Gaddar sang a song about Ramanujacharya called "Randiroo, Randiroo, Ramanuja Jaatara” The song was inspired by the idea that Ramanujacharya taught the importance of equality and compassion long before his time

On completion of 1000 years after Ramanuja’s divine birth, the Prime Minister released a special postal stamp of Ramanuja. Mr. Narendra Modi delivered a profound speech on the life and philosophy of Ramanuja. He said:  “The central message of Saint Shri Ramanujacharya’s life was inclusive society, religion and philosophy. Saint Shri Ramanujacharya believed that whatever is, and whatever will be, is but an expression of God.

He saw the manifestation of God in Human beings, and Human beings in God. He saw all devotees of God as equal.  When caste distinction and hierarchy had been recognized as integral to society and religion and everyone had accepted her place as high and low in the hierarchy, Saint Shri Ramanujacharya rebelled against it.

None knows if called Gummadi Vittal Rao, but he is very popular (1949 January 31– 6 August 2023), known as Gaddar. Born in 1949, he was a poet, revolutionary balladeer, activist, and former Naxalite. Though died two years back, he cannot die as a modern Vaggeya Kaarudu, who one can be a poet, music giver, songster, and above a great dancer. He went underground in the 1980s joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), and founded the Jana Natya Mandali, the Communist Party’s cultural wing.

He embraced the cause of an independent Telangana State and cut links with the Maoists in 2017, despite the fact that he had not been active as a Maoist since 2010. He had formed a new political party, the Gaddar Praja Party. He had formerly backed the Congress.

He was shot by unknown perpetrators in 1997, and though he survived, a bullet remained lodged in his spinal cord. Gaddar was active in the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency and the movement for Telangana's statehood. Wearing ‘Gongadi’ a rough woollen, Gunghru’s, called muvvas with several knots, he won the hearts of the listeners whenever he appeared. 

The fifth year of the Ramanuja Statue

On 5 February, it’s the fifth year of the Ramanuja Statue's inauguration. Gaddar penned a poem on thousand-year-old saint Sri Ramanujacharya, about ‘the Statue of Equality” a statue of the 11th-century Indian philosopher located on the premises of the Chinna Jeeyar Trust at Muchintal, Ranga Reddy district in the outskirts of Hyderabad. It is the second-tallest sitting statue in the world.

BJP versus Gaddar

Recently a minister of the BJP abused Gaddar as not deserving to have the Padma award. It has drawn lots of criticism. Whether one abuses or tries to kill bullets or is not awarded any, his fans do not care.  As a poet

Gaddar sang a song about Ramanujacharya called "Randiroo, Randiroo, Ramanuja Jaatara” The song was inspired by the idea that Ramanujacharya taught the importance of equality and compassion long before his time. Gaddar the "Singing Rebel" sang about a variety of topics, including the pain of incarceration, the importance of freedom, and the comfort of a lullaby. Ramanujacharya is said to have taught that human love is the greatest religion.  

Ghajni Mohammad (971-1030) was wrongly quoted as example of perseverance for his repeated invasions to destroy Hindu kingdom. The right model is Ramanuja, because he made 18 attempts to convince Acharya Goshthi Poorna to impart to him the Asthakshari -Tirumanthra, and their inner meanings. Every time Acharya of Tirukosthiyur in Tamil Nadu used to return Ramanuja saying “Not now, come next”.

He was testing his patience and ego-less-submissive-humbleness. He used to walk around 50 kilometers from Sri Rangam to that village and back disappointed. At his 18th attempt, Guru finally melted and mercifully granted the knowledge with a strong condition that he should not reveal to all and sundry without testing his abilities and qualities.

Gaddar said and wrote a song saying “One person broke the laws of secrecy and revealed sacred mantras from top of the Gopuram to all, rebelled against caste-based hierarchical anarchy and respected non-Brahmin personalities as Gurus and Shishyas and opened the doors of temples for Dalits and tribals. Ramanuja, a highly revered Jagadacharya, the teacher of the universe, one of three recognized paths of realization – a) Advaitha- Mono Theist of Adi Shankaracharya, b) Vishishta Advaita, refined dualistic by Ramanuja, and c) Dwaita, dualistic by Madhvacharya.

-Madabhushi Sridhar