The Fourth session of Telangana History Congress held at the Kakatiya University on January 27th and 28th 2019 [3]

The Fourth session of Telangana History Congress held at the Kakatiya University on January 27^th and 28^th 2019 [3]

11.47 to 12.02 – A. Shyamala: She presented a paper on the rights of women drawing attention to the UN declaration made on women in 1945, 1975 (Mexico), 1980 (Coenhagen), 1985, (Nairobi), 1995 (Beijing) etc., at different places, where conferences were held. The Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, adopted unanimously by 189 countries, is an agenda for women’s empowerment and considered the key global policy document on gender equality. It sets strategic objectives and actions for the advancement of women and the achievement of gender equality in 12 critical areas of concern: Women and poverty, Education and training of women, Women and health, Violence against women, Women and armed conflict, Women and the economy, Women in power and decision-making, Institutional mechanism for the advancement of women, Human rights of women, Women and the media, Women and the environment and the girl-child[1]. However, she did not bother about the recent Supreme Court judgment that have bearing on Indian women – consent to sex, living with other, living together relationship, hereditary rights after conversion, etc., as I pointed out.

28-01-2019 .Post lunch session – paper presentation.

12.03 to 12.23 am – Subash: He stressed that the folk paintings had narratives hidden behind. Jitendra Babu added points to his paper.

12.30 to am – Kanakaratnam: He presented a paper on Kakatiyas.

12.25 to 1.05 pm – D. Suryakumar: He claimed that there were factories manufacturing huge stones used for inscriptions. He belies that whatever mentioned in the inscriptions were true and facts. He also explained as to how the inscriptions were made. First, the content of the script was written by the Brahmins on paper, then, it was read and accepted; the inscriber started  cutting on the stone under supervision; the name of the inscriber / cutter was mentioned below the inscription or at the corner.

1.05 to 1.15 pm – On medical tourism, one paper was resented.

28-01-2019 audience

28-01-2019 audience.second day

After lunch, the paper reading session started.

28-01-2019 .Lunch.

28-01-2019 Lunch

28-01-2019 .coins displayed

2.28 to 2.40 pm: …………………..Presented a paper on Sculptural art of Kakatiyas As Kakatiyas were Saivites, they built temples to Siva mainly. Here, in this paper, he studied manly about “Nandis” in the temples built by the Kakatiyas.

2.41 to  2.50 pm : ……………..presented a paper on “Lambadi”…

There were papers presented by the B.A. M.A, M.Phil and other students for the first time also. Some papers were presented in Telugu. They were encouraged  by the audience and others.

Valedictory function invitation with the details of speakers etc 28-02-2019

28-01-2019 . Valedictory function

hakkalapalli Purushothama Rao was chief Guest, former Minister speaks

Valedictory function – 4. 00 pm: The function started by 4.30 pm, when one “Swamiji” like person the hall entered with others. Later, he was know to be an ex-minister of AP. K. Purushotham, Registrar lamented that students do not want to study history, he asked why? Now they read maths, science, engineering and other subjects, but, not history, why? Perhaps, history is not properly taught in colleges. The worry of history teaches, professors etc., are visible. Every subject has history, but, history student, lecturer, professor or historian cannot write history of other subjects, as they do not know and understand the nuances of other subjects.

Vireendar, General Secretary of THC: He thanked Vijaya Babu for hosting the fourth session of THC at the Warangal University premises by history department. He appraised the proceedings – 190 registered, more than 100 attended memorial lecture; 37 papers presented and 9 not presented, because of lack of time and they would be treated as presented. THC would publish the proceedings and he requested the sectional president to edit the papers presented. The General Body meeting and EC meeting could not be conducted, as the quorum was not there. Within few days, the proceedings would be set right as per the bye-laws. It is a fact that the history is neglected in schools and colleges and most of the students do not like to read, study history. The position should change.

Opinion of the Participants: Then, P. Hymavathy, Surya Kumar, Kanakaratnam, K. Srinivasulu and Babu Rao Naik gave their opinion about the proceedings of the THC session. Surya Kumar openly told that te Guest house isnot maintained properly in many aspects. In fact, he could not take  bath, as the geyser was not working and the he managed with his friend’s room . Kanakaratnam opined that workshops should be conducted to know more about history, historiography, epigraphy and related subjects, so that all could come, attend and understand the subject matter. Babu Rao Naik spoke in his own way, just like a politicians getting applause from the audience . B. Srinivas was thanked for sponsoring to provide bags by donating Rs. 25,000/-

Opinion of Dr Dayakar and other delegates appeared in local daily

Thakkalapalli Purushothama Rao was chief Guest, former Minister[2]: He spoke philosophically citing examples from the Sanskrit literature. He wanted to explain with four examples of characters from the literature. He explained about Satyakama Jabali[3] and Astavakra[4]. Because of his digressive narratives, he forgotten the other two examples. Perhaps, he tried to emphacize the importance of lineage, dynasty, roots, sources, for history and historiography through Jabali paradigm. Through, Astavakra, perhaps, he tried to stress that history should not be distorted and the sources, particularly, Indian literary sources might appear as “astavakra – a form bent awkwardly in eight ways,” the truth has to be brought out by analyzing critically with the available evidences.

Sudharshan Rao, chief guest: Taking clue from his yesterday’s memorial lecture, he started speaking in Telugu, he told that he would have delivered his lecture in Telugu, had he been informed so. He wished that THC should grow in coming years. He recalled as to how even the APHC suffered in the 7^th year of its starting, when 200 came from outside. Therefore, the 2^nd or 4^th session of THC should gather strength to grow. He proposed that a “Telangana Council for Historical Research” should be formed on the lines of ICHR. The TCHR would foster the interest of Telangana. He wished that the 5^th session of THC would be conducted with more vigor and strength.

After the facilitation of the VIPs, the following resolutions were passed:

1. History subject should be introduced in all schools and colleges.
2. “Indian culture” should be in the syllabus of all academic curriculum in all educational institutions.
3. “Telangana Council for Historical Research” should be constituted immediately to proceed further.
4. Even in 10^th and +12 level, history should be included.

6.55 to 7.00 pm – Vijaya Babu: Vijaya Babu vote of thanks to all participated, took part and helped in all ways. The next THC may be held in Khammam / Nizamabad. All started moving away. I felt that I was alone. I requested one known friend to drop me at the Guest house, so that I could collect my luggage and proceed to station by auto. One volunteer dropped me at the guest house and he contacted Dr Rajakumar and then informed that he would come and drop me at the station. As the time was already 8.00 pm, I was little bit worried.  Around 8.30 pm, he came and dropped meat the station. Of course, the train came late by half-an-hour.

How and where does the Telangana history go?: Some of the remarks made by the VIP speakers have been intriguing.

1. Kurra Jitendra Babu asserted that, “The papers presented so far has been useless…” Can he simply decide in this way? Had he any doubt, he could have questioned every paper presenter and expose theso-called “useless” nature of such papers!
2. Sudharshan Rao, “With the recent division of the state into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh sharing Telugu population, perhaps, the entry of third genre of ‘invented history’ as rampant in the West may have to wait in our regional sphere.” The Telangana history writers should take note of it, as how their historiography has to be combatable with the counterpart of Andhra Pradesh.
3. Of course, two worried about the status of history subject in the schools and colleges. Here, unless, awareness is created and the subject is updated to suit the current job-market, definitely, there would not be any improvement in the status.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

02-03-2019

[1] http://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/intergovernmental-support/world-conferences-on-women

[2] Thakkalapalli Purushothama Rao is an Indian politician. He was the cabinet minister for Roads, Buildings and Ports, Government of Andhra Pradesh from 1993 to 1994. Presently he is the Chairman for High Power Committee on Remote Interior Area Development. Rao was instrumental in persuading Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to have peace talks with maoists and was the government representative during the peace talks. The AICC has made him the chairman of Gandhipatham of APCC to propagate the ideals of Gandhiji, in intellectual circles he is called Gandhian Marxist. The Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University honored Rao with Doctorate in 2008 for his service to the society.

[3] Satyakama Jabala is a boy, and later a Vedic sage, who first appears in Chapter IV of the ancient Hindu text, the Chandogya Upanishad. As a boy, he enquires about his father from his mother. His mother Jabala, tells him that she went about many places in her youth, and did not know who his father was. Satyakama graduates and becomes a celebrated sage, according to the Hindu tradition, and a Vedic school is named after him, as is the influential ancient text Jabala Upanishad – a treatise on Sannyasa (Hindu monk, monastic life).[5] Upakosala Kamalayana was a student of Satyakama Jabala, whose story is also presented in the Chandogya Upanishad.

[4] Ashtavakra (Sanskrit: अष्टावक्रः, IAST Aṣṭāvakra) is a revered Vedic sage in Hinduism. His name literally means “eight bends”, reflecting the eight physical handicaps he was born with. His maternal grandfather was the Vedic sage Aruni, his parents were both Vedic students at Aruni’s school. Ashtavakra studied, became a sage and a celebrated character of the Hindu History(Itihas) Epics and Puranas. Ashtavakra is the author of the text Aṣṭāvakra Gītā, also known as Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā, in Hindu traditions. The text is a treatise on Brahman, Atman and monism (Advaita).