This is an interview for the British Hindu Oral History Project. It's the 09th of May. 09th of May sound Sound Cassette English Oral Interview Interview Abhijeet Joshi 169 Venkata Ramana Male 35 1969 Hyderabad

Glasgow U.K. Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering EN Telugu, Hindi, English First we sort of go for the background question. Where are your parents from? They are from India. They are from Hyderabad, India. Hyderabad okay. I have been there. Whereabouts exactly do you know what village or was it you know? They are from proper Hyderabad city. Yeah. Okay. Was your mom and your dad from there? Your mother and your father from there? But my parents were married. Okay. And were you born there? I was also born in Hyderabad, yeah. And what year was that? It was 1969. And you grew up there as well I think? Yes right. All my childhood was in Hyderabad only. And you went to school there? I have been there to school in Hyderabad. So what age did you finish studying or did you go to college? I had been to college. I have done my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. So that was, till the age of 21. So from the age of 22 I am working. And when you finished your schooling and also college you went straight into a job? Yes. When you were, did you have any sort of siblings, any brothers or sisters? I have a brother and a, sister both are younger to me. Both younger? Yeah, both younger. And they are, are they still? They, both of them are doing well there. Fine, both of them have got married and have kids as well. Still they live in Hyderabad? Yeah, both. They still live in Hyderabad. So your first job, what was it? Yeah, I was working into service, my first one was servicing of Industrial Boilers. I was into service for couple of years. Yeah. And how about your father? Was he, what was his? My father was, he was also working in a Government Sector firm, he was working. And what was your father's name? Sorry? His Shri Narhari, Narhari, but he passed away 9 months ago. This 22nd of this month will be nine months full. Did you go back for his? I missed the funeral but I did go for the 5th day and the 10th day one. And your mother's name was? Indira Devi. And just basically, your schooling or, and then into your college days or and then into your first working days, is there any sort of memories that you would like to share, anything that stuck out you know at that time. In school? Yeah, in school or what was that like you know, just going to school? Was that like an Indian school or was it like a Church you went or? It was a differ, it was an Indian school. It was in Hyderabad. My father was working for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. In the township, the management of the Industry, the firm, they themselves have for the welfare of the children of the employees, they have brought up a school. So we, but I have studied for, till first class in that school. Then later on I went to a Christian school in the city because our school was not so big, but, again this was developed to High School. So then I came back and that's it. All my schooling was in the same place, yeah. So you spent how many years working before you left? I left India? Hmm. So I started working since January '91 so, and I left India February 2002. So almost about ten years, about ten I left India. And so, you, what was the reason for leaving India? To be, we had a very bad episode for Industry we had. Oh really? Yeah. We had, the Harshad Mehta Security Scam had come up. So since then there is not much Growth, Industrial Growth in India and in Hyderabad as well. There were not enough projects and I was in Marketing, when this happened so. My salaries were coming up for sixty days or ninety days, once in ninety days I used to get my salary, once in forty-five days or, it was not definite when I am going to get my salary it was very vague, we don't know. Then later on I quit my job and started learning some software programming, then since August '98 I am into software programming and then since '98 I have been working in software and then 2002 February I have come on a software job to U.K. U.K. Okay. So obviously you got married. Yeah. Yeah. So when did you get married? I got married in August'98 I believe. And how did you meet? It was an arranged marriage. My parents picked up Gayatri, yeah. And she was from Hyderabad or? She was from Hyderabad. We have, Hyderabad is, in the sense, when the world looks at Hyderabad, it looks at Hyderabad only. But Hyderabad, when we say Hyderabad that consists of two parts - Hyderabad and Secundrabad. It's like you have a old city and new city. Yeah, right. Hyderabad is the new city. I have actually been to Hyderabad. Yeah. I kind of know much about it. She comes from Secundrabad but which is in Hyderabad so. It's on the older part then? Secundrabad is the newer part. Oh newer part. And did she come over with you at the same time, you? No. I came in February 2002 then she followed me in May 2002. And what was sort of, your first thought when you came over? Did you have a job to come to straight away? Yeah. What was that for then? Sorry? What was, who was that for that job? It was for E-Com Technologies. I came to London but then that job was not as much promising as it was when I was at Hyderabad. And then later on I went to Glasgow in search of a job and then I settled down in a job in Glasgow. Since then I am in Glasgow. And you have lived then in Glasgow. I am in Glasgow. So when you first came over, what time of , what you said, you said it was May, no what you said? February 2002. And what was your first thought when you came over? You know sort of like of the climate or. I thought I will, it will be a very nice experience working here, yeah. And of course we will be making some money. Did you find it a little bit daunting you know, the, because when you came over, did you come over on your own or? Sorry? Did you came over, did you come over on your own or did you have people, did you know people over here already? Yeah. Well, my consultant was that, he was the one who processed my Work Permit here. All right. That's good. So I have come to his place then, yeah. Did you fly to London? Yes. So what was your first, you went straight away to a job then yeah? Yeah. What about sort of, any difficulties you might have found when you first came over what, was there much? Difficulties was finding a good accommodation and the weather, because I came in February and particularly Glasgow is known for its surprising weathers. And I don't know to cook well so. I had problems of having good food. I put down a lot of weight. So then later she came and and I picked up. So what about socializing in an around? Did you go to any temples when you first came over? Yes. We have Hindu temple in Glasgow. Is it a Hindu Mandir? Hindu Mandir. Yeah. You have been there. The Hindu Mandir in La Bella Place. Yeah so you have been there. Yeah. We and not only that we also go to, not very frequently but not very regularly but we also go to a Church in Hamilton to the Evangelical Church in Hamilton so. Yeah. So did you experience any racism while you were here at all? Community, no. There are people good and bad but I don't say that it's racism but when we got to the Church the people are very nice over there. People are really very nice but on the road, I don't know, people misbehave, that is not racism. But we did not have any problem, any kind of problems. Yeah. So have you been back at all to India, to Hyderabad? I have, last August I went when my dad passed away. That's the first time you have been back? That's the first time I have been back. And do you have any other family members over here now at all? That's me, and my wife Gayatri here. And you don't have any children is it? No not yet. Yeah. Now just a little bit on religious practices sort of, your family to begin with. Were they religious at all? They are very religious yeah. And that's, from there only I have picked up my bit of faith. Is there any sort of, traditions that you have carried on from your family then like any in particular, or maybe like in regards to a family Guru or your family Murti at all or anything like that? We have, since I don't know how, when it started but since I have started recognizing things around me, I know that mom used to take, we, Saturday was a special day for us because mom used to cook different kinds of food for Prasad, we used to have a prayer at home. And as well we used to go to a Hanuman Mandir just in the vicinity of our home. So Saturday was very special for us. So even now we seem to continue the same, Saturday is our prayer day mostly. We do pray everyday, every morning and every evening. We light the lamps every morning and every evening, I say my prayers in the morning and on Saturday, it will be a much more a longer prayer. Like Saturday we have, we clean all the photographs we have, clean all the Vigrahas we have the Yantras we have and then perform some Kum-Kum Abhishek, what you call kum kum archana. Yeah. What about like your family Guru? Did you father have a particular Guru or Swami that he used to follow? No. Not, dad was very religious but he was against the Gurus since his last this one but a couple of years ago he started finding some interest. He was interested in Gurus and he was also going to a Satsang. He was also, but I was here. That is say last two years he was very much involved in Satsangs. How about you, do you have a Guru or? It has, Guru in the sense I do not have, I don't have somebody who has given me a Mantra to jap Or to something, but I have got some people who, I have got some personalities Like whose principles I like them. So and we have come up with their help, yeah. So this, what, this is kind of bit of a broad question like, what makes you a Hindu? Would you say, would it be the principles or what is the thing that makes you a Hindu? I am born into this religion, I am born into this religion so. That would be. I am Hindu. Yeah that's me, then, yeah. So what values are important to you? Any values that you think which are important to you? That is the most important one for me, yeah. Values have got a lot to do with me. So what would your values be then? I mean as supposed to. The biggest one will be, I never harm people at all. Never harm people not even for my own benefit, you know. Do you believe in Karma also reincarnation? Sorry? Like Karma and also do you believe in reincarnation? Re? Reincarnation, like rebirth. Rebirth, yes. Yeah, I believe. How do you feel? How does that actually have any, have you ever had you has a manifesto yourself you know, you might believe in it, but how do you feel it is applicable to you? In what sort of way? How it is applicable to me? It is a difficult question to answer. Yeah. Say I experience so many things as you are saying. I do something but do not get a result, you do the same thing. But you, we both are doing the same thing at same, very simultaneously and everything all parameters are the same. But still effects for you, the results you find are different from the results I find. That makes me feel that, that there is something different. Not only all the parameters only physical parameters which we, this, if we match them but still there is something which differs. So that is the reason you have a different life and I have a different life. Yeah. So what would you say happens to you when you die? Sort of broad question as well. I will take another new body, yes. What do you feel the goal is though? The goal is to come out of this chain. And sometime I will come down, come off, maybe thousands of years after, thousands of births after yeah, but the goal is to come off, come off the cycle. And but where do you go? Where do you feel you? Into that big Soul, the Supreme one. Do you think it's important for like for Hindus to do charity work? What do you say? Yes. Why is that? Suppose it is, say sometimes it is you have to do it because you don't know what you have done in the last life and sometimes tomorrow you might need some help from somebody, you might need, but if you do not help today Lord will not give some way for help to you. If you help, you don't know me, I don't know you, today if I help you, you need some help from me, a small one whatever maybe, you might need a pen to write and I give it to you. Tomorrow I might need a small needle but somebody else will come and give it to me. Not only from yourself, I might not see you again throughout my life. But the help will come from another place, from another source and we might have troubled somebody in the last life so we have to cover up. Yeah. Just, little bit of a strange question but have you ever had any sort of spiritual experience at all or any sort of religious experience? Can you be more specific? What mean it's religious experience? Any sort of experience with regard to your religious practices, any sort of, not done something and had sort of benefited there or maybe had sort of an experience on one to one with maybe in sort of, a temple environment or any sort of experience you have ever had or like that? I know we have been temples and all. We feel very happy. We feel like very much different but we have not seen anything Supernatural so. This is the section, this is one of the last sections here. It is on Hindus today. This is not just Hindus in this country but you could also say Hindus in India as well. Would you say you, for start with are more religious today then you were when you were younger or are the things the same? I am more religious, yes. Do you think? I am building up everyday. So the older you get the more. Yeah. Earlier we used to pray, we used to recite the verses without knowing the meanings, without knowing that it will really effect. --- So we are, earlier we, now we know what has to go. So everyday we learn something and we are becoming more and more. What about generally do you think people are more or less religious? It's again a different. You know, to speak about a very common person, like a very common personality. People are very religious but the true concept of being religious is lost. That religious for benefits, like the material benefits. The most, mostly for the material benefits but that, I still call it they are religious but that is a good thing to start. It is a definately good but and slowly the god will let them learn what is the true religion? Let them learn but so that is the difference. They are religious but that's a materialistic approach to religion. What about the younger people the youth, would you say that they are more religious nowadays or more or less, would you say. Also not just in India but also in this country what would you say the younger population? To be frank, I have not seen much of younger population but the when I know my friends of my brother, friends of my sister and down I have got my brother in-law they are not so religious, yeah. The younger ones. Yeah, the younger ones. They are still, and that's fair enough for them because ther are still not into the life. They are still jovial and they have got no burdens at all, no responsibilities so may be. Do you think it's important for the younger one to learn their mother tongue because I mean in this country-- Yes it is. There is lot that don't? It is important it, they have to. What would be the benefit of learning your mother tongue or keeping that tradition up? What would be the benefit of that? Benefit is, see if I have a child tomorrow he has to speak in Telugu or my mom will miss talking to him. There won't be that close connection. Yes. And I can tell him many things in English but maybe some things I cannot tell him in English, which has to be told only in Telugu. So when you translate something word to word completely, I cannot carry total meaning. If you learn suppose, we have so many works done in Sanskrit, Adi Shankracharya's written so many things and so many other Scholars have written comments on his works but if you learn Sanskrit and read and understand, the thing you pick up from that will be much more tastier than what you learn from the translated works. Yeah. Okay. What about the Caste system? Would you say it's more or less important today or it, does it even apply today? Also in India also, yeah. Yeah, it is a very sad sight that people are still Caste conscious. But it has to, it has to be wiped away, yes. It has to be wiped away. So do you think it's not applicable in this sort of age? No, religion is no way concerned with Caste. So how would you define yourself because you are living you are settled here. Are you settled here now I guess? Yeah. With I am working and I am also getting an extension for my work permit for another couple of years so. So where did you see yourself in the future then I mean do you feel that you want to go home or do you start to feel it's home sick at all. Oh no I am not home sick. I do miss my mom but I make it very. I am very keen in talking to mom every now and then and we talk very regularly on. We call our my mom on Saturdays and we call my in-laws on Sundays to keep in touch and I miss her but I am not home sick. Here I am happy. Here I am really happy. Yeah. So how do you define yourself as because you know you living here now but you are still sort of you know, are you like would you say you're an Indian or a Hindu or a British Hindu? I am see, legally I am on an Indian visa just now an Indian passport but British visa to work here, so, I am an Indian. Is that what you wanted? Yeah. I just want to kind of like what are your thought about it. I mean you feel. No, I didn't get your question right. I am sorry. Yeah because some of the lot of the people we asked have lived here for quite a long time so it's kind of a bit of a broad question because a lot of them because some of the boy in Africa and they moved over here when they are the young. So they don't actually have much of the connection because even their fathers, father lived in Africa you know maybe in Kenya their whole life even so and then they moved to when they were so young so they don't people say, Oh what are you and they say well are you an Indian? They say I don't know. Because you know they have, they have never even been there. So we always ask this question is just to specially to categorize yourself, so for self you know. No it is, I will be called, I will be a Hindu. Nice good Hindu the thing is and I will not be away form my country but just why I am not going very frequently because I don't have enough money to do so. But later on after five years or so when my earnings increase and then yeah we; I will keep in touch with my culture and that is what I intend to every year or every two years, I will be going to India to keep up the relations and all. So where do you see is home? Sorry. Where do you see is home? At the moment, you know, where do you see as your permanent home or do you have, not have one at all? I don't have a home just now. But I am, you mean a property I am going to. Yeah. I mean like, you know for me I might be born-- Okay. Where do you settle down? Okay. Yeah. Where do you feel or do you not know yet where do you still? No. I think I will make up my home in U.K. itself yeah. U.K. may be, may not be in Glasgow, may be New Castle. I being New Castle but I mean U.K. always yeah. And finally do you have any, anything else you would like add or any final thought or messages for anybody who might be listening later on or reading? Any? Final thought or message that for anybody might be reading it later on or listening to this later on. Final message would be for. It's a difficult one. It's a very difficult one. Doesn't any one. People should they may or may not help their fellow human beings but they should not harm. It's up to them. They may or may not help. But they should never in any, in any circumstances they should never harm others. That's enough to be religious. Okay.