Banu Mushtaq’s heartfelt tribute to Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa

Sister of ‘Aavarana’ recalls the days spent hosting an extraordinary brother…

In the preface to Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa’s celebrated novel ‘Aavarana’, there is a reference to a ‘Muslim sister’, a fellow writer whose name was not revealed but whose role was warmly acknowledged.

From childhood, she had developed a deep love for thoroughly reading Dr. Bhyrappa’s works and remained one of his most loyal readers.

Though they were ideologically different, she went on to support the literary journey of her ‘elder brother’ from another faith, fostering a bond built on mutual respect and shared love for literature.

That writer, as revealed, is none other than Banu Mushtaq, the International Booker Prize-2025 winner.

This year, Banu Mushtaq had the honour of inaugurating Mysuru Dasara. Reflecting on the times when late Dr. Bhyrappa had stayed at her home in Hassan, she took to social media yesterday to share a heartfelt and unexpected message with his admirers, offering a glimpse into a profound and enduring literary friendship.

By Banu Mushtaq

Before ‘Aavarana’ was written, Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa had come to Hassan to participate in a literary event. I arrived late to the programme, and later I was told that a few people there mentioned he had asked about me once or twice.

After the event concluded, I reached out to him. He said, “I’ve been meaning to visit your home.” I replied, “Please do.” He added, “Not immediately, but I’ll come and stay at your place for about a week.”

I was honestly taken aback. And then — I completely forgot about it.

About a month later, Dr. Bhyrappa called our home landline phone and informed me of the date he planned to visit. I was overwhelmed — I had no idea what arrangements I should make for him. At the time, my three daughters were unmarried and immersed in their studies.

My son, Taher, was in high school. The eldest, Sameena, had won a gold medal from Mysore University and was preparing simultaneously for both the IAS and KAS exams. Still, my main concern was how to properly host him. I felt it would be best to ask him directly, so I called him back and spoke to him.

Food preferences

He told me, “I don’t eat non-vegetarian food. A vegetarian home-cooked meal would be fine.” That put me at ease as he was happy to eat whatever we prepared in our kitchen, just like the rest of us.

So, a week before his arrival, I cleared out all the fish, chicken, and mutton from my fridge and restocked it with fresh vegetables from Hassan. I didn’t buy any more non-veg.

The one who protested the most was my son. He was used to eating non-veg three times a day, and the idea of going without his preferred food for fifteen days didn’t sit well with him. He grumbled in every possible way. But once he realised none of it was going to change anything, he stopped complaining — especially about Bhyrappa’s writing.

We had many discussions about Bhyrappa’s work, and his sisters occasionally chimed in. His objections were overruled unanimously — without even a formal vote, the majority decided we would host Bhyrappa with full hospitality.

Taher tried to scare me by saying he’d shift to his grandmother’s house for a week. Sameena packed his bag, Lubna arranged his books, and Ayesha teased him with a laugh. In the end, he withdrew his objections and threats and waited for Bhyrappa’s visit like an obedient son.

Cordial home visit

Dr. Bhyrappa came to our home. Apart from a few initial awkward moments, I didn’t feel much discomfort. Shabana was there to help with the cooking, and she happily agreed to prepare only vegetarian meals.

Dr. Bhyrappa explained that he was visiting us to gather background information for a novel he was planning to write. He said he wanted to observe the atmosphere of a Muslim household and understand its cultural nuances and family dynamics. I couldn’t help but laugh.

I told him that such an atmosphere wouldn’t be found in our home, and that if he truly needed an authentic experience, families like ours wouldn’t typically host someone like Dr. Bhyrappa. He decided to stay with us anyway.

He enjoyed Shabana’s cooking — especially the vegetable stir-fry and the greens-based sambar. The next day, I had to attend the Alur literary conference. I participated and returned home only to find myself running a fever. While I lay in bed, struggling with the illness, Sameena took charge of looking after Dr. Bhyrappa.

Mosque, graveyard visit

Dr. Bhyrappa wanted to see a Muslim graveyard and a mosque. One morning, my husband Mushtaq took him to the graveyard. Dr. Bhyrappa first observed it from the outside, then walked through the rows of graves, exploring every corner.

Afterwards, he asked my husband, “Why are granite headstones placed at the graves, and why are they inscribed in Urdu?” Mushtaq was taken aback and didn’t know how to respond.

So when they returned home, he passed the question on to me, saying, “You answer this one,” placing the responsibility squarely on me. Dr. Bhyrappa was also documenting festival scenes in his notebook.

Later, when he expressed interest in visiting a mosque, my husband contacted the mosque administration on Holenarasipura Road in Hassan and obtained permission. He and Dr. Bhyrappa visited the mosque during prayer time.

The mosque had a separate hall for women to offer namaz. That Friday afternoon, I was also heading there for prayers, so Mushtaq brought Dr. Bhyrappa along with him.

Dr. Bhyrappa washed his hands and feet, entered the mosque, and quietly sat in a corner, noting down his observations in his notebook. Later, he expressed interest in visiting a Muslim educational institution.

So, I took him to a school in Alur. There, Dr. Bhyrappa walked around the entire campus, carefully observing the facilities and arrangements made for the students, and recorded everything in his notebook.

Dinner table talks

Back then, no one was glued to mobile phones. Our dinner table conversations — and those that followed the meal — were rich and engaging. Dr. Bhyrappa

asked many questions, and I responded thoughtfully.

Eventually, our discussions turned to philosophy. At that time, Sameena was deeply immersed in Indian history as part of her competitive exam preparation. She often answered his questions using historical examples. Listening to the exchange between the two of them was truly a remarkable experience.

And so, our bond continued for nearly a week. Yet, for Dr. Bhyrappa’s curious eyes, the lived reality of a Muslim household remained elusive. It’s nearly impossible to grasp the inner and outer layers of a community within just seven days.

Community worldview

Still, his intense curiosity, his hunger for detail, and his drive to understand unfamiliar worlds were truly remarkable. But I often felt that he was interpreting only the surface — reading the outer fabric without quite reaching the deeper weave beneath.

I often felt that Dr. Bhyrappa was falling short in truly understanding and experiencing the Muslim community’s worldview and inner reflections. I wondered how he might use all this information, and if his interpretations and writing ended up expressing an anti-Muslim stance, what would my community think of me?

Still, I set aside all those thoughts and behaved with complete ease and openness around him. My family, too, offered full support throughout.

My son, who had shown irritation from the beginning, would sneak off to my mother’s house to indulge in biryani and chicken kebabs. Though he grumbled, he kept his distance from both me and Dr. Bhyrappa.

Selective portrayal, creative spirit

Later, ‘Aavarana’ was published. In it, Dr. Bhyrappa presented examples that aligned with his pre-established themes — selectively chosen to support a portrayal that demonised the Muslim community.

In the novel’s preface, he mentioned staying at a Muslim sister’s house during his research, but did not reveal her name. As a result, speculation lingered about who that woman might be.

However, during that time, many writers had visited our home and taken photographs with him. Gradually, it became known that Dr. Bhyrappa had stayed at my house before writing ‘Aavarana’.

Dr. Bhyrappa had anticipated that ‘Aavarana’ would stir intense controversy. I personally felt that he desired such a reaction. However, it didn’t quite take the shape of a widespread debate. Instead, Gauri Lankesh publicly described ‘Aavarana’ as a distortion, and many writers published critiques of the novel.

What struck me was that Dr. Bhyrappa didn’t follow any rigid dietary rules. And from my childhood, my love for reading had grown, nurtured largely through his writings.

I was once among the most loyal readers in Dr. Bhyrappa’s circle. But after witnessing his stance, his rigidity, and the way he articulated a line of thought steeped in prejudice, I could no longer remain one of his devoted readers.

His arguments often felt like those of a seasoned lawyer — carefully constructed, selectively researched, and presented with intellectual precision. I found myself asking: Who had stolen his creative spirit?

Though we differed ideologically, the memories of meeting him, speaking with him, and engaging in conversation remain etched in my mind. Now that he has passed away, it feels as though a thread of emotion has snapped. It feels like a personal loss.

My heartfelt respects to Dr. Bhyrappa.

Face-to-face with Banu Mushtaq

Preparations had been underway for a face-to-face conversation between Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa and Banu Mustaq.

Banu Mushtaq personally shared this with Star of Mysore, explaining that the dialogue was being planned for the ‘Lallantop’ social media platform.

“Arrangements were being made to record the session, though the date hadn’t been finalised. It’s likely the conversation would have taken place. Sadly, Dr. Bhyrappa passed away before it could happen,” said Banu Mushtaq, expressing deep regret.