” said Praveena smiling.

“How long should we lead lives like employees in a routine manner and live a life of boredom? We should embark on some adventure. We should start some venture on our own. Why should we not reach a higher stage in life than this?” suggested Amarender.

“Why should we not start a software company? Three hundred dollars are sufficient for registration. Could we not establish an institution, so many as we are? Don’t we have that strength? Is it impossible if all of us joined hands?” Vinod argued.

Finally they all agreed to start a soft-ware company with Divaya as M.D.  Though Divya rejected the idea of her being made the M.D. there was a glow in her face. Parthasarathi felt as though he was being bogged down in a mire.

“Be brave. Forget the past. We have taken another step towards a new paradigm. We will succeeded surely. Hereafter a new chapter opens in our lives….” said Vijay enthusiastically.

The telephone. Divya received the call. It was Chandramouli. Divya briefly explained the proposal they had discussed. She asked him for his suggestions. Chandramouli was very happy. She pressed the speaker to be heard by all.

“In olden days it was next to impossible to get a teacher’s job. In your generation some of you could go to States. When I observe you and your enthusiasm I am reminded of Lala Lajapathi Roy, Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, A.K.Ramanujam, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and others. They got a chance to visit foreign countries 150 years ago. You got such chances now. You have started your lives now. Your reaching greater heights depends on your enthusiasm, determination and talent. Who told Bill Gates to grow in life? Satyam Ramalinga Raju, Infosis Narayana Murthy- who told them to venture forth? Who told Ambani who started his life as a clerk, to reach greater heights? Did anyone tell the orphan boy, Ford, to reach the summit in car manumacture? It all depends on determination, decision, continues effort and hard work. The conqueror of the world. Alexander, said that the world is very small for the person who wants to win. I have nothing more or new to tell you. You will have the opportunity of serving your land the more you grow. Don't forget this. Best of luck.”

Those present clapped their hands.

Lasmaiah and Lachumbai looked round innocently not knowing why they clapped. They were sure that their son and daughter-in-law will do good deeds always.

The old couple had their thoughts on their daughters. They felt it would be good if the two sons-in-law also came to the states. They spoke their mind to Ravi Prasad.

“We are going to establish an institution for such persons. If they learn computer training there, we can find them some work here. That is our attempt now,” replied vijay, all smiles.   

Original in Telugu, published in Vaartha Telugu Daily, August 21, 2005