I had the privilege of being a contributor to it in mid-thirties, while.1 was at Patna. He also conducted an English journal “Federated India”, first as a weekly and afterwards as a monthly from 1927 with K. He established “ Trilinga”–a Telugu Weekly–in 1916 with Akkiraju Umakantam, well-known scholar, as editor, to propagate constructive nationalism and this journal celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1941 at a colourful function. He repeatedly rendered financial assistance to S. He was deeply moved by the Vandemataram agitation, consequent on partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon, and published a Telugu translation of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel “Anand Math”, in which the patriotic song “Vandemataram” was embedded. Though orthodox in his way of life, he was an ardent nationalist and a devoted disciple of Lokamanya Tilak, believing in responsive co-operation. He helped a number of indigent writers by publishing their works freely. What was more, every book had a valuable introduction from the pen of a well-known scholar.
By the time Venkateswara Sastrulu passed away, about 900 titles, including anthologies in Telugu, Sanskrit, Tamil and English were published. This publishing house can be compared to Macmillan and Longmans of England. The Vavilla Press published mostly sacerdotal literature, classics, epics, puranas and commentaries, particularly on “Prasthanatrayam.” What was more, they published Sanskrit books in Telugu script, to enable even laymen to understand and appreciate the lore of Sanskrit. He was the first to get the books beautifully bound in calico with title in gilt letters on the cover, which we now choose to call by a fashionable French name ‘De Lux’ edition. He successfully handled publication of books in Royal, Demy and Crown sizes. Proof-reading in this press was flawless and perfect. It was bracketed with Gita Pracharini Press of Gorakhpur and Choukamba Press of Varanasi. He took over the family concern and renamed it as “Vavilla Press”, which played a historic role. He was catholic in his interests and cosmopolitan in his outlook. His only son Venkateswara Sastrulu, born in 1884, besides being a scholar in Telugu, studied English too. Later, he started other presses known as “Saraswati Nilayam” and “Adi Saraswati Nilayam,” By the time he passed away in 1891, he published fifty standard works in Telugu and Sanskrit. Ramaswamy Sastrulu, well-versed in Telugu and Sanskrit, established a press called Hindu Bhasha Sanjeevini as early as inġ869. Vavilla family, hailing from Nellore District, symbolised the traditions of this community and inaugurated renaissance. The list is illustrative and not exhaustive. Chadalavada Sitarama Sastry, author of “Pedda Bala Siksha”–the only text-book for pial schools, Vedam Venkataraya Sastry, noted Savant, Mahamahopadhyaya Tata Subbaraya Sastry, versatile scholar, Adibhatla Narayana Das, Harikatha exponent, Kavyakantha Vasishta Ganapilti Muni, the seer, Chilakamarti Lakshmi Narasimham, dramatist and humorist, Chellapilla Venkata Sastry, well-known poet, Alladi Krishnaswamy, eminent advocate and jurist, Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya, educationist, and last but not the least Srirangam Srinivasa Rao, the revolutionary poet, belonged to this community. It is interesting to recall that Avadhanam Papiah, right-hand man of East India Company. Very soon, they became pioneers and trend-setters in every walk of life. They freely mingled and fully identified themselves with the sons of the soil in language, culture, customs, dress, food and manners. Vavilla family in Andhra Pradesh secured a page in history as a premier publishing house owning a press.ĭravidas well-versed in Vedas, hailing from the region watered by the sacred Kaveri, migrated to Andhra area between thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and initially settled in Puduru of Nellore District, Kakaraparru of West Godavari District, Peruru of East Godavari District and Dimili of old Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh. Publishers not owning a press are handicapped. If the publisher is a scholar, he can exercise better discrimination.
Distinguished authors languish like a diamond in the dung heap for want of a suitable publisher. Few publishers are scholars while they select and highlight scholarly works.
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