The fifth Telengana History Congress is being held in the Kodad fort in Surya pet. A beautiful place full of History, this was an amazing site when we visited the place in the evening before the congress. This fort is part of the Munagala pargana under the Krishna District. The Fort and all the adjoining lands were given to Zamindar Nayna Ranga Rao who promoted social reform and established hundred libraries in Madras presidency. His grandson Santosh Reddy continues to patronise art and culture. Pingala Vengal Rao who was working in the Kodara designed the national flag sitting in this Fort. Vereslingam was also closely in touch with this Nadigudem Samsthan. They also have many letters written by Ravindra Nath Tagore to the ruler in their collection besides hundred of other manuscripts. Adjoining to this fort is the village Nadikudi.We crossed through miles and miles of paddy fields and the green cover of land stretching as far as one can see was a treat to the eyes. Oh, how we miss these sites amidst the concrete jungles of the city. This fort was lying in ruins with wild grass grown all over the place. Mr. Jeetender Babu who is a friend of the family, then got this fort on lease for ninety nine years and he invested a lot of money and renovated it. Work is going on in a war footing with hundreds of workers still giving finishing touches before the Congress. It is planned to develop this fort as a Research Centre. Jeetender Babu has his own personal library of two and a half lakh books and hundreds of manuscripts that will be transferred and housed here in the Library. In the Congress a book about this fort will be released and I am waiting to get this. Some rooms are renovated for scholars to come and stay and work in the Library.There are trees planted all around the place. This will be inaugurated and blessed tomorrow morning by Jagatguru Vidyaranya Bharati from Hamphi. A lovely evening with Prof. Vaikuntam, Prof. Vijay Kumar Prof. Deepak Kumar and of course my husband Dr. Suresh Pande, who are with me. This will be a future haven for researchers working on History.
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