For the lovers of Telugu literature, the Vijayawada Book Festival (VBF) has got some outstanding publications and one thing that stands out is the stall featuring the works of ‘Kavi Samrat’ Viswanatha Satyanarayana. It receives a steady stream of visitors who get to have a glimpse into the life and deeds of the legendary writer whose brilliant novel ‘Veyi Padagalu’ shot him into fame.
The stall which was put up by city-based Viswanatha Publications has the collection of almost all literary works of the Kavi Samraat including the copies of his novels, poetry and dramas.
Some of the very well-known works are Srimadramayana Kalpavrukshamu, Veyi Padagalu, Swarganiki Nicchenalu, Pulula Satyagrahamu, Kavalalu, Bhramaravasini, Chandraguptuni Swapnamu, Amrutha Sarmishtamu (Sanskrit), Kinnerasani Patalu, Kavya Parimalamu etc.
Broadly categorised, the stall has Viswanatha Satyanarayana’s Sampoorna Navala Sahitya Nidhi, Vimarsagrandha Nidhi, Natakamula Nidhi and Padyakavyamula Nidhi.
Without the effort of Viswanatha Satyanarayana’s son Viswanatha Pavani Sastry and grandsons Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Viswanatha Saktidhara Sri Pavaki and Viswanatha Manohara Sri Panini, the great works of the Kavi Samraat would not have been passed on to the posterity.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Sri Pavaki, a practising advocate, said they were privileged to be the descendants of the great writer whose grip of Telugu and Sanskrit languages has few parallels.
He also had a sound knowledge of English. In the literary circles, Viswanatha Satyanarayana was known with the pen name ‘Girukumara’. His works evoke tremendous interest even today and rightly so because they were literary masterpieces and also dealt on a variety of subjects with phenomenal dexterity. As a fitting tribute to the legend, his grandsons are trying to convert his own house situated in Maruti Nagar into a memorial, for which Mandali Buddha Prasad, Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad and others promised to make their contribution.
