Sons S.B. Ravishankar and S.B. Udayashankar light pyre at MCC crematorium at Chamundi foothill

Mysore/Mysuru: The mortal remains of renowned novelist Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa, who passed away in Bengaluru on Wednesday at the age of 94, were consigned to flames, with full State honours at the crematorium of MCC, located at Chamundi foothill this afternoon.

Dr. Bhyrappa’s sons S.B. Ravishankar and S.B. Udayashankar lit the funeral pyre in the backdrop of Vedic hymns as per Brahmin customs and traditions, bidding a heartfelt adieu to the legendary writer, who had enriched Kannada literature with his profound novels.

Writer Sahana Vijaykumar from Bengaluru, former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha and senior journalist Vishweshwar Bhat also joined in lighting the funeral pyre, under the guidance of priests.

Dignitaries present

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi represented the Central Government, while Social Welfare and District In-charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa represented the State Government at the funeral.

The other dignitaries who attended the funeral included Minister for Animal Husbandry and Chamarajanagar District Minister K. Venkatesh, MLA T.S. Srivatsa, and former MLA and City BJP President L. Nagendra, Tejaswini Ananthkumar, wife of late Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar, Arpita Prathap Simha, former Mayor Shivakumar, former Chairman of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA, now MDA) H.V. Rajeev, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. P. Shivaraju, DCP (law and order) R.N. Bindu Mani, among several others, to name a few.

Mortuary to home

Earlier in the day, the body of Bhyrappa, which had been kept in the mortuary of JSS Hospital on M.G. Road, was shifted to his residence on Udayaravi Road in Kuvempunagar at about 9.10 am. The body was kept there till 11 am, where several leaders, irrespective of party, and dignitaries paid their last respects.

The body was taken to the crematorium at about 11.20 am, where Bhyrappa’s sons took part in the elaborate rituals, performed under the supervision of the priests. Police accorded a guard of honour and handed over two sets of tri-colour draped on the box and body of Bhyrappa to District Minister Dr. Mahadevappa, who subsequently handed them over to Bhyrappa’s sons.

Police Band

As a mark of respect, the Police Band performed the musical composition named ‘The Head March’, followed by shooting three rounds of fire in the air by the Police. National Anthem was performed by the Police Band, followed by the rendition of other compositions — Wreath March, Last Post and Reveille, as part of the State honours accorded to Bhyrappa.