Bengaluru
Karnataka plunged into mourning on Thursday as thousands of admirers thronged Ravindra Kalakshetra to pay their final respects to celebrated Kannada novelist S L Bhyrappa. The 92-year-old literary giant passed away on Wednesday, leaving a deep void in the world of Kannada literature. His mortal remains were kept for public viewing in Bengaluru from early morning, with long queues of readers, writers, and dignitaries filing past to bid a tearful farewell.
The body was taken to Mysuru, the city where Bhyrappa spent much of his life and penned several of his acclaimed works, for another public homage before the cremation scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, after offering floral tributes, described Bhyrappa’s death as an irreparable loss. “The Kannada literary world has become poorer with his passing,” he said, announcing that the government would establish a memorial in Mysuru to honour the novelist’s enduring legacy. “I wish he had been conferred the Jnanpith Award. His contributions will remain timeless,” Siddaramaiah added.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said discussions would soon begin on building the memorial, emphasising that it should match the stature of memorials dedicated to other cultural icons. BJP state president B Y Vijayendra also urged the government to expedite the process.
Bhyrappa, known for his thought-provoking novels and deep explorations of philosophy, culture, and history, inspired generations of readers and remains one of Kannada’s most influential voices.