I visited Mr. Lakshman Rao of The Guider Pen Works yesterday, along with my son and brother-in-law. We
drove down a distance of about 200KM to Rajahmundhri from Vishakapatnam,
which is where my in-laws stay. I had contacted him earlier and asked
him for a suitable time to visit. The shop itself is located in a
crowded part of the town, very close to the Godavari.
Front of the Guider Pen Works shop, Rajahmundhry
We received a warm welcome and Mr. Rao told us that we could look around
at the back where one of his workshops is located. We watched an
employee making pens on a lathe. He let my son, who is 11 and very
interested in fountain pens, look at the raw materials and half finished
pen parts. He also showed how each of the parts were made. We saw
several Onyxes in green rippled ebonite and acrylic being made.
Mr. Rao then meticulously showed us all the models he had in stock and
also some of the antique pens he had from long back. One of the pens he
showed was a silver plated pen with a gold conical nib which was dated
1948. He also showed the biggest (18in long) which is a two sided pen
and looks more like a police baton, to the smallest, which is about an
inch and a half in length. He also narrated the history of the business
started by his father. His assistant brought out a couple of cardboard
boxes the size of shoe boxes filled with pen parts, some of them really,
really old. He also generously fixed a pen with a German nib unit,
which I had presented to my father-in-law some months back, and which
was was suffering from flow problems.
I made a selection of several pens for myself, son and friends and was
about to leave when Mr. Rao stopped us asked where we thought we were
going! It was lunchtime and he demanded we have lunch with him. He took
my son along with him and went shopping for things to take back home to
Vizag, and to give my son a tour of the famous Godavari river and the
one-time longest bridge in Asia. He then proceeded to take us upstairs
to his home where his wife, while taking care of their 2 year old
grandson, served us a lavish and hearty lunch. Only then were we allowed
to depart! I have never met such a generous person like Mr. Rao, who
would open up so wonderfully to strangers. I shall remember this visit
for a long time.
The showcase that greets you as you enter the premises. Mr. Rao sits behind it.
My older son and my brother-in-law fascinated by the longest pen at GPW
My son outside the GPW shop
A comparison of the largest and smallest offering at Guider
The 'Baton' pen, fountain pen side uncapped. Marked by the red cap top.
The 'Baton' pen, ball pen side uncapped. Marked by the white cap top.
Mr. Rao whisks my son away for an adventure!
Lunch upstairs!
A glimpse of pens being made at the workshop behind the shop.
