House Dr. Kota Shivaram Karanth born, finally demolished

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 02 March 2012: The house where Dr. Kota Shivaram Karanth who got Jnanapeeta Award for Kannada was born and his tomb existed, has been finally demolished. For the widening work of the National Highway 66 which passes through Udupi District this house which is one and half century old has been sacrificed. The contractor who is widening the work of this national highway demolished this house on Wednesday. This has very much hurt the fans and well-wishers of Dr. Karanth, for the government did not even do little effort to save this house of this great Kannada Poet.

 

Widening of the National Highway 66 is Central Government project. It was inevitable to widen the NH which is too narrow. But, in front of Karanth’s house there is a temple, so it was not possible to shift the highway to the other side. The Central Government may not know about Dr. Karanth. But what happened to the thinking minds of the State Government, local MLAs and Ministers is not known.

 

 

The fans and well-wishers of Dr. Karanth had urged to shift this house where Dr. Karanth was born, played, brought up and developed his literature skill, to Karantha Grama which is being built in Manipal in 60 acre land, they even submitted petitions. But neither the State Government nor the Kannada – Cultural Department Officers, MLAs, Ministers responded to it. They behaved as if Karanth’s house has no significance at all. As a result the house of Karanth is now reduced to few stones and dust.

 

This house was built by Dr. Karanth’s father Shesha Karanth. But there are no records on exactly which year it was built. Karanth was born in 1902 in this house, means if he was alive today he would have been 110 year of age. That means this house must have been built 120 – 150 years ago. It was a simple brick, soil, tiled roof spacious house, there was no any special beauty in it. But it had the ability – need to be a Monument – Museum in memory of Dr. Karanth.

 

Like Tagore’s house in Kolkata, Kuvempu’s house in Kuppalli, Bendre’s house in Dharwad which are all preserved, if not in Kota, at least this house could have been transferred to Karantha Kalagrama and preserved. But these words are of no use now…….