When we open our own life's book, which is all the more frequent in old age, the early chapters are always more enchanting than the others. Or, one thinks so. The mind was not so much cluttered with all and sundry issues then. Life was simple. The funny part is, irrespective of one's age, and times in which the childhood was spent, this appears to be a universal feeling. We have heard the same sentiments expressed by members of different generations! Starting from our own grandfathers and grandmothers, to our grandchildren. The spell of childhood is such.
The 1950s and early 1960s were years in which most households had many children. "Family planning" and "Mitasantana" were not heard of. Children were considered to be the gift of God. The more the merrier. All planning was left in the hands of the celestial forces. There was no need to book a seat in the neighbourhood's finest school, start saving for paying donations and fee, and then plan for children. "Moola Shikshana" or "Basic education" had made a start after attaining independence. 5 years and 10 months was the prescribed age for starting schooling.
There were no KG or Montessori schools. Learning started from Standard One. Nearest government school was always there like a "Pushpaka Vimana" and there was no restriction on intake of students. In fact, there was no issue of "seats" as there were no chairs or benches for students in schools; the kids squatted on the mother earth so that they are close to nature. When the number of students was low, they had personal space in the classroom. Otherwise, their friendship would get even closer as they sat almost on each other. Most teachers had stools to sit on and the lucky ones had broken chairs. The situation was even grimmer in villages. The teachers were more concerned about their "Betta" (sticks used to discipline the students) than chairs.
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Five day week and discussion about number of school hours or work hours had not yet made its debut since NRN was himself at school. The classes ran from 10 AM to 5 PM with the usual lunch break, though most children did not know what "lunch" was. But they indeed liked the lunch hour since it was playtime. There was one exception, though. On Saturdays, schools worked from 8 AM to 11 AM. Sundays were holidays. Students looked forward to Saturdays eagerly, though they didn't like the idea of getting up early.
The schools were always situate on the outskirts of the villages or towns as they were constructed on government lands or forest lands. The location was also chosen considering the villages nearby, so that many villages could be serviced by the one available school. There were one or two bus service for a cluster of villages and hence the concept of school bus had not evolved. The walk to the school and back was also an enjoyable part of a child's daily routine. It would be anywhere between half an hour to two hours, depending on the location of their houses or huts.
Wall clocks and Radio sets were a symbol of relative affluency. There would be a radio set in probably one out of ten houses, in small towns. Corner and circle restaurants had radio sets in them and worked non-stop. One had to concentrate quite hard to understand the words due to enormous disturbances in broadcasting and receiving. Those of us who were interested in current affairs (when moved to middle and high schools) or cricket commentary crowded around them. All India Radio had a very popular program titled "Geetaaradhana" (worship through songs?) every morning. True to the secular character of the country, the songs of different faiths were broadcast by rotation.
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The timing of Geetaaradhana broadcast on Saturdays coincided with our walk to the morning classes. In order to ensure that no God is displeased, the devout have distributed the seven days of the week among them, in the best possible way. One of the most popular among them, though he displays his "Naama" more than the face, Sri Venkatesha or Sri Srinivasa has got hold of Saturdays. So, naturally "Sri Venkateswara Suprabhata" was broadcast on Saturday mornings.
The version of Suprabhata sung by the legendary singer Smt. M S Subbalakshmi is indeed the most popular version. Our morning walks to the schools on Saturdays was an opportunity to listen to this version. As we moved along the streets, radio sets in different houses ensured to give us a relay type hearing of the stotra. All households were generous in stepping up the volume at that time so that even those having hearing difficulty could enjoy the stotra.
All students knew this one stotra by heart, learnt effortlessly, though most of them could not recite the songs given in their text books.
Please click here to read a blog post written some 14 years ago, on the Suprabhata, in a friendly Bangalore park, though it was late in the evening!
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As it happens with most Stotras in a language not known to us, "Sri Venkateswara Suprabhata" also thrills us even though we do not understand its full import. The pleasure of singing or listening to it gets enhanced many times, if we understand what we are actually singing or listening to. We all know the Stotra, but who is its author? Most of us do not know its author.
Prof K S Ramamurthy of Bangalore has spent considerable time and efforts in devoting to bridge this gap. Hailing from Kolar, Prof Ramamurthy studied the vast Kannada and Sanskrit literature in Mysore University. He taught Kannada literature in colleges for over three decades. He is a writer, translator, researcher, and resource person for DSERT (Department of State Educational Research and Training). He contributes research articles to many magazines and journals. His services are recognised by many institutions, who have honourd him with awards.
Prof Ramamurthy has sort of made spreading the finer points of the Suprabhata as well as details of the various activities that take place in the temple, his life's mission. A photo of the book authored by him is given above.
The book covers various details, such as:
- References to Tirumala hills in Puranas and History.
- Details about the temple and various rituals.
- A chronological list of the daily and periodical sevas.
- Author of Sri Venkateswara Suprabhata.
- An analysis of the work and its finer points.
- History of Suprabhata singing by Smt. Subbalakshmi and its influence on her.
- Long years of relationship between Karnataka and Tirumala.
- Sri Venkatesha Stotra, Prapatti, and Mangalashasanam, with meaning.
- Other allied and useful information.
