Kuruganti Roots in Vijayawada

We are in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) at my parents’ house for the holidays. This is my fifth trip since my parents moved here in 1994 and is easily the most enjoyable trip to date. My grandfather’s banking career was spent at Andhra Bank and Central Bank. He was getting transferred to new towns every few years so my dad’s family moved a lot. Turns out a significant chunk of time was spent in Vijayawada. I pestered my dad to take me around town and show me important landmarks like the houses they lived in and the schools they went to. He obliged and we had 2 fun hours zig-zagging through some old neighbourhoods of Vijayawada. Here is a pictorial view of the Kuruganti roots in Vijayawada:

(Ram Mohan Reading Library Entrance)

(Ram Mohan Reading Library - my dad was a fixture from 1951 to 1953. Side note: in Feb 1952, my dad met his spiritual guru at a lecture on the first floor.)

(View of the Library where there used to be a staircase)

(Bala Krishna Bhavan in One Town Vijayawada - dad’s family rented a few rooms on the top floor in the 1950’s)

(SKPVV Hindu High School Vijayawada – my dad studied Grade 5 here.)

(My dad in front of his old classroom. The school had a rather ‘interesting’ tradition where the academic topper got to slap the rest of his classmates. Fortunately (for my dad) he was on the right end of those slaps 🙂)

(This used to be a single-storey building where my dad’s family lived for a year)

(Renowned Ayurvedic practitioner Nori Rama Sastry’s Office was right next to the previous rental building. On an impulse, we went inside the office and met the Ayurvedic great’s grandson and his great-grandson who were both very hospitable.)

(SRR & CRV Government Degree College - my dad did his Intermediate here)

(Anjaney Temple - where my dad & his friends would diligently visit before exams for blessings)