Sri Krishnadeva Raya Telugu Bhasha Nilayam to celebrate 124th anniversary in Hyderabad

Sri Krishnadeva Raya Telugu Bhasha Nilayam in Hyderabad, a haven for Telugu literature lovers is set to celebrate its 124th anniversary in September. The library faces challenges but sustains legacy.

Sri Krishnadeva Raya Telugu Bhasha Nilayam (formerly known as Sri Krishnadeva Raya Andhra Bhasha Nilayam) stands tall along the bustling main road of Ramkote in Hyderabad. This Nilayam—meaning ‘home’ in Telugu—is a treasured haven for serious readers and lovers of Telugu literature.

A quiet calm prevails on the library’s second floor as secretary T. Udayawarlu leafs through Neerajanam, a recently launched book that pays posthumous tribute to writer and scholar Biruduraju Ramaraju. Alongside Neerajanam, the Nilayam also released a collection of Ramaraju’s essays to mark his centenary birth anniversary in April. “Ramaraju was the first poet in South India to write about janapada sahityam (folk literature). In addition to Telugu, he was fluent in Sanskrit and English and authored books in both languages. He also served as secretary of the Andhra Bhasha Nilayam,” shares the septuagenarian.

One of Hyderabad’s oldest libraries, Bhasha Nilayam houses around 50,000 books and magazines, including several rare titles. While the library’s catalogue offers categorised listings, the digitisation process remains slow and ongoing. Only around 10,000 books have been digitised in the past seven years, hampered by limited funding, staffing shortages, and copyright constraints, explains Udayawarlu.

September 2025 marks a major milestone for Bhasha Nilayam as it completes 124 years. While a few special events are planned to commemorate the occasion, the library — once a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment — continues to strive to sustain its legacy.

Owing to its rich history, Bhasha Nilayam was once regarded as a cultural landmark on par with institutions like Ravindra Bharathi, Telangana Saraswatha Parishat, and Thyagaraja Gana Sabha. “It was a popular destination at one point and a must-visit for lovers of Telugu literature in Hyderabad. But now, it’s mostly M.Phil and Ph.D. students who come here for reference,” says Udayawarlu.

This used to be a bustling hub during literary sessions and memorial events held for early Telugu poets and scholars. But when funding dried up and footfall dropped, the library’s members came up with a plan to stay afloat: create awards to honour notable individuals posthumously and celebrate their contributions to Telugu literature. “We’d reach out to the friends and families of late poets and writers, explain the idea of instituting an award in their name, for a fee,” says Udayawarlu.

The idea worked. Today, nine such awards have been set up. Among them are two instituted by the grandchildren of Ravi Chettu Ranga Rao — one of the library’s four founders — in memory of their grandfather and his wife, Ravichettu Lakshmi Narasamma. Other awards honour luminaries like poet Dasarathi and Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, the first elected chief minister of Hyderabad State.