Republic

(The Journey for a peaceful life)

Some of our Indian societies, in the regions of Rayalaseema, Dharmapuri, Vijayawada and several other places are still more under-developed. The reason for this is due to the caste-discrimination, color-discrimination and also for the various other factors, that happens in Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, where the factionalism feuds are common.

Places like Kadappa, Kurnool and Sileru are known for the frequent and violent clashes, which often becomes a trouble in the region. Enters Keshava Krishna Reddy, son of a factional leader Mahendra Reddy, from Kadappa. Since childhood, Keshava was sensitive towards violence. In addition, due to the clash between his father and another village faction leader Bala Reddy from Kurnool, he loses his mother at a young age.

Angry against his father, he henceforth, goes to London with his uncle Ram Manohar Reddy(after a harsh fight with his father and family), where he grew up peacefully away from all sorts of violence. In London, Keshava graduated in Humanities and Arts course and is creating an awareness about the "Importance of education and life" in London.

Meanwhile, Ram meets with an accident and is hospitalized, in the process. Keshava rushes to meet him in the hospital.

The Doctors, after checking Ram comes to meet Keshava.

"Doctor. What happened?" asked Keshava.

"Really sorry, Ms. Keshavan. Due to the heavy injuries, we are unable to save him. He wanted to tell his last words to you. Go and meet him immediately" said the doctor, to which he agrees.

Keshava learns from his uncle that, "His father was an educated person and was living in London. He too, was sensitive to bloodsheds and violence. Though they were living peacefully in London, Mahendra Reddy was forced to go for Rayalaseema with his wife and in the clash that happened between Bala Keshava's father and Mahendra's father, both got killed and till now, the feuds between these two families remain the same(Not only this family, but also in all others, who are victims of factionalism). Also, after a few days, Mahendra lost his wife and since, Keshava was not in a position to understand Mahendra, he came with him."

"Keshava. Please go and meet your father. My last wish and your father's wish is the feuds and factionalism must come to an end" said Ram and he dies.

Ram's body is brought to Kadappa by Keshava, where Ram is cremated by Mahendra. However, after the cremation, Bala Reddy's gang comes in the car and brutally kills everyone, including Mahendra Reddy. When Keshava was attacked, he retaliates by killing a few henchmen of Bala Reddy brutally. In the process, Bala Reddy is also stabbed by Keshava.

However, on the plight of request by Keshava's grandfather Hari Reddy(who is feared about his grandson's situation), Keshava decides to go for Hyderabad and live peacefully, with the help of his close friend(college friend), Raagul Naidu. Since, he thought that violence is not the only solution for these kinds of faction wars.

Keshava takes shelter in the house of a man named Praveen Reddy. There, he meets his daughter Amulya and their family. Here, Keshava have so many happier and memorable moments and he also encouraged Amulya's younger sister Dhivya to write a lots of poems, after seeing her fierce ambition.

Amulya is working as an Editor in Hyderabad for a magazine, where she is writing several articles and essays about social issues.

Amulya and Keshava falls in love eventually after some events…

Meanwhile, Bala Reddy's health condition improves and he wakes up. After this, Jagan Reddy, Bala Reddy's son informs him that, Keshava Reddy have escaped from Rayalaseema for living a peaceful life, away from all sort of violence.

"Jaga. That family should not search for a peaceful living. Kill that old man Hari Reddy. Only after that, Keshava Reddy would come here, by any means" said Bala Reddy.

In addition, he tells to him, "Even after that, if he doesn't show up his head means, then kill as many of his family members possible"

"Ok dad. I will do as per your orders" said Jagan Reddy.

Meanwhile, Dhivya gets an assignment in her school regarding the eradication of factionalism and violence. When she asks an idea to write the story regarding this topic, Keshava explains his own life incidents to her as a story, which becomes popular in her school and she is widely appreciated.

When she is asked by her school judge about the solution for these factionalism feuds, she tells to them, "Madam. For ending all these kinds of violence and feuds, the only way is to educate the youngsters and students about these things, especially among the rural areas" (as told by Keshava Reddy).

Jagan Reddy sees this book and the school name, after which he shows this to Bala Reddy. He orders him to go for Hyderabad and kidnap Dhivya.

However, she is saved by Keshava and without injuring anyone, he chases away the goons of Bala Reddy, with a strict warning to Jagan Reddy.

Amulya learns the truth of Keshava eventually from himself as well as Raagul. Keshava decides to end the longing feud between the two families and decides to create awareness about the importance of love and affection, to the youngsters.

He goes to Kadappa, accompanied by Amulya and Raagul, where he meets his family and after a brief talk, they all decide to solve this prolonging issue. At first, Keshava meets the Local MLA, Naga Bhoosanam Reddy, to whom he expresses his opinion to open up a school for youngsters and children. So that, they might not be involved in these kinds of violence.

However, Naga Bhoosana Reddy refuses to the idea of Keshava. Since, politicians like him are using these kinds of faction as an advantage, for their growth in the area of political career. When these things comes to an end, how could they live.

Eventually, Naga Bhoosanam accepts, when Keshava's men holds his younger brother, Raghava Reddy at gun point and permits to open a school that's built for providing education to the children.

After building the school with a time span of one and a half years, by facing a lot of challenges and hardships, posed by Bala Reddy as well as Naga, the school is successfully finished.

In the opening ceremony, Keshava explains to the children, "Dear Children. The right kind of education, while encouraging the learning of a technique, should accomplish something which is of far greater importance. It should help a man to experience the integrated process of life. It is this experiencing that will put capacity and technique in their right place. If one really has something to say, the very saying of it creates its own style. But, learning a style without inward experiencing can only lead to superficiality." In addition, Keshava Reddy tells to them that, "Children like them are the step to solve the cycle of violence and feuds, that happens across several places of India, besides Rayalaseema."

Amulya speaks about the importance of education and it's significance in the rural village areas to the children and everyone starts to study well. Besides studies, these children also skills up in NCC activities, Martial arts and takes up in debate speaking across various places.

Even Bala Reddy's henchman and various other families, takes up the ideology of Keshava and educates their children in his school. On seeing this, Jagan Reddy admonishes his father, telling him, "Violence is not the only way in our life. There are many others in our life like getting educated, being happy and showering a lots of love and affection. Dad. I have obeyed so many of your orders. But, for the first time, I am telling you. Let's end these kinds of feuds. If we still more fight, then politicians would take it to their advantage."

Eventually, Bala Reddy realizes that, he is wrong and meets Keshava's family, where he openly apologizes to all of them for his mistakes and falls feet to Hari Reddy, who forgives him.

Bala Reddy asked Keshava Reddy, "You are really great. You changed my son and also changed my cruel attitude, with his help. How could you be able to follow an ethical life?"

"Sir. Life is short. Time is fast. When we love people, then we would get love in return. When we are violent against people, then no one will live with us. Since, I am following these words from childhood, after losing my mother, I am following ethical conduct of life" said Keshava Reddy, after which an emotional Bala Reddy hugs him, crying.

Amulya and Keshava Reddy gets married with the blessings of their respective family members and Bala Reddy(who is also accepted as a part of Keshava's family).

Meanwhile, Rayalaseema garners national attention, due to it's broad development in the arena of education, developed by Keshava Reddy. Impressed, Prime Minister as well as the present Andhra Chief Minister decides to come for Rayalaseema on the eve of Ugadi festival on 28 March.

Prime Minister comes to Rayalaseema under full protection, where he honors Keshava as "Best Citizen", due to his brave act of putting an end to the feuds and violence, by spreading an awareness about the importance of education and it's significance in the rural areas, other than the urban areas.

Now, the Prime Minister speaks about the importance of school and college life, through his life stories while, the Chief Minister explains the importance of education for a country's development.

After they spoke, Keshava Reddy tells his final words about Education and it's importance to the children telling: "To discover what part education can play in the present world crisis, we should understand how that crisis has come into being. It is obviously the result of wrong values in our relationship to people, to property and to ideas. If our relationship with others is based on self-aggrandizement and our relationship to property is acquisitive, the structure of society is bound to be competitive and self-isolating. If in our relationship with ideas we justify one ideology in opposition to another, mutual distrust and ill-will are the inevitable results. Another cause of the present chaos is dependence on authority, on leaders, whether in daily life, in the small school or in the university. Leaders and their authority are deteriorating factors in any culture. When we follow another there is no understanding, but only fear and conformity, eventually leading to the cruelty of the totalitarian State and the dogmatism of organized religion."

Finally, the media people from Hyderabad and Andhra Today office also comes to Rayalaseema, where one of the media Reporter questions Keshava Reddy asking him, "Sir. Do you think that faction and cycle of violence have come to an end?"

"No. I did not think like such" said Keshava Reddy.

"Why are you think like such sir? Asked another media Reporter.

"Only in Rayalaseema, faction and cycle of violence have come to an end. While, in several places of India, these kind of violence and feuds still more continues, silently. Peace is not achieved through any ideology, it does not depend on legislation. It comes only when we begin to understand our own psychological feelings. If we avoid the responsibility of acting individually and wait for some new system to establish peace, we merely become the slaves of that system. Only when these feuds come to an end, we are told to get a full independence (the republic). Like me and my friends, youngsters should take up the responsibility of bringing peace in their respective places, regardless of the consequences, that are lying behind it."

Later, Media leaves the place while Keshava Reddy goes back to his house. Meanwhile, Naga Reddy's Personal Assistant informs him about the immense popularity of Keshava Reddy to which he replies him, "Leave it. It's due to his luck, he had brought an end to this violence and everyone are living happily in Rayalaseema. But, it's only in our state. Not in other parts of India. Still, in some places, the war(consisting of terrorism, political clashes and riots) have not come to an end."

What Naga told is true only. Only Rayalaseema factionalism have come to an end. While, in several places of India, the inside war still happens and have not come to a conclusion!

(*I am giving due credit to Sir J.Krishnamurthi, Director Sir Trivikram Srinivas and writer Vempally Gangadhar sir. Since they were an inspiration for me to write this factionalism story*)