LIFE IN THE VILLAGE situated amidst tranquil hills on the banks of the river, Chitravathi Andhra Pradesh, Pottipadu is one the many remote villages in the Rayalaseema part of the old Madras Presidency. Those days India lived mostly in its villages which were often praised as the backbone of the country. My father, Bommireddi Nagi Reddi was born in Pottipadu on Monday, December 1, 1912. Our ancestors hailed from Bommireddipalli of Kurnool district and migrated to Pottipadu for reasons not known. We were told that when they moved over, they brought along with them the idol of our family deity, Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and installed it in this village, our new home. After living for a few years in Pottipadu, our family moved again to another village nearby, Yeddulaiahgari Kothapalle and settled there. My father would often reminisce about his life in the village: "The village head of Pottipadu was a true Gandhian; he used to work untiringly for the common good of the village and the welfare of its people, at times even putting his life at risk. The villagers reposed immense faith in him; for them, his word was the law. They followed the path laid down for them by him. Achieving Independence for the nation was his life's ambition and the villagers shared his passion. In those days, not only our village but many other villages in our country were also equally patriotic. For today's generation it might seem utopian, but those were the days when people led a simple, disciplined life, following the traditions that had come down to them. Though there was a lot of positive things about life in the village, there was also a downside which continues to this day - feuds and faction fights between some families!".................................