Over a century old Ravuri Arjun Rao and his wife Manorama are corona warriors who were freedom fighters from Gudiwada in Krishna district in the real sense. It is apt to discuss about them on Independence Day eve because they continue to wear nothing but khadi till today.
Their marriage was consummated at Sevagram Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi near Wardha in Maharashtra on March 13, 1948, months after Gandhi’s assassination.
Arjun Rao is 101 years old and Manorama, eldest daughter of well-known atheist Gora, is 93. Both of them were arrested by the British government during the Quit India movement at Vijayawada and lodged in Alipore Camp jail near Bellary.
Gora had expressed his desire with Gandhi to get Manorama married to Arjun Rao as he was impressed with the youngster’s commitment to equality, caste and religion less society. Gandhi wanted to test Arjun Rao before the marriage. So, he picked him up from Vijayawada and assigned him duties at Sevagram Ashram.
It was during Arjun Rao’s stay at the ashram that Gandhi conceded the former’s marriage with Manorama as desired by Gora but it could not be performed in his presence as he was assassinated by then. Instead, then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Jayaprakash Narayan and Vinobha Bhave were among those present. The marriage took place in the name of truth.
The couple had five children — Milao, Chunao, Sadik, Suez (only daughter) and Power. The last named is a doctor at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad with whom the aged couple were staying after testing positive and recovered completely.
Published - August 15, 2021 12:10 am IST
