Krishna District Writers' Association to celebrate the centenary of Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao with special literary programmes
In a statement on Monday (JJuly 07), general secretary of the Association G.V. Poornachandu, recalled that Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao had played a pivotal role in the formation of the Krishna District Writers' Association and made immense contributions to the preservation and development of the Telugu language and culture.
As a tribute to his legacy, the association is planning to publish a special edition titled Dharma Deepika – Centenary Volume of Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao. Writers, scholars, and well-wishers who had any personal association or literary connection with Krishna Rao have been invited to submit their reminiscences, articles, photographs, speech transcripts, newspaper clippings, and any related memorabilia for publication.
Contributions can be sent via WhatsApp to 9391238390, via email to prapanchatelugu@gmail.com, or by post/hand delivery to the association's office at Satnav Towers (1st Floor), opposite Buckinghampet Post Office, Governorpet, Vijayawada – 520002. The association emphasised that they planned to make these celebrations a grand literary tribute to a visionary who dedicated his life to public service and Telugu literature, he added.
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Cultural improbability: The Bhagyanagar narrative raises cultural questions. It is unlikely that a Muslim ruler would name his capital after a Hindu woman, whether a wife or courtesan. Islamic rulers typically chose Persian or Arabic names for their cities, reflecting their religious and cultural identities, as seen in Ahmedabad (named after Sultan Ahmad Shah) and Aurangabad (after Emperor Aurangzeb). Naming a city after a Hindu woman would have been an anomaly. Moreover, the claim that Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah married a Hindu woman named Bhagmati is questionable, as conversion to Islam was typically required for marriage (Nikah). Even if Bhagmati existed, naming a city after a courtesan would have been considereddishonourable in both Hindu and Muslim cultural contexts, further undermining the narrative's credibility. Alternative explanations for Bhagyanagar: If the Bhagmati story is fictional, how did the name Bhagyanagar arise in the first place? 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