Books worth lakhs of rupees published by Karnataka Sangha  are gathering dust since there are no buyers.

‘Balavana’ was the laboratory for Dr Karanth where he began many of his literary experiments. He established Karnataka Sangha at Balavana in 1952 for literary activities. A P Subbaiah was its first president.

Karanth developed Karnataka Sangha with the active participation of Panje Mangesha Rao, Kadaba Shambhu Hegde, Belle Ramachandra, Prof Leela Bhat, Nagesh Rao Master and many others.

It was a centre of literary activities until he left  his birth place Puttur for Kota in Kundapur. It was late Bolanthakodi Eshwar Bhat who spearheaded the activities of Karnataka Sangha after Dr Karanth. Bhat was a long time friend of the literary giant. After the demise of Bhat, Purandara Bhat is leading the organisation. The collection of books at the Sangha has been shifted to the premises of Purandara Bhat’s ‘Anuraga’.

There have been about 60 publications from Karnataka Sangha, including the five published in this year. At present, about 15,000 books worth Rs 20 lakh including those of B V Karanth, U R Ananthamurthy, M N Kamath and Srinivasa Havanur, are gathering dust at the Sangha. Since books of lakhs of rupees are lying unsold, the organisation is facing a apprehending crunch. Despite this, it’s activities are continuing undeterred, thanks to the enthusiasm of its President Purandara Bhat and other office bearers. ‘Anuraga Vathara’ has been a forum for literary activities.

If the organisation do not get further support from book lovers and literature admirers, it will certainly be in trouble in the near future.