Bringing back bygone memories in reprint

The department released copies of this rare collection, which has been scanned and reprinted, on Monday, along with 12 other books including district and taluk gazetteers.

The department’s chief editor Anees Siraj said that the original copy of Buchanan’s book which is available at the Government Archives Department is apparently in great demand.

“The book, which is in three volumes, encapsulates Buchanan’s detailed descriptions of people, occupation, culture, infrastructure, caste system, etc during his travels in South India. This work has been in great demand. Fortunately the original copy was available for us to scan and reprint it.”

The department has spent Rs 12.3 lakh on publishing the set, which is available at Rs 1,230 or at Rs 450 per volume.

The department has also brought out Udupi district gazetteer; Mysore taluk gazetteer, Dakshina Kannada gazetteer (English) and Karnataka Kaipidi 2011, which were released by Kannada and Culture Minister Govind M Karjol in Bangalore on Tuesday.

The department which was constituted in 1958 has already published gazetteers of around 20 districts. It is now in the process of publishing gazetteers of newly carved districts. Around 1,000 copies of the Udupi gazetteer, which is priced at Rs 422 has been printed by the department, which will shortly bring out a gazetteer on Chamarajanagar.

Siraj said that Karnataka was the first State to publish taluk gazetteers.

“No other state has achieved this fete. Experts, historians and academics belonging to Mysore were hired to put together the books,” he added.

Gazetteers on Tirumakudlu Narasipura, Mysore, Piriyapattana, Krishanrajanagar, H D Kote, Hunsur and Nanjangud taluks have been published. Each book is priced at Rs 120.

The department has also published the second volume of the Karnataka handbook in Kannada titled ‘Karnataka Kaipidi’ at a cost of Rs 13.5 lakh. Siraj said that the handbooks too were in high demand, especially by those appearing for competitive exams.

Around 3,000 copies of the book have been printed, which is available at Rs 450.
The books can be purchased at the Karnataka Gazetteer or the Government Press.