Anthology of essays

WHITHER INDIA TODAY: S. Ramakrishnan, Collated by Sheshrao Chavan; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kulapati Munshi Marg, Mumbai- 400007. Rs. 175.

AT THE instance of the eminent jurist, Mr. Palkhivala, the author's thoughts and views on various contemporary issues have been collated. Mr. Ramakrishnan was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel (he was Patel's secretary for long) and Kulapati Munshi and has been the brain behind the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan for more than 50 years. As a committed Gandhian and social worker, he feels deeply disturbed at the various disagreeable happenings in the country and his anguish is well expressed in a lucid style which every child would follow and no adult could improve upon.

Unfamiliar facts about the early lives of sages like Valmiki and saints like Namdeo have been narrated by the author to prove that every saint has a past and every sinner a future.

His emphasis throughout is to uphold the higher moral law and our rich cultural heritage. His mastery of epics and mythology comes in handy and the message is well brought out by relevant anecdotes.

He regrets linguistic reorganisation of States ignoring the caution of the Dhar Commission of 1948. The ``regional and linguistic patriots'' were called ``assassins of nationalism'' by Sardar Patel. Referring to the various fissiparous tendencies, the author recalls Kulapati Munshi's warning years ago that ``the biggest minority in the India of today are Indians.''

National character is just a totality of individual character and he strongly believes that this should be moulded by ethical and spiritual values. Hatred and violence have no place in a civilised society and there should be total accord between our thought, word and deed. Those who govern should follow the moral maxim of Harold Laski: ``I ought to have what I enjoy only as the result of the services I perform.''

The author handsomely acknowledges the progress made in various fields in the last 50 years; but is deeply disturbed at the unhealthy trends in the society alongside for the Satan runs faster than the angel and hence the need to go back to the wisdom of our sages, seers and selfless leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Rajaji, Rajendra Prasad and Sardar Patel, with whom the author moved closely while young. He says the essence of music is Bhakti and that is why music unites while the speeches divide. The author is unequivocal in disapproving pornography and also violence in our cinema.

Throughout, we find the great concern of the author about the depths to which we have fallen. As an associate of great leaders and saints, he has witnessed the ideal and as years roll by, the widening chasm between that ideal and the present real has obviously saddened him. The collated essays are an important link with our glorious past and should be of great help in awakening the present generation.

A. S. PADMANABHAN

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