Naham Karta Hari Karta by P.V.R.K. Prasad - Book Review

Naham Karta Hari Karta by P.V.R.K. Prasad 

Publication Date: August 2003

Genre: Memoir, Spiritual 

4.5 Stars 

One Liner: Inspiring and soothing 

Naham Karta Hari Karta translates to ‘it’s not me but Hari who got things done’. The book is a memoir, a collection of incidents when the author was the Executive Officer at Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam (TTD) in Andhra Pradesh during 1978-1982. 

‘When I saw Tirupati Balaji’ is the English translation though I have no idea how it is. You can see that the title isn’t an exact translation. I hope the book does justice to the original. 

About the Author: 

A memoir is only as relatable as the author. PVRK Prasad was an IAS officer with MA in English and LLB, with a Fellowship from Cambridge University. He was a Secretary to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (1971-72), Collector, Khammam (1974-77), EO of TTD (1978-82), and Media Advisor to former Indian Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao (and many more important positions). He became an advisor to the TTD board afterward. 

It was his four years as the Executive Officer at TTD when a majority of the reforms took place in Tirupati. From building new pathways to changing internal policies, streamlining administration, fighting court cases that prevented progress, developing the surroundings around the temple and its premises, etc., are credited to him. 

Prasad garu wrote a couple of books about his administrative experiences (which I intend to listen to soon). He passed away in 2017 (aged 75 years). 

About the Book: 

This book is a collection of incidents from his 4-year stint at Tirupati. It was first published as a series of articles in Swathi magazine. The book starts with how he was chosen for the post and the subsequent incidents that made him accept the offer. The last two chapters are more personal, one about his daughter’s marriage and another about how he became the man he was. 

Each chapter deals with a different issue. He recollects incidents that made him wonder about life, faith, God, and our role in this universe. However, the book doesn’t preach religion. It is spiritual and philosophical, with loads of information about how government offices, bureaucracy, and politics work behind the scenes. 

Every position of authority comes with a truckload of responsibilities and headaches. Pulling the wrong thread will mess things up rather than undo the intricate knots. He explains how he had to deal with protesters who objected to progress as it wasn’t beneficial for them. 

Prasad garu talks about being stuck in a rock and hard place where his duty demands he provide the best facilities for devotees but the resistance from a whole bunch of people who are more than happy to profit from the loopholes. Of course, he is also answerable to politicians with wholly different priorities. 

My Thoughts: 

While this isn’t my regular genre, I was interested in reading it someday. We have a copy at home, and dad already shared a few incidents with me. Reading the whole book was going to be time-consuming, and I was more than happy to delay it. 

Then I found an app with Telugu audiobooks and saw that this title was for free. It was too good to resist, and I decided to give audiobooks one last try before giving up forever. I liked the first couple of chapters (as in, I didn’t zone out even once) and continued listening to it. 

I also realized that true to his words in the intro (there’s a small audio clip in his voice), the book should work for a range of readers. The bottom line is simple yet complex- 

ü  Trust your instincts and stay true to yourself 

ü  Accept that things will go wrong but can be sorted 

ü  The solution comes in many forms, and it doesn’t have to be what you think it should be 

ü  The universe will help you if you ask (but you have to have faith in yourself and the universe) 

ü  Events cannot be viewed in isolation (chain reactions and cycles are an integral part of our lives)

ü  There will always be things you don’t know 

ü  Attitude matters; you are who/ what you manifest 

ü  A change of perspective can clear a roadblock 

These aren’t something new. Thousand of self-help books, podcasts, blogs, videos, etc., say the same. It’s how we take it that matters. 

He talks about his associations and interactions with the Dasa Sahitya project, the literature of the bhakti movement in Kannada, Swami Ranganathananda, a head Swami of Ramakrishna Math, and MS Subbulakshmi. Balancing traditions and progress wasn't easy, but he showed how it could be done. 

The highlight is the chapter with the book’s title, which was pretty much an impossible task (replacing the centuries-old dwajha stambham with a new one). Prasad garu was transferred to another important post six days after this momentous task was fulfilled. He explains in a different chapter how it was rare to stay in a position for four long years as an IAS. The transfers were frequent, but since he brought major developments, the government extended his responsibilities until he could complete them all. 

His wife and children are also mentioned in the book. While the kids don’t have much role, his wife, Gopika, played a vital role in a few chapters. The words reflect his love and respect for her without any declarations. 

What I love the most is how Prasad garu doesn’t shy away from sharing certain parts of his past. The last chapter is dedicated to how he changed for the better after becoming the EO and TTD. In fact, the last chapter makes us see the book and the person in a different light.

Prasad garu is also open about his uncertainties, fears, doubts, anguish, happiness, contentment, and tears. How many times has he mentioned that tears of grief or happiness flowed through his eyes! So what if he was an IAS and a civil servant? He was a human, and every word reflected that.  

My Audiobook Experience: 

Well, this is the first audiobook that worked for me. The reading isn’t perfect, but it did the job. The narrator, Konduru Tulsidas, the app's founder and a retired officer from the Andhra Pradesh Board of Education, brought out the necessary intonations and emotions in his voice. 

Still, I listened to the book throughout the month. I started with a chapter or two per day and could stretch to three long chapters (~1hr total). 

Since each chapter was independent, the book worked very well as an audio version. Being in conversational Telugu (but of premium quality with some poetic metaphors) helped the most. Listening is a different experience when someone talks in detail about administration (also, I’m used to it, thanks to my dad). 

To Summarize: 

I dug out the physical copy of the book and found that it has black & white pictures included with some chapters. Though I know that this was a book I had to listen to.

I’ve always felt that some books come to you when the time is right. This is one of those books. It seems fitting that I conclude the review in Prasad garu’s words- Naham Karta Hari Karta… 

*****

P.S: I read the book for a reading challenge.