Karnataka govt will take measures to build a memorial for Bhyrappa in Mysuru: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Sep 25 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the state government will take measures to build a memorial for popular Kannada novelist and philosopher S L Bhyrappa in Mysuru.

The chief minister, who paid his last respects to the mortal remains of Bhyrappa, while noting that the writer was a recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademi awards, among other honours, felt that he should have got the "Jnanpith" award, the highest Indian literary award.

Bhyrappa died due to cardiac arrest at a private hospital here on Wednesday. He was 94.

"Won't do it because the BJP is saying. Let's build a memorial, I feel it will be better if it is at Mysuru. Our government will take measures to build a memorial in Mysuru, because he spent most of his life in Mysuru, his education and most of his professional and literary life was in Mysuru," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question on demand for a memorial.

Asked about his bonding with Bhyrappa despite being from a varied ideological view, the CM said, "literature or one's viewpoint and friendship are two different things. It is not necessary that we share the same views. Having different views doesn't mean that I should not be his admirer." Bhyrappa's mortal remains were kept at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bengaluru for people to pay their last respects on Thursday, and his cremation is likely to be held on September 26 in Mysuru where he lived for many years.

Expressing grief over Bhyrappa's demise, the Karnataka government has decided to perform his last rites with full state honours.

Noting that Bhyrappa had written about 25 novels. His novels have been translated into 40 languages; He is probably one of the very few novelists whose work has been translated into so many languages, Siddaramaiah said.

"He had earned a large number of reads in Kannada and other languages," the CM said, adding that Bhyrappa had come up in life amid difficulties.

Bhyrappa used to say he writes novels for "self satisfaction" and "he has written novels that became popular worldwide. I have not been able to read all his novels, but I have read a few of them. He wrote novels based on the experience of life," CM said.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar too paid his last respects to Bhyrappa.

"Bhyrappa was known for his straightforwardness in his talk and his writings," Shivakumar said.

Several personalities, including political and literary figures like state BJP chief B Y Vijayendra and others paid last respects to Bhyrappa.

Bhyrappa has penned about 25 novels and four volumes of literary criticism and books on aesthetics, social issues and culture, among others. He is known for his popular novels 'Vamshavriksha', 'Daatu', 'Parva', and 'Mandara', among others.

His works like 'Naayi-Neralu', 'Matadana', 'Vamshavriksha', 'Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane', have been made into movies; and 'Gruhabhanga' and 'Daatu' into TV series. Bhyrappa's autobiography is titled Bhitti (Canvas). PTI KSU ADB