A string of articles that mirror the socio-political, economic, cultural and literary aspects on the national and international scenario of the present times, Kadiledi, kadilinchedi in Telugu penned by veteran journalist Dr. A.B.K. Prasad is a mind-teaser in one sense. It puts forth the facts, de-robes the fictitious mantle and taps at the portals of your mind to shirk lethargy, tax your brain for a while, question the delusions, get to the root of realism, look at things in true light, and live life courageously equipped with truth! Many of us are not willing to trade our cushioned existence for a fight for truth; we prefer to live in a world of make-believe since it is comfortable to be so.
The fifty-nine articles running into 350-odd pages are not all that monstrous or bulky to read. They are pepped with tongue-in-cheek Telugu proverbs, satirical observations on the powers that be and herd-like citizens that it makes for an interesting, quick read. The narration is clear-cut and simple, devoid of didacticism or subjective observations. There is no beating-about the bush; nothing is glossed over in Dr. Prasad’s style. The clichéd adage that truth is not palatable is applicable to this book and this may at times prick a sleek reader. Like for instance, in the chapter ‘Gottu kavithvalu-tittu raajakeeyalu’ the bold reference to the former union home minister who had to give up his portfolio in an attempt to assuage a protest against ‘black money’. The entire compilation is not just about corrupt practices of politicians.Other burning issues like the Sethu project (Sri Lanka), the Telugu language status, the greatness of Andhra visionaries like Gurajada, Veeresalingam, the native culture (yenki paatalu) of our region and the pub culture that has overtaken our Indian state, are dealt with in a manner befitting the topic of discussion. Though all the issues are relevant to the present day, the chapter on Valentine is an eye-opener; an educative one for all those who have little or no clue about the origin of Valentine’s day. Dr. Prasad punches the romantic bubble that formed a fictitious story of St. Valentine giving him a ‘lover boy’ image which has been meticulously nurtured to encourage consumerism, while the actuality lay in the so-called saint serving the needy. Dr. Prasad has not spared the Supreme Court either. In Chapter 41, he launches into a scathing attack on a shocking, ‘unethical’ remark of the apex court in the case of atrocities meted out to a girl.
The book priced at Rs. 250 is a worthy buy and is available at Visalandhra Publishing House (Bank Street) and Navodaya Publishers (Kachiguda) in the twin cities.
