Yugapurusha

I was waiting to write an article on our press called "Yugapursusha". It was tough for me to write "our" press...as my contribution to it is very very minimal...but my parents (Ramakrishna Bhat and Padmakshi Bhat) contribution to it was immense. Not much in terms of articles published but more it terms of making my grandpa's dream come true....

I would mix this article with my childhood memories @Yugapursha and pen down some achievements and history...This is a tough one to write as the achievements are immense...

Yugapurusha was born on  October 15th 1947. Much before I was born..It was founded by my grandpa Late. Mr. Kodathur Anatha Padmanabha Udupa. It is located in Kinnigoli, a town in near Mangalore/Kateel. The Udupa family is a well know family around Mangalore and Udupi. May in the family has a touch of greatness in their own field. Be it in literature,  science and technology and in medicine. Yugapurusha is the magazine name. Yugapurusha Prakatanalaya is the press name. It is a monthly magazine that contains Kannada literary work by writers, poets and many others.

My grandpa was an eminent person in Kinnigoli. He was born on January 5^th of 1925 to Mr. Tammiah and Gangamma. He did his primary studies in Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple and did 5 years of Sanskrit study at Udupi Sanskrit college.  In 1944, 1945 he studied for Kannada “Kava” and “Jana” certification. He earned his Sanskrit Shiromani degree in 1947 and capped it with Kannada Vidwaan degree from Madras University in 1950. By 1954 he had passed Hindi Praveen and Pracharak.

He was a great public speaker, a great teacher and a man who wanted to do something. The way he read the mantra's was pleasant to hear.

I loved to go to my grandpa's house in summer vacation..the reason was that i could play with my cousin's in the  field. We would have the bat made from the coconut leaf. I also loved to travel with my grandpa in his car...he used to travel a lot as he was a literate. We loved to go to the press..The press was a huge building in Kinnigoli then. Behind the scene, it was my dad's dream to have a complex like thingy. Amazing isn't it...that too at that time....There was library, shops, kalyana mantap and now we also have the ragavendra mutt.

Let me put my snap now with my grandpa

In the pre-computer age, I remember how people used to work hard to form the words. The machines in the press where huge.

The 

There were these huge wooden square block with square compartments, where a matchstick height square pieces used to be kept. these had the alphabets at its edge..i am not sure about the logic of how the words where spread across in each of these...the workers used to form the word picking the words from here. It was interesting to remember this....how easy it is now...just type and save it...i am not sure how many days they would keep the words formed....what if it was required on a later date....also it was eating snacks along with them...it was a chance for us to eat GOLIBAJE. The workers where very friendly with us and couple of them are still there...that's a WOW..being employed at same place for so many years. They seem very happy when i go now as they have seen from my childhood....they all came to my marriage...so nice....We also have a kalyan mantap where lot of functions used to happen...dance, drams skits..pooja's...marriages....karate class...he loved to encourage talent...well i am thankful that god has gifted each one of us with more than one talent....

The press still publishes the monthly edition's. I have not seen till date any organisation/press that promotes literature to such an extent....the publications are still sent to subscribers even after the expiry dates....the subscription fees too are very minimal....I remember one gentleman quoting as "if there is one publication that is so pure in Kannada literature, it is Yugapurusha" Mostly it is so, because of its intention. Promote talent and literature to make money. It is 63 years old now and still running strong. It is now run by Mrs. Kamalaskhi Udupa (my grandma) and Mr. Bhuvanabirama Udupa (the youngest son) who are keeping his dream and vision alive till date. 

A line to solute my grandma...she is such a sweet, beautiful  and genuine person....I am sure she has sacrificed a lot. Behind every successful person, there lies a women...it is so true...

The dasara-deepavali always has a special editions and this tradition is kept alive even today...with Kateel Durgaparameshwari picture on the front page...

Innumerable awards and recognitions have been bestowed upon by various associations, institutions and bodies. Listing them would be an enormous task and would be beyond the scope of this article. Among the many, I felt really proud when we bagged the award of Kannada Sahitya Parishath.

Also, In 2006 on the eve of Golden Jubilee celebration of  Unification of Karnataka State, when government of Karnataka announced special recognition to those who had made phenomenal contribution for the cause of unification, Yugapurusha deservedly got it. It was given by the then Chief Minister of Karanataka, H D Kumaraswamy. It was a proud moment for us...

Well it has surely given us an identity in the society...If there is one family that has to produce some brainy ones...then that the Udupa family....and I am one among them... :)

This article will be updated as soon as I dig in more information...I hope this article spread's the contribution of our press, grandpa and the many other people behind it...Thank you all who made it happen....

Will add some pics of my grandpa, uncle, the magazine itself....Will see if i could attach a PDF format of the magazine so that people can see the work....

Few writer's who have contributed are

Prof Venkatesh Hunshikatti, Shri KG Mallya, Dr S Hosabettu, Dr N Mogasale, Subraya Chokkadi, P. Seetharama Bhat, P. Vaduiraja Tanthri, P. Srinivasa Bhat, J Srinivas Bhat, Sumukhananda Jalavalli, K.N. Bhat Shiradipal, S Padmanabhacharya, Bannaje Govindacharya and many more came to light and made a name for themselves

some good things written @

http://portal.kinnigoli.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3844:late-ka-udupa-kinnigolian-doyen-of-literature&catid=34:kuswar-vyakti-parichay-&Itemid=7

Above all thanks to my parents who also played a crucial role....i am aware of it but many may not

For subscription or any other details one can contact my mailing to yugapurushakinnigoli@yahoo.com