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S. L. Bhyrappa

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S.L. Bhyrappa
OccupationWriter, Novelist, Professor
NationalityIndia
GenreFiction

Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa (Template:Lang-kn) (born July 26, 1934), is a Kannada novelist, whose works are immensely popular both within India and abroad.[1] Bhyrappa is widely regarded as one of India's foremost modern-day writers.[2] His novels are unique in terms of theme, structure, and characterization.[3] He has been among the top selling authors of Kannada, Hindi and Marathi for the past several years.[4]

Bhyrappa's works do not fit into any specific genre of contemporary Kannada literature such as Navodaya, Navya, Bandaya, or Dalita partly because of the range of topics they deal with. His major works have been the centre of several heated public debates.[1]

Biography

Early life

Bhyrappa was born in Santeshivara, a remote village in Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district, about 200 km from Bangalore. He lost his mother to Bubonic plague early in childhood and took on odd jobs to pay for his education. His childhood influences include the Kannada litterateur Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar; Bhyrappa briefly participated in the Indian freedom struggle when he was aged 13.

Bhyrappa completed his primary education in Channarayapatna taluk before moving to Mysore where he finished the rest of his education. His autobiography, Bhitti (Wall) records a break in his high school education. Bhyrappa impulsively quit school, following his cousin's advice and wandered for a year with him. His sojourn led him to Mumbai, where he worked as a railway porter. In Mumbai he met a group of sadhus and joined them to seek spiritual solace. He wandered with them for a few months before returning to Mysore to continue his education.

Education

Career

S L Bhyrappa was a Professor of Philosophy at Hubli college, Sardar Patel University of Gujarat, NCERT Delhi, and the Regional College of Education, Mysore from where he retired in 1991.

Bhyrappa has two sons. Bhyrappa and his wife live in Mysore.

Works

Bhyrappa has produced several significant novels. Starting with Dharmashree, first published in 1961, Bhyrappa has authored twenty novels in a career spanning four decades. His major novels have generated public discussions and debates.

Vamshavruksha, Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, Matadana and Nayi Neralu have been made into movies and have bagged major awards. Vamshavruksha has received Kannada Sahitya Academy Award in 1966 and Daatu (Crossing Over) has received both Kannada and Kendra Sahitya Academy awards in 1975.[5] Parva has been the most discussed and applauded among all of his novels. It narrates the social structure, values and the mystery of mortality in the epoch of Mahabharata very effectively. Bhyrappa reconstructed Mahabharatha from sociological and anthropological angle, through metaphors in this novel.[6]

In addition to novels, Bhyrappa has written tomes pertaining to literature and philosophy such as Sahitya mattu prateeka, Kate mattu katavastu and Naneke bareyuttene?.

Popularity

Bhyrappa's novels have been translated into most Indian languages and English.[2] Bhyrappa has been the top selling author in Kannada for past 25 years and past 8 years in Marathi. He has also been among the top five best selling authors in Hindi.[4]

Most of his novels have gone for several reprints. His latest novel Aavarana was sold out even before its release in February 2007. The novel went on to create a record in Indian literary world by witnessing 10 reprints within five months of its release.[7]

Being a popular novelist, he is facing pressure from various publication houses to give publication rights to them.[citation needed] But still his novels are published by Saahitya Bhandaara located in Balepete in old Bangalore. They have published all his novels starting from Dharmashree to latest controversial hit Aavarana.

Controversies

Bhyrappa was the center of controversies in certain quarters because of his selection of themes and also because of his stands.[1] Most of Bhyrappa's prominent novels (Vamshavruksha, Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane, Parva, and Saartha) have strong roots in ancient Indian philosophical tradition, a fact which invited severe criticism initially from the Navya writers and from others later.

Bhyrappa supported N. R. Narayana Murthy when the latter was criticized by media and public regarding the controversy concerning playing instrumental version of national anthem. He also backed N. R. Narayana Murthy regarding Kaveri issue saying riots and protests are not going to solve the issue.[8]

Bhyrappa had a debate with Girish Karnad in Vijaya Karnataka regarding religious tolerance of Tipu Sultan. Bhyrappa accused Karnad of being untruthful in giving a factual account of Tipu Sultan in his plays. Bhyrappa claimed that Tipu Sultan was a religious fanatic who wouldn't stand Hindus in his court.

Dr. U.R. Ananthamurthy was an early and prominent critic of Bhyrappa's novels. Bhyrappa has documented his debate with Ananthamurthy in Bhitti, as well as in a few essays in Naaneke Bareyuttene. Recently Bhyrappa's latest novel Avarana, which Bhyrappa claims as historical truths about what Islamic rule have done to Indian social/cultural life, has stirred a major controversy in Karnataka. There has been accusations that Bhyrappa is a Hindu fundamentalist who wants to divide society on the basis of history.[9] Dr. U.R. Ananthamurthy, another big name in Kannada literature has criticised Bhyrappa and his works, terming Aavarana as dangerous. He said that Bhyrappa was a debater who "doesn’t know what Hindu religion stands for".[10] However Bhyrappa claims that the novel was result of his search for truth and there was no ulterior motive behind the novel. He urges critics to study the reference books mentioned in the novel before jumping to any conclusion.[11]

Awards

Bhyrappa was elected as the president of Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Kanakapura in 1999.

Works

Novels

  • Dharmashree (1961)
  • Doora saridaru (1962)
  • Matadaana (1965)
  • Vamshavraksha (1965)
  • Jalapaata (1967)
  • Naayi Neralu (1968) -
  • Tabbaliyu neenaade magane (1968)
  • Gruhabhanga (1970)
  • Nirakarana (1971)
  • Grahana (1972)
  • Dhaatu (1973)
  • Anweshane (1976)
  • Parva(1979)
  • Nele (1983)
  • Saakshi (1986)
  • Anchu (1990)
  • Tantu (1993)
  • Saartha (1998)
  • Mandra (2001)
  • Bheemakaaya (2004/2005)
  • Aavarana (2007)

Autobiography

  • Bhitti

Philosophy

  • Satya mattu Soundarya (1966) (Doctoral thesis)
  • Saahitya mattu Prateeka (1967)
  • Kathe mattu Kathavastu (1969)
  • Naaneke Bareyuttene? (1980)

Bhyrappa's works translated to other languages

  • Dharmashree  : Sanskrit, Marathi
  • Vamshavruksha  : Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, English
  • Nayi-Neralu  : Gujarati, Hindi
  • Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane : Hindi
  • Gruhabhanga  : All 14 languages of India
  • Nirakarana  : Hindi
  • Datu  : All 14 languages of India, English
  • Anveshana  : Marathi, Hindi
  • Parva  : Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, English
  • Nele  : Hindi
  • Sakshi  : Hindi, English
  • Anchu  : Marathi, Hindi
  • Tantu  : Marathi, Hindi
  • Sartha  : Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi, English
  • Aavarana  : Sanskrit
  • Naneke Bareyuttene  : Marathi
  • Satya mattu Soundarya  : English]
  • Bhitti  : Marathi, Hindi

Bhyrappa's novels on screen

Movies

  • Vamshavruksha (1972)
  • Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane (1977)
  • Matadana (2001)
  • Nayi-Neralu (2006)

Television series

  • Gruhabhanga
  • Daatu (Hindi)

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c "Still on top of the charts". Online webpage of The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  2. ^ a b "S L Bhyrappa". Online Webpage of India book club. The India Club. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
  3. ^ "Novelist S.L. Bhyrappa". Vikas Kamat on Kamat's Potpourri. Kamat's Potpourri. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  4. ^ a b "Personalities of Mysore". Online Webpage of Dasara Committee. Mysore city corporation. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  5. ^ "Sahitya Akademi Awards 1955-2005". Online Webpage of Sahitya Academy. Sahitya Academy of India. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
  6. ^ "Bhyrappa to receive Deraje Award". Online Webpage of The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  7. ^ "Bhyrappas work speaks volumes; goes for 10th edition". Online Webpage of Deccan Herald. Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
  8. ^ "I stand by NRN: Bhyrappa". Online Webpage of Deccan Herald. Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  9. ^ "Masks of untruth". Online Webpage of The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  10. ^ Bhyrappa a debater, not a story-teller, says URA Deccan Herald - May 28, 2007
  11. ^ "Bhyrappa hits out at critics". Online Webpage of The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  12. ^ "Change education system to protect literature: Bhyrappa". Online Webpage of The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  13. ^ "T Bhyrappa given NTR literary award". Online Webpage of The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-06-22.

References

  • Bhitti (Wall) by S.L. Bhyrappa, an autobiography
  • Naaneke Bareyuttene by S.L. Bhyrappa, a collection of essays about writing
  • S. L. Bhyrappa Badaku-Baraha by Nagaraj Neeragunda on S.L. Bhyrappa's life and works
  • Interview with Bhyrappa on Churumuri
  • Pampa Award to Bhyrappa in 2001
  • Belagere Krishnashastri, Mareyaladeete, for a warm hearted interpretation of the author's experiences with Bhyrappa.
  • Bhyrappabhinandana, a feliciation book on S.L. Bhyrappa
  • S.L. Bhyrappa Avara Krutigala Vimarshe a collection of literary criticism on S.L.Bhyrappa's works compiled by Sumateendra Nadig
  • Mandra-Manthana, a collection of essays about S.L. Bhyrappa's novel, Mandra, by various literary critics
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