A small institution that inspired generations and provided a platform for intellectual debates has completed 110 years.
Telugu language lovers and patriots Pingili Venkatrama Reddy, Komarraju Laxman Rao, Ravichettu Ranga Rao, Nayini Venkataranga Rao and others wanted to set up a library and they founded Raja Raja Narendraandhra Bhasha Nilayam in 1904. The oppression of Telugu language under the Nizam rule and the Telangana movement resulted in library movement in the region, which was very active in Warangal district.
“Mr. Venkatarama Reddy lent his house at Raganna Darwaza where it was run for 30 years before it moved to the present location. This was acquired after a lot of legal battles. Until the 1970s, patronage was good and later it declined slowly,” says Bhasha Nilayam executive committee secretary and writer Varigonda Kantha Rao.
This age-old institution went through worse times and attempts from land grabbers who tried to usurp the property. Concerned citizens such as eminent advocate Kolipaka Sugunakar Rao and others swung into action and protected the property. Mr. Kantha Rao says the institution stands on 1,000 square yards in a prime location. They incur an expenditure of Rs. 10,000 plus every month which is hard to meet. They are letting the premises for literary meetings charging a paltry Rs. 400 and on an average it generates about Rs. 2,000 every month which is being used to pay power charges. “Some of us contribute every month to pay for the salaries of librarian and watchman and towards newspapers and magazines,” he explained.
It is time the businessmen and good Samaritans came forward to build a corpus fund and turn this into a centre of learning once again. “Now about 50 people visit the Bhasha Nilayam every day. If we can provide more books catering to the needs of children, there will be more visitors,” Mr. Kantha Rao said. There were times when stalwarts like former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, Prof. Biruduraju Rama Raju and their friends competed with each other to reach this library first, soon after the school bell rang in the evening.
