A coffee table book that described the rich cultural heritage of Ballari and Vijayanagara districts was released at the district administrative complex in Ballari on Thursday. The book, which was jointly prepared by the Ballari district administration and Sandur Manganese and Iron Ores Ltd. (SMIORE), was released by Ballari DC Pavan Kumar Malapati.
The book has brief introductions to the history of the region in different periods with a special focus on the Vijayanagara Empire and British rule and pictorial descriptions of wildlife in the area and archaeological monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi. It depicts the socio-cultural life of the communities through the ages. The front cover is designed with the image of Sanganakallu Gudda, known for its Neolithic importance for being one of the earliest human settlements in South India and the back cover has the image of Hampi monuments.
The idea of bringing out a coffee table book was originally mooted and initiated a few years ago by then DC of Ballari S.S. Nakul. The SMIORE had agreed to sponsor the project. Mr. Malapati, who replaced Mr. Nakul in January this year, continued the project with the same spirit. “The book gives a brief introduction to the socio-cultural history of the Ballari region. We are very much thankful to Mr. Bahirji Ghorpade, the grandson of M.Y. Ghorpade, who provided rare photos for the book,” T.R. Raghunandan, director of SMIORE, said.
