Government’s nod for converting Kuvempu’s residence into Museum

Bengaluru/Mysuru: The State Government has decided to convert the residence  of Poet laureate Rashtrakavi Kuvempu into a museum.

The project will be taken up at a cost of Rs. five crore to convert ‘Udaya Ravi’ (as Kuvempu named his residence) into a museum that will reflect his life. His writings, works, the clothes he wore and the things he used would all be preserved in  the museum.

The house will be developed into a museum after purchasing it. The Government has accepted Ko. Channabasappa’s report of converting the house into a museum and it has come forward to purchase the house from Kuvempu’s family.

Chennabasappa had recommended to the State Government to get the approval of the family and then purchase the house based on market rates and then convert it into a heritage museum.

Earlier, during the BJP’s rule in the State, renowned novelist R.K. Narayan’s house was also purchased by the Government and converted into a museum.

At present, Kuvempu’s daughter Tarini is living with her husband Prof. Chidananda Gowda, former Vice Chancellor of Kuvempu University in Udaya Ravi. It is also the desire of Tarini to convert it into a museum.

The public visit the house regularly to view the house where Kuvempu spent all his life writing poetry, novels and some of the finest works in Kannada literature. As it has become difficult for his family members to maintain the house, the government has decided to turn it into a museum for the public to view the house and the present market rate, of the house is pegged at around Rs. two crore.

Kuvempu’s house cannot be valued

There is no question of selling national poet Kuvempu’s house. We have no objection in converting the house into a museum. Can we fix a price to Kuvempu’s house?  Kuvempu’s fans and his followers are already visiting our house. We want it to continue.

— Tarini Chidananda Gowda (Kuvempu’s daughter)

We do not like it when it is said that Kuvempu’s house is for sale. The connotation of sale implies that there is a business angle involved and we strongly feel that his house cannot be valued in buyers and sellers terms.

We have our own plans of converting the house into a museum. We have visited Shakespeare and Wordsworth’s Museums in England and we think Kuvempu’s Museum should also be set along those international lines.

The Government of course has done a very good job of maintaining his museum in Kuppalli. We are willing to accept the Government’s offer provided they accept to some of the conditions of the family of Kuvempu as even his grandchildren are involved in this idea. We have to come to a mutual agreement with the government to handover the house to them.

— Prof. K. Chidananda Gowda

(son-in-law of Kuvempu and former VC of Kuvempu University)