Mysore/Mysuru: “The ‘Samsa’ novel has all the necessary material to conduct psychological research on,” opined veteran littérateur Dr. C.P. Krishna Kumar (CPK). 

He was speaking after releasing Kannada novel ‘Samsa’ penned by writer Prof. Maleyur Guruswamy at a programme organised by Samvahana Prakashana, in association with Ananya Pustakagalu, at Institution of Engineers-India (IEI) premises on JLB Road in city on Sunday.

“Samsa was a talented playwright but had a tragic end. Details about his life still largely remains unknown. We can call it an enigma, but this novel tries to provide answers to those questions that we have. We can even call this novel as an Sachitra (illustrated) Samsayana. Story of Samsa certainly could have been written as a play by including all the darker and lighter shades of his enigmatic personality, as a tragedy” he said.

Speaking after releasing the novel, Kannada Book Authority (KBA) Chairman Dr. Nandish Hanche said, “There are two kinds of story-telling in Kannada literature, person-centric and system-centric. This novel based on the life of Samsa follows person-centric form of story-telling. If published during the period of modernist (Navya) school of writing, this novel would have been considered as a                                                                    psychological novel.”

Prof. Maleyur Guruswamy addressed the gathering and spoke about his next novel named ‘Bangaradoddi.’ “The story of the novel spins around King Ranadheera Kanteerava and a woman, by name Bangaradoddi, with whom he was in love with,” he said.

Later, thinker Mahesh Harave spoke about the novel.

D.N. Lokappa of Samvahana Prakashana was also present at the book release programme.

About Samsa: Popularly known by his pen name Samsa, Swami Venkatadri Iyer is a novelist, poet and dramatist of Kannada literature. He is one of earliest Kannada writers to write historical drama and is said to have written twenty-three plays out of which only six are available now including ‘Vigada Vikrama Raaya’ and ‘Bettada Arasu.’ 

Unfortunately, Swami Venkatadri Iyer committed suicide at an young age.