Kathanilayam- The Landmark

The doyen of Telugu short story, Kalipatnam Ramarao, started a research library ‘Kathanilayam’ for Telugu short story in Srikakulam on February 22, 1996. Many people laughed at the idea in the beginning; however, through the time it sustained and became a landmark in Telugu literature

About three decades ago my father had to compile and edit two anthologies of early Telugu short stories. Then we were living in a small village around 15 kms from Tirupati and my father had the advantage of frequenting the library of SV University, where he could refer to the old numbers of Andhra Pathrika Ugadi specials and Bharathi monthlies.

However, there were scores of other magazines like Danka, Chinthamani, Telugu Swathanthra, Yuva and Jyothi, which published good short stories but my father didn’t have the opportunity to refer them as they were not preserved in any library.

The Telugu researchers of those times depended upon two libraries Gowthami Grandhalayam in Rajamahendravaram and Saraswathi Nikethanam in Vetapalem. I know that many of my friends in the department of Telugu in SV University visited Vetapalem library to collect their primary sources.

Thus the service rendered by these two libraries to the research in Telugu language and literature cannot be exaggerated. But a library exclusively for single genre of Telugu literature was never thought of at that time.

A library and a museum are the most important places in the USA and almost every town has them. The history of America begins only from the 16th century but every town has a museum of its own covering all the important events of its past however small and negligible they may be.

Besides these they have established institutions in the name of all the renowned writers in the native places of those authors where they preserved the belongings of the writers and housed a library in which the manuscripts, works and all the relevant studies of them are preserved reverentially.

The history of India can be traced back to many centuries before the birth of Christ, every small village in India has a “sthalapurana” and the entire country is studded with temples, monuments and historical relics. But the way we build and preserve the past in the form of museums reflects our sheer negligence and incompetence.

The famous Nalanda and Thakshasila libraries belong to 5th or 6th century BC. The old monument at Purana Qila or Old Delhi, not merely reminds us of the tragic death Humayun but also reflects the importance given to books and library even during the Mughal period. No doubt, we have a great past, but what about the present?

Many libraries were established in India after the independence and government took keen interest in allotting sufficient funds. There were many lending libraries in all the places nearly three decades ago but the reading habit got terribly dwindled after the advent of television.

The common readers, who read the popular and pulp literature, migrated to a more passive entertainment, television and it’s a good riddance. But many classics had to face the threat of oblivion as there were none to preserve them for the posterity.

Even the journals, which were financially sound, neglected the preservation of their old numbers. Now the libraries in our two States are in a precarious situation.

As a teacher and as well as a writer Kalipatnam Ramarao might have noticed the importance of a research library long ago. He might have visited the libraries in the USA when he visited in 1993.When he took a decision to start a research library for Telugu short story in Srikakulam in 1996, nobody took it seriously.

I still remember the mood and feelings of the people, who attended the inaugural of Kathanilayam. I went there as an invitee and I travelled with the noted critic, Vallampati Venkatasubbaiah from Tirupati to Srikakulam. All of them had misgivings as they knew that it needed lot of financial resources and they felt that it was not proper to have it at a nook and corner of the state like Srikakulam.

But in a small place he could procure Kalipatnam Ramarao spent all the money he earned through his writings to construct a small building called Kathanilayam. In his speech at the inaugural function Vallampati Venkatasubbaiah disturbingly observed that the collection of all the journals that published short stories was a futile exercise as they contained more trash than good things to be preserved.

But in spite of the misgivings and warnings of the writer friends and well wishers Kathanilayam started humbly. Turning back after exactly two decades I don’t hesitate to say that Kalipatnam Ramarao proved that all of us were wrong and Kathanilayam progressed in leaps and bounds and at present gained the status of a remarkable research institution.

There is a saying in Telugu that all the stories reach Kanchi finally but now the destination of all Telugu stories has been Kathanilayam in Srikakulam.

Kathanilayam, was started on Febraury 22, the day on which Gurajada Apparao’s story ‘Diddubatu’ was published and Kalipatnam Ramarao set an example by giving all his earnings through his writing besides his personal library. He travelled throughout the State and collected many books from individuals and institutions.

Till last year Kathanilayam secured Telugu stories of around 16 thousand writers, back numbers of 900 journals, three thousand short story anthologies besides photographs and manuscripts of a thousand writers.

All these information was digitalised and was uploaded on a website, thanks to the yeoman service of Vivina Murthy, who has been one of the important architects of Kathanilayam. Now many research scholars and writers are making use of the information available there. Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University brought out a ‘who’s who of Telugu short story’ with the help and assistance of Kathanilayam under the editorship of Kalipatnam Ramarao.

When I met MT Vasudeva Nair, the doyen of Malayali Literature in Tirur during the Thunchan Literary Festival he told me that important literary institutions, especially in a country like India, have to be established by the individuals as the government doesn’t give due importance to them. Kathanilayam proved the same.

But it’s high time to realise the importance of Kathanilayam and now it is the duty of both individuals and the institutions of Telugu people all around the world to make it more stronger by following the great example set by Kalipatnam Ramarao, the doyen of Telugu Short Story.