KANNADA
Kannada litterateur
V. GOPALAKRISHNA
RASHTRAKAVI KUVEMPU: Prabhushankara; Sahitya Akademi, 35, Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi-110001. Rs. 40.
KUVEMPU IS the pen-name of Kuppalli Venkatappa Puttappa, the distinguished Kannada poet who brought laurels to Kannada literature. This monograph gives a glimpse of his life and works.
Born amidst the natural surroundings of the Western Ghats in a village in Chickmagalur district, Kuvempu spent his boyhood in reciting Kannada epics.
It was during his school days in Mysore that he was influenced by English poetry. Later he took interest in philosophy and got an opportunity to associate with the saintly personalities and began to give expression to his thoughts in English to start with and then switched to Kannada.
The greatest ambition of poet laureate Kuvempu was to bring glory to Kannada. He did it ardently when he became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore. Probably there was not a single form of literature that he did not touch and enrich.
The author has critically analysed his novels, lyrics, biographies, epic poems, critical essays and plays giving excerpts from his writings.
Kuvempu received several prestigious awards.
His modern epic Sri Ramayanadarshanam remains evergreen for its new approach and interpretation.
Penance and prayer were the integral part of his life, and he was against the barriers of caste, religion, language and class. He gave a message of universal brotherhood. His outlook made him a universal poet.
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