The short biography of Uchila Venkata is an interesting read. The biographer Dr.U V Srinivasa Rao happens to be the second son of Venkata Rao. The hard working Venkata Rao was born to Narayana Navada and Savithriamma at Uchila, a small village by the Arabian Sea. After a short stay at Uchila, Venkata Rao moved over to Udupi for his education at the school run by the Ashamutts which managed the unique Krishna temple as per the instructions of the great Saint Madhwacharya. On completing his matriculation, the young man underwent a course in the Indian Postal Department and he studied the telegraphic code with special interest. All his life, Venkata Rao was a man of fifty in his thoughts and deeds but a boy of five when it came to learning and assimilating. The young man joined the telegraphic section of the postal service and got married to young Kamala by the year 1901, however she passed away quite early. Subsequently he married Padmavathi during the year 1906. The couple were blessed with 3 sons and 7 daughters over the years. The family got fully settled at Coimbatore. Managing a large family meant hardship, sacrifice and several other challenges. In order to ensure the smooth running of his family Venkata Rao decided to undergo a pharmacy course and set up a drug store. Later on he quit his job and became a full time businessman. However competition made him sell of his house and the ornaments belonging to his beloved wife before long he had to move to a house on Big Bazaar street. Padmavathi, the wife was a determined cum supportive partner and she did her best by ensuring that the family survived honourably even during times of financial strain.
Finally due to the sacrifices made by Venkata Rao, the first son C.V.Ramraj became a doctor and one by one all the others got settled down over the years. The second U.V. Srinivasa Rao became the second doctor in the family and thanks to the steps taken by Venkata Rao, the family has been blessed with more than 20 doctors. U.Venkata Rao did much for his family but he felt that something should be given back to the society and as a first step he founded the Karnataka Association and did much as its Secretary. The great contribution of Venkata Rao came in the form of his work for the Shiva temple at Uchila. In order to fulfil the promise made by his uncle Shivaram Navada, Venkata Rao decided to undertake the restoration work at the temple. The members of his family were quite hesitant for it meant a lot of hard work which involved travel, supervision besides listening to unpleasant remarks at times. However the dynamic Venkata Rao decided to travel to several centres and raise the required money. The temple work took him to several towns, villages and cities like Mumbai. Venkata travelled by the third class and therefore underwent enormous hardship. It was the time of the second world war and that was to also have a bearing on the work undertaken by him. He travelled from town to town and on certain occasions he had to come back without success but he would not get deterred. The temple restorer had to spend several months all alone at Uchila and brave the weather, distances and negative comments of the people at the age of 68. He contributed Rs.1001 and still there was a deficit of a princely sum of Rs.3000. In spite of maintain accounts to the last paisa he was criticised by the villagers and finally he sold a portion of his property in order to cover the deficit.
Thanks to the contributions from the people at Madurai, Trivandrum, Cochin and Chennai, the renovation was completed by the May of 1948. With great difficulty he got copper sheets for the roofing and cement for the flooring. Stone walls replaced mud walls and new foundations had to made. The copper sheets were placed on the wooden frames and this involved a lot of labour backed by finesse. Venkata Rao procured the brass nails required for securing the roof with great difficulty and completed the work. The completion was marked through the conduct of the Kumbabishekham on the 30 of May 1948 and the festivities lasted a complete week. Over 5000 people were given food and prasadam. The celebration was very inclusive for a number of Dalits, Christians and Muslims were fed on this marvellous religious occasion. Finally the perseverance of Venkata Rao paid off and the temple at Uchila became a perfect place for the devotees to offer worship while it was also possible to celebrate sacred occasions in a befitting manner.
Uchila Venkata Rao felt that his life was incomplete without a trip to Badri and undertook this arduous journey along with wife, daughter Janaki in the company of his son and biographer Dr. U.V.Srinivasa Rao on the 13 th of June 1951. The family visited Jagannatha Puri, Kolkatta Kali temple and the Belur Ramakrishna Mutt during the first phase of the pilgrimage. They proceeded to Gaya after tasting the rosogollas at Kolkatta. Venkata Rao performed Shradda to his elders at Gaya while also visiting the Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya. They visited Benares and had several dips before visiting the Kasi Viswanath, Bharat Mata temples along with many others. They visited the Benares Hindu University before moving on Allahabad in order to offer their prayers at the Triveni Sangamam. They satisfied themselves by visiting Anand Bhavan, before moving over to Haridwar in order to visit the ultimate destination Badri. They travelled 134 miles by bus and walked the balance of 52 miles within a record span of time. In spite of age Venkata Rao walked fast and he used to just utter "Jai Badri Vishal" during the enduring walk. He perfomed poojas at Badri and later on visited Lakshmanjula, Hrishikesh, Haridwar, Delhi where they visited the Juma Masjid and Rajghat. After a stop over at Mumbai and Poona where they stayed with the third son Krishna, the group visited Pandarpur and offered their prayers to Lord Panduranga Vittala. The trip was successfully completed after the offering of prayers to the Moola Brindavana of Swami Raghavendra at Mantralaya and they returned home by the 16 th of August 1951. U. Venkata Rao celebrated the Kashi Samaradhana on a grand scale on the 30 of August 1951.
The well lived life of Uchila Venkata was celebrated by the family by constructing a facility in his name at the Sub Urban Higher Secondary School at Ramnagar. The family of this hard working gentleman is greatly successful due to his efforts and vision. The life and times of Venkata Rao who came from distant Uchila will surely inspire a number of people and is really worth emulating. A good Karta of a family will not only look after his family successfully but will also serve the society by being a worker, foot soldier and leader as well.
Finally due to the sacrifices made by Venkata Rao, the first son C.V.Ramraj became a doctor and one by one all the others got settled down over the years. The second U.V. Srinivasa Rao became the second doctor in the family and thanks to the steps taken by Venkata Rao, the family has been blessed with more than 20 doctors. U.Venkata Rao did much for his family but he felt that something should be given back to the society and as a first step he founded the Karnataka Association and did much as its Secretary. The great contribution of Venkata Rao came in the form of his work for the Shiva temple at Uchila. In order to fulfil the promise made by his uncle Shivaram Navada, Venkata Rao decided to undertake the restoration work at the temple. The members of his family were quite hesitant for it meant a lot of hard work which involved travel, supervision besides listening to unpleasant remarks at times. However the dynamic Venkata Rao decided to travel to several centres and raise the required money. The temple work took him to several towns, villages and cities like Mumbai. Venkata travelled by the third class and therefore underwent enormous hardship. It was the time of the second world war and that was to also have a bearing on the work undertaken by him. He travelled from town to town and on certain occasions he had to come back without success but he would not get deterred. The temple restorer had to spend several months all alone at Uchila and brave the weather, distances and negative comments of the people at the age of 68. He contributed Rs.1001 and still there was a deficit of a princely sum of Rs.3000. In spite of maintain accounts to the last paisa he was criticised by the villagers and finally he sold a portion of his property in order to cover the deficit.
Thanks to the contributions from the people at Madurai, Trivandrum, Cochin and Chennai, the renovation was completed by the May of 1948. With great difficulty he got copper sheets for the roofing and cement for the flooring. Stone walls replaced mud walls and new foundations had to made. The copper sheets were placed on the wooden frames and this involved a lot of labour backed by finesse. Venkata Rao procured the brass nails required for securing the roof with great difficulty and completed the work. The completion was marked through the conduct of the Kumbabishekham on the 30 of May 1948 and the festivities lasted a complete week. Over 5000 people were given food and prasadam. The celebration was very inclusive for a number of Dalits, Christians and Muslims were fed on this marvellous religious occasion. Finally the perseverance of Venkata Rao paid off and the temple at Uchila became a perfect place for the devotees to offer worship while it was also possible to celebrate sacred occasions in a befitting manner.
Uchila Venkata Rao felt that his life was incomplete without a trip to Badri and undertook this arduous journey along with wife, daughter Janaki in the company of his son and biographer Dr. U.V.Srinivasa Rao on the 13 th of June 1951. The family visited Jagannatha Puri, Kolkatta Kali temple and the Belur Ramakrishna Mutt during the first phase of the pilgrimage. They proceeded to Gaya after tasting the rosogollas at Kolkatta. Venkata Rao performed Shradda to his elders at Gaya while also visiting the Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya. They visited Benares and had several dips before visiting the Kasi Viswanath, Bharat Mata temples along with many others. They visited the Benares Hindu University before moving on Allahabad in order to offer their prayers at the Triveni Sangamam. They satisfied themselves by visiting Anand Bhavan, before moving over to Haridwar in order to visit the ultimate destination Badri. They travelled 134 miles by bus and walked the balance of 52 miles within a record span of time. In spite of age Venkata Rao walked fast and he used to just utter "Jai Badri Vishal" during the enduring walk. He perfomed poojas at Badri and later on visited Lakshmanjula, Hrishikesh, Haridwar, Delhi where they visited the Juma Masjid and Rajghat. After a stop over at Mumbai and Poona where they stayed with the third son Krishna, the group visited Pandarpur and offered their prayers to Lord Panduranga Vittala. The trip was successfully completed after the offering of prayers to the Moola Brindavana of Swami Raghavendra at Mantralaya and they returned home by the 16 th of August 1951. U. Venkata Rao celebrated the Kashi Samaradhana on a grand scale on the 30 of August 1951.
The well lived life of Uchila Venkata was celebrated by the family by constructing a facility in his name at the Sub Urban Higher Secondary School at Ramnagar. The family of this hard working gentleman is greatly successful due to his efforts and vision. The life and times of Venkata Rao who came from distant Uchila will surely inspire a number of people and is really worth emulating. A good Karta of a family will not only look after his family successfully but will also serve the society by being a worker, foot soldier and leader as well.