Kannada poets to get memorials soon

Kannada poets to get memorials soon
Memorials at birthplaces close on the lines of Kuvempu’s picturesque Kavishaila at Kuppali in Shivamogga

The Government of Karnataka has finally taken a stand on the issue of setting up memorials at birthplaces of Kannada poets. In order to develop birthplaces of noted Kannada poets, the Kannada and culture department has released a grant of Rs 1 crore. The project will be developed along the lines of Kavishaila, the picturesque memorial at the birthplace of national poet Kuvempu in Thirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga district.

Under its latest programme, the Kannada and culture department has resolved to develop birthplaces of national poet G S Shivarudrappa, and Jnanapeeth awardees Da Ra Bendre and Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar. It is to develop the birthplaces of these three poets that the department has released the grant on some conditions. Sources in the department revealed to Bangalore Mirror that the birthplaces of these poets will be developed on the lines of the Kuvempu memorial.

Acknowledging the decision of the government, minister for Kannada and culture Umashree told Mirror that the chief minister Siddaramaiah has allocated the grants as promised in his budget speech. “We have earmarked the amount for the development of birthplaces of various poets. I have even directed the director of Kannada and culture to visit the places of these poets and submit a detailed project report in this regard,” she said.

However, the stumbling block for the department seems to be the lack of space to develop the memorials. “Though we planned to develop the birthplaces of these poets along the lines of Kuvempu, there are some technical constraints. Some of the poets left their birthplaces and shifted to towns while a few lack enough space. We are in touch with family members of the poets on how to go about these issues,” Umashree added.

While the birthplace of Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar at Hosahalli-Maasti is only a 20x20 feet site, which is now being converted into a small library, the house of Da Ra Bendre at Sadhana Keri in Dharawad is even smaller. In the case of GSS, though he was born at Isur in Shikaripura taluk of Shivamogga district, nothing much pertaining to the poet remains at the village, according to sources in the department.

To overcome challenges like these, the department is holding talks with family members of the poets.




K A Dayanand, director of Kannada and culture, said they were awaiting a final report that addresses these constraints. “While the grant is for all the three poets, we need to overcome some technical challenges. Not all poets’ birthplaces have spaces as wide as Kuvempu’s memorial at Kavishaila. A decision will be taken after obtaining the ground reports as we are currently discussing the solutions with various stakeholders. We will soon come up with a detailed final plan on the development of the birthplaces of these poets,” he said.


The spot where Rashtra Kavi was cremated at Kavishaila

Kavishaila is a rock monument made of megalith stones in memory of national poet and first Jnanapeeth awardee K V Puttappa also called Kuvempu. It is located atop a picturesque hillock next to his birthplace in Kuppali and nests in the middle of thick evergreen forests. The stones are arranged in a circular manner resembling the Stonehenge in the UK.
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