Mysore/Mysuru: ‘Nenapu Anantha,’ a book written by Esther Ananthamurthy, wife of late writer Dr. U.R. Ananthamurthy, was released by Prof. V.K. Natraj on the concluding day of Mysuru Literature Festival, a flagship literary event of Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs-2015, here yesterday.

After the release, Esther read out a portion of her book, while remembering her late husband.

Recalling that she found a place in the heart of Ananthamurthy while at a college in Hassan, Esther said after she came to Mysuru, she became a part of ‘Samatento’ theatre group. Noting that Murthy too performed plays, Esther said she used to laugh at his appearance on the stage with costume and make up.

Stating that their house very much resembled a fair with a lot of people visiting it when Ananthamurthy was alive, Esther said now she is alone and the fair-like scenario has vanished from her home. Reminiscing the glorious moments of her past, Esther said she was a teacher at Gangothri School in Manasagangothri which was started by University of Mysore.

“Children of the University Professors, other faculty and staff  and students from surrounding areas used to come to this school. The Gangothri School was a model to other schools in the country on how equal education should be,” she maintained.

Responding to her, Historian Dr. Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi shared his experience as a school boy and said that students from nearby areas such as Hinkal, Bogadi and Thonachikoppal used to come to Gangothri School.

“I too was a student of this school and I used to come with two buffaloes for grazing, which I used to tie up at the roadside before attending classes. Esther Madam, who saw this, felt happy and patted me on the back. She also educated all other students on the significance of Kayaka, meaning work,” he pointed out.