An atheist Gandhian turns 100

Ravuri Arjuna Rao turns hundred on Saturday. Born to Venkamma and Garataiah in a remote village Vanapamula in Krishna district in 1917, life was not easy for Arjuna Rao. He used to stay in the house of school master B Israel while studying at Thotlavalluru some five km from Vuyyuru. A brief encounter with freedom fighter Thota Narasaiah at an early age prompted Arjuna Rao to start wearing khadi clothes.

The meeting with Gora (Goparaju Ramachandra Rao) who quit the professor post and shifted to Mudunuru in Krishna district to propagate atheism was a turning point in the life of Arjuna Rao. Arjuna Rao was introduced to Gora by freedom fighter Anne Anjaiah. Later, he joined the adult education centre started by Gora at Mudunuru. Attracted by the atheistic ideology of Gora, Arjuna Rao became his ardent follower.

Arjuna Rao participated in Quit India movement and was imprisoned in Allipuram camp Jail near Bellary in March 1943 along with other atheist leaders Dasu Ramaswamy, Appikatla Joseph, Kana. Gora’s eldest daughter Manorama was also jailed for six months during the Quit India movement along with her mother Saraswati Gora.

In 1946, Gandhiji announced in his ‘Harijan’ Magazine that he would conduct the marriages in his Sevagram ashram only if it was inter-caste. Gora asked Arjuna Rao to marry his daughter Manorama.

Though he hesitated first, Arjuna Rao expressed readiness to marry Manorama, which was promptly informed to Gandhiji. Surprised by the decision, Gandhiji asked Gora to bring Arjuna Rao and Manorama to Madras during his visit in 1945. Gandhiji instructed Bulusu Sambamurthy to enquire whether Manorama voluntarily came forward for the marriage or she was coerced by her family members.

Though both of them asserted that it was their voluntary choice, Gandhiji wanted them to postpone the marriage for two years since it was a course-changing marriage. Arjuna Rao was sent to Sevagram ashram and Manorama to Kasturba centre at Sitanagaram near Rajahmundry.

Gandhiji wanted to conduct the marriage personally but could not do so since he was assassinated in 1948. However, the marriage was conducted by the then prime minister Jawaharlal N ehru at Sevagram in the presence of Thakkar Bapa, Jayaprakash Narayana, Prabhakarji and Vinoba Bhave. The national media extensively covered the marriage.

Since 1948, Arjuna Rao has been closely associated in all the activities of Gora including conducting inter-caste marriage, inter-dining, dispelling superstitions among others. The couple has four sons, Milav, Chunav, Sadik and Power and a daughter, Suez.

By M V Syam Sundar