Dumb rock unravels truth

By SNV Sudhir/Visakhapatnam

One needs witnesses and evidences to prove one’s guilt. But here there is no need. . An accused and the affected are enough; rest of all is taken care by a dumb rock. Most of the never-ending cases of 20 to 25 surrounding villages were solved just in fraction of minutes here in a small village Chinna Patchila of Ravikamatham mandal. There is neither court nor a judge to solve these cases but this 200-year-old Sathyapitham unravels every case. The villagers call it as Pedda Rayi. Few months ago Sidda Thathababu who booked a theft case against a person was suggested by police to resolve their issue at Peddarayi after a severe interrogation had failed to achieve any results. The moment the accused approached the rock, the accused became nervous and he confessed to his crime. Villagers believe whoever utters a lie standing on this rock would die within 10 to 15 days. Aravelli Varadacharyulu, priest of the Kodandarama temple whose family is staying in this village for more than 90 years, said that 200 years back the then village head Sasubilli Nagappa Naidu saw a dream. In his dream a village god suggested him to go to Nagallakonda, a nearby hill where he can get a rock to solve social cases, on which saints and sages did tapasya for salvation.. People say it took 3 months for the villagers to roll down the rock to the present place which is approximately 8 kilometers away. From that day onwards if any one do not have any evidences in any case, the village heads ask the accused to go and have a bath in the near by well and bring water in a new pot to the Pedda Rayi where he has to clean the rock, light a lamp and say whatever he wanted to say. The best part of it during this entire episode none would be present in and around the rock. Only the complainant and accused will be there. If the accused lie after lighting the lamp standing on the rock, death will follow him in no time, the villagers strongly believe. Three years back a pregnant woman Ramayamma lied for Rs 50 standing on Pedda Rayi and she died four days later without any severe ailments " I still remember that incident. The woman lost her life just lying for Rs 50" said Thathababu a veteran villager. In a similar way just two years back there was a property dispute between two brothers and one of them Rukla Gangu Naidu killed by lightening, after lying on this rock. "There were many others in the home none died except Gangu Naidu during the lightening which fell only on his house," said Sasubilli Raja Rao who is the descendent of Nagappa Naidu, who installed this rock. It has become a trend in the surrounding villages of Chinnapathcila even in today’s world to approach this rock for justice. " Many cases were solved after years of pending in courts and police stations" said Hari Hara Rao, Sarpanch of the village. "I heard a lot about this Satyapitham, many villagers go to this rock for justice from small disputes to big disputes where they won’t have any evidences or witnesses" said the SI of Ravikamatham, K Malleswara Rao.