Established in 1878 in Poona (now Pune) by the Marathi writer Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, it was a commercial printing press noted for the publication of art prints featuring religious and historical themes. Some of the printed images depict influential Maratha political figures such as Madhav Rao and Nana Fadnavis, Hindu religious deities such as Rama and Shiva, as well as the Maratha saint Sant Ramdas. A popular motif deployed by the press in its images was that of a caged parrot, which scholars suggest served as a subtle commentary on the political turmoil of the era.