Athree had a rational foundation

Athree Book Centre, founded in 1975 and a landmark on the literary map of Mangalore, is all set to down shutters on March 31, 2012.

There is an interesting background on why the book centre was so named and its intellectual-literary founder, Guddihithulu Thimmappaiah Narayana Rao, whose last book, 60th (literary sashtyabdyapoorthy?), was released when he turned 80 years in 2006. The autobiographical book in Kannada is titled “Mugiyada Payana” (Unfinished Journey).

The title is apt, as the author, then 80 years, furiously continued his writings, with his mind alert, body active and attitude positive. He had hoped for, and one could have expected, more titles before he finished his journey which ended in June 2008 without, as his son Ashok, owner of Athree, told this correspondent, adding any more titles.

Guddihithulu is a village in Shimoga district from where Rao’s ancestors migrated to Kodagu about 400 years ago. Thimmappaiah Narayana Rao, born on January 30, 1926, is the son of Venkata Lakhshamma and G N Thimmappaiah, who was Secretary of Kodagu State Central Co-operative Bank, Mercara. Rao had his education up to Matriculation in Mercara, followed by Intermediate at St Aloysius College, Mangalore, and finishing with BA (Hon) in Mathematics from Loyola College, Madras.

Rao started off with a clerical job in the Head Office of Indian Overseas Bank in 1947 for a salary of Rs 55. Having found him well educated and smart, the bank wanted to send him to its Kuala Lumpur branch. Rao refused and was promptly dismissed for gross indiscipline. He next went to Madras Christian College as Maths tutor. His next stop was at St Aloysius College where he held Maths tutorship from 1949 to 1953, starting at Rs 112 and ending at Rs 125. Concurrently, he was NCC Officer in the college. Then he shifted to Government College, Mercara, his home town, which had Central Government scale.

The Chinese war saw rapid expansion of NCC and Rao’s services were requisitioned to head, as a Commissioned Officer, the NCC unit in Bellary – at Rs 405 and free quarters. He took the post more as a duty to the nation and resigned after 20 months, unable to function with integrity in a venal atmosphere.

The next posting was Government Arts and Science College, Bangalore, as a lecturer, where he served from 1965 to 1969. In June 1969, Rao was invited by Mysore University to be the science editor of Kannada Encyclopedia. After one year, he became the permanent employee of the University and retired in 1986. During his working career and since, Rao had been a prolific writer, popularising science through articles and books.

In a chat with this correspondent in 2008, Rao ascribed his love for Kannada and science mainly to teachers and atmosphere at St Aloysius College. He recalled G S Keshavacharya (Kannada) and A K Krishna Rao (Science) in the High School and Muliya Thimmappayya (Kannada) and K A Krishnamurthy and S Narayana Holla (science) in the college.

Rao’s first book, published in 1951, was a collection of short stories. The second book, Kodagina Cathegalu (Stories from Kodagu), came out in1953. Then there was no looking back till he marked the sashtyabdyapoorthy of his books. Beyond his  autobiography, he proded on, keeping a disciplined work schedule in Mysore where he stayed with his third son Anant, who is a Chartered Accountant.

Since 1980, Rao’s books had been published under the banner of Athree Book Centre.
The naming of Athree has an interesting background and takes us back to Rao’s family. Rao married Lakshmi in 1951 and the couple has three sons. When the eldest son, Ashok, wanted to go into an independent business, it was decided to set him up in book trade. The Mangalore bookshop was set up in 1975.

Meanwhile, Rao had found that his surname starting with “R” was a handicap because at interviews, where candidates are called in alphabetical order, he had to wait in the ‘Q’ (queue) till people up to “Q” in the alphabet had finished. This sometimes meant waiting for the second day to be interviewed. So, Rao named his sons starting with “A” – Ashok, Anand and Anant. When the Mangalore bookshop had to be named, it was by combining the three “A”s – Athree (A+three).

Rao believed in recognising and to be recognised and gives an example. He was presented by a swamy a copy of a book, The Song of the Bird by Fr Antony de Mello, SJ, published by Gujarat Sahithya Prakashan, Anand. He requested for a copy to be sent by VPP.

Instead, they sent a copy suggesting that he send the amount by money order. Next he placed an order worth about Rs 4,000. Once again the books were sent and payment was requested. This type of trust in an unknown entity (Athree) greatly impressed Rao.

Then, once students from Manipal came to Athree, when he was minding the store, and selected books worth Rs 5,000 and offered to come the next day with the money to collect the parcel. Rao told them that they could take the books and pay later. The students couldn’t believe the offer. Then he had to tell them: “If you don’t pay me, I will not become a pauper; neither will you become millionaires.” That is trust in action, reinforced by the Gujarat Sahithya Prakashan.

Beside books, Rao had been writing Karnatak music reviews for The Hindu for 10 years. He had interviewed two Nobel laureates – Sir C V Raman and US-based S Chandrashekar. The latter’s meeting had resulted in a book titled Crossing The Dateline. His other books in English are With Great Minds and Scientific Temper. Now that book-lovers are left to live on nostalgia of their favourite hunting nook, the above background to it may add to their experience of their tryst with this treasure house of books on Balmatta Road, Mangalore.