The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : A tale of houses past their glory

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 05, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

A tale of houses past their glory

Staff Reporter

Once a cosy home of a well-known writer, the building is almost in ruins now

Bangalore: A rusted lock, heaps of garbage, dry leaves, restaurant in place of a house that was once the abode of a great writer (for a short while), the nest of another writer, which is now a shopping complex... all these welcome us as we step into the "sweet homes" of the doyens of Kannada literature.

What remains of their "abodes" tell us a sad tale that has been buried deep down in concrete.

Once a cosy home of a well known writer, then a footwear showroom, now a building which is almost in ruins now and ready to crumble.

The place from where A. Na. Kru. wrote many of his works is hardly known now.

New Modern Hotel may be a hangout for people, but how many are aware of the fact that the road behind it once had the house of this great author.

The road is named after him but there is no monument to serve the memory of the writer.

It is the "White House", a bungalow where T.P. Kailasam, the well-known playwright, spent a few days of his life.

He was a bright student of geology, recipient of seven gold medals, had a passion for theatre and writing, and dedicated himself to literature. Traversing on the road less travelled, he faced several hurdles. Undaunted, he continued in his path and made a great contribution to literature. Today, the house has lost its glory and stands as a commercial complex. The building opposite Minto Eye Hospital gives no clue that it was the house of a renowned playwright.

A shopping complex brashly stands on the ruins of the residence of the man who wrote "Manku timmana kagga".

D.V. Gundappa once said, "hale beru hosa chiguru" but these values merely remain on paper.

The house, which was rented for a short period to a bank, was pulled down in the late 1980s.

Passers-by hardly realise that the house of DVG stood on the same street that has been named after him.

Professor H.V. Venugopal of National College, Basavanagudi, says, "The Government should restore such places. A museum or a library should be built there."

"People today lack knowledge of their culture. They imitate Western culture, but westerners never forget their history, be it Hitler or Shakespeare," says Jaraganahalli Shivashankar, secretary, Kannada Sahitya Parishat.

Their works and message have to be safeguarded and passed onto the future generations, he adds.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka