Reading about an obituary in Star of Mysore on Sunday, 19th July 2020, about the passing away of an old friend and well-wisher of mine, popularly known as Santhepete Srikantaiah, I felt deeply saddened. To learn that towards the end he was hospitalised for some time further disturbed me because he was a man always on the move, active and also talkative. I used to pull his legs often calling him ‘talkative Srikantaiah’ (mathina malla in Kannada) asking him to allow me also to talk. He was 85.

A wonderful person, successful in his business as a grain merchant with his shop in Santhepet, now shifted to Bandipalya on Nanjangud Road. His shop, known as ‘Giri Traders’, was known for fair-trade practices and he prospered. A popular person among his fraternity, he was highly regarded by his fellow merchants. His father too was a Mandi Merchant and was Mysore Palace Food Grains Contractor.

Not surprisingly, he was a Founder-Member and former President of the well-known Mysore Merchant’s Co-operative Bank located near Jaganmohan Palace in Santhepet area.

Srikantaiah, in his typical woollen cap worn carelessly upon his head, as if it was his trade-mark or personal identity, was into social service in multiple ways. He was also a highly spiritual person deeply involved in the Arya Samaj activities. He was the President of Arya Samaj, Mysore, for more than 40 years with its Office on the parallel road to the Dhanvanthri Road, near Agarwal Choultry. He took interest in inter-caste marriage as per Arya Samaj tradition and ritual of havana. I was invited a couple of times to participate in the havana for which, he told me, Arya Samaj gave much importance in the absence of idol worship. I think he took responsibility to re-build the old dilapidated building by raising donations and I was also too happy to contribute my mite. Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Founder of Arya Samaj, was his Guru so much so he kept insisting that I should read at least one of his books “Sathyaratha Prakasha.”

I have seen him hosting a sanyasi in his house in Kuvempunagar and listen to his discourse. His name was  Swami Brahma Devji, a young man, who was with Swami Nirmalananda, living in a secluded Ashram in B.R. Hills. I had visited him at his Ashram with my friend B.R. Pai of Vijaya Foundation and had a meal with special wild berry (Nellikai) pickle. I too attended a discourse and then got that Swamiji to addresss our Office staff at the Sports Club. He spoke about values, ethics, dedication to duty and above all discipline giving some examples. I was told Srikantaiah would often go on pilgrimage to holy places in our country and do the services of dasoha, mass feeding. I used to joke with him saying he could do it being a grain merchant!

I first met him around the year 1994-95 after I had a heart bypass surgery. I was in Kuvempunagar and morning walk was compulsory as per doctor’s advice. Srikantaiah also used to go for a walk with a couple of friends. Of course, being a ‘talkative man’ as I mentioned, there was more of talk and less of walk. One day, seeing me walking alone, his group of walkers stopped walking waiting for me to reach them. It was obvious only  Srikantaiah had the gumption to speak to the editor of Star of Mysore !!

Caught in the web of his words, words and words, I was like the proverbial fly that walked into the Spider’s Parlour! But, thereafter I joined that group for regular walk and talk. Slowly, others in the group kept away and I was left with Srikantaiah alone or he was left with Ganapathy alone! By now, I was in the know of Srikantaiah’s social status and achievements as heard from his own lips.

One day, I also shared with him my plan to buy a coffee plantation. “Rich people can plan whatever they wish,” he said with a smile that usually closed his eyes completely. Then on he was unstoppable — what estate, how many acres, where it is etc., etc. When I could put in a word, I said that I did not have that kind of money to buy it. It was then he said he could get me some money from the Mysore Merchant’s Co-operative Bank where he was a Director then. 

Thereafter, till our walk was over, he was talking only about the Bank and how some Directors were selling the shares allotted to them for a premium. The Bank policy, then, was to give loan only to those who had shares of the Bank, on proper security. The following day, I broached the subject of paying the premium and buying some shares to enable myself to take the loan. He was livid with anger and said, “When I am here, how can you think that way?” So it was, he got some shares on face-value and soon I was able to get a substantial loan which helped me to bridge the gap and buy the estate. Despite my frequent request he was not able to visit my estate. Later, I forgot about it only to remember now. Thank you Srikantaiah, the Good Samaritan. Some times in life help comes in this way without asking  and from persons who you think would not be able to help.

Here I may recall what Advocate Fali S. Nariman had said about ‘Some unknown person’ giving you a helping hand: “Life is full of surprises. Whether you do or do not believe in Destiny or in Providence or in God, be sure that — out of the blue — some stranger, some unknown person, at one time or the other, will reach out and give you a helping hand as you journey along on the rough roads of life…”  How true.

I also now remember the “hurikadle and bella” (fried gram and jaggery crumbs) he would bring to my Bannimantap Office in three plastic bags — one for me, one for my staff and one extra — whenever he visited his mill in Bannimantap area. While amongst us, you had made your life meaningful and now RIP, Srikantaiah.

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