Sobha Forest View Rajyotsava

If you cannot cover SFV Rajyotsava, do the next best - trace its origin. Remember Mehmood’s line in a song in an old movie: Kameez nahi to kameez ka collar chalega. (Yes, my cousin’s daughter’s wedding in Palakkad, and the mandatory temple-visits on such trips, denies us the pleasure to be part of the SFV Rajyotsava next week.)

Soon after Independence Nehru swung into action with a blueprint for the country’s overall development - Five Year Plan, industrialization, agricultural revolution, and what have you. Some of these flourished, others registered average performance, while a few bombed. Panchsheel, a formidable foreign policy elevated him to an international statesman so much so that India was invited to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council, which for reasons best known he declined.

Aside these, Nehru also envisioned re-organization of the Indian states based on language, and appointed the States Reorganization Commission. That resulted in the emergence of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the South.

Soon there were loose ends to be sorted out. I don’t know much about the other states, but Kerala was offered either Kanya Kumari or Palghat (read Palakkad) among other areas. Vehement protest march and slogan shouting all over the town erupted suddenly - some clamouring for it to be part of Tamil Nadu, others Kerala.

Our Headmaster called an emergency meeting of all students. We were overjoyed that he would announce a two-day holiday till the dust settled down. Alas, it was not to be. On the contrary, it was to issue us a stern warning not to be part of this vandalism in any way. Finally the powers that be picked Palghat for being part of Kerala. Was it because I stayed in Palghat, or in spite of that?

Back to basics, on an appraisal Karnataka has only reasons to feel proud of its achievements in many fields. Off the cuff, I can recall it has bagged the maximum number of Sahitya Kala Academy awards.  Kannada was declared a classical language. It is the IT hub for India…The list is probably endless.

Yes, we will miss being part of the celebrations. But life manages to offer compensation of a sort to look forward to. My cousin’s neighbor in the village in the days of yore has promised to attend the wedding with his daughter. Guess who is his daughter? Vidya Balan.

V V Sundaram

Maple 3195

27 Oct 2017