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VI(ZA)GNETTES

During 1930s, the town of Vizianagaram was lit by gaslights after dusk. Big gaslights were erected atop lampposts at the main junctions like the ‘Bonkula Dibba’, the Three Lantern Junction and the ‘Ghanta Sthambam’ (clock tower). All the three locations find a mention in Gurajada’s play ‘Kanyasulkam’.

The traffic was very heavy in the talked about areas. The traffic comprised of bicycles, bullock drawn carts and horse drawn ‘jhatkas’. Cars were possessed by the affluent few. Even the Khiladhar (fort administrator) Bulusu Venkata Ramanayya would go to the fort in a buggy. There was a strict rule that every vehicle should be fixed with a light. Even the cycles were fitted either with oil lamps or lights that glowed with the help of a dynamo. People commuting in vehicles without lights were prosecuted. The traffic constables were also empowered with the power to book cases against pillion riding cyclists and were tried in the magistrate’s court that looked after petty cases. (Contributed by B.V. Ramamurty).

The first printing press was set up by the London Missionary Society in 1840. Till then, all their printing needs were met by the printing presses in Calcutta, Madras or Bellary. Due to the huge printing demand, Edward Porter, a missionary, requested his friends in England for financial help to start a press. One of his friends who was in the printing business, procured all the necessary machinery and items required to run a press and shipped them to Visakhapatnam.

R.D. Johnston, an assistant missionary, looked after the press from 1840 to 1853. P. Buckland took over from him. Initially the press was used to print Christian tracts and scriptures. The Telugu version of the Old and the New Testaments were also printed here. Later the press also took up the work of printing school textbooks for the Madras Presidency. (Contributed by Vijjeswarapu Edward Paul)

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