Former CM S.M. Krishna writes to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar 

Mysore/Mysuru: The long-pending project of converting the 85-year-old house of Poet Laureate and Jnanpith awardee Kuvempu (K.V. Puttappa) in city into a Museum has just got a boost with former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna writing to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar to take urgent measures in this regard. 

The plan to convert the house into a Museum was mooted in 2017 and officials of the Kannada and Culture Department discussed the same with the family members of Kuvempu. The house was built in Vani Vilas Mohalla in 1936. Kuvempu penned some of his best works in this house, which he named ‘Udayaravi’ (Rising Sun).

Rashtrakavi Kuvempu’s daughter Tarini and son-in-law Prof. K. Chidananda Gowda, former VC of Kuvempu University, presently reside here. Though preliminary discussion was on, the project did not see the light of the day. Some of the finest minds including poets, writers, CMs and Governors have visited this house. 

Writing separately to Yediyurappa and Somashekar, Krishna said that Kuvempu spread the message of Vishwamanava and his life is worthy of emulating. The house that he built in Mysuru and where he lived will be a befitting tribute for the poet laureate, he said. 

Pointing out that the project to convert ‘Udayaravi’ into a Memorial and a Museum was desired by all Kannada lovers and people who have studied and researched Kuvempu and his works, he told Yediyurappa that Kuvempu is a jewel in Karnataka’s crown. 

“The budget presented in 2018-2019 had mentioned about the Museum and converting the late poet’s house as a cultural and literary centre. But the announcement has remained on paper,” Krishna said. 

Last year, Dr. Chidananda Gowda had told reporters at an event at ‘Udayaravi’ that the family was ready to handover the house to the Government. “From many years talks were on to convert Kuvempu’s residence into Museum and we had agreed happily to handover the house to the Government. However, we have some conditions for which the Government should agree before taking over the house,” he had said.

“After converting the house into Museum, a Management Committee has to be formed to maintain the same and two members of Kuvempu’s family must be made members of that Committee. Kuvempu’s house in Kuppalli, Shivamogga, has already been converted into Museum and is being maintained well by the Government. If similarly, ‘Udayaravi’ is also maintained, we have no objections,” he had said. 

Rellow Plaque 

In June 2020, the Yuva Brigade, led by its Founder Chakravarti Sulibele, installed Rellow Plaque at Kuvempu’s ‘Udayaravi’ house, on the lines of Blue Plaque installed in the United Kingdom, to introduce the State’s great personalities and places of importance. The Rellow Plaque features brief description of the place where it will be installed apart from uploading the details of such places on the website ‘rellowplaques.com.’

RKN Museum 

It may be recalled here that celebrated English novelist R.K. Narayan’s house on Vivekananda Road in Yadavagiri has already been converted into a Museum by the MCC. Once Kuvempu’s house is converted into a Museum, there will be the second pilgrimage for the literati to be lost in the world of words.