Kuppalli
Encyclopedia
Kuppali also known as Kuppalli (ಕುಪ್ಪಳ್ಳಿ), is a small village in Thirthahalli
taluk of Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka
in India
. It is famous for being the birthplace and childhood home of the renowned Kannada
playwright and poet
Kuvempu
. Indeed, this pen-name Kuvempu (Kannada: ಕುವೆಂಪು) pays homage to the author's home, created as it is from the first letters from his full name "Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa" (Venkatappa being his father's name). Kuppali is also the birthplace of Poornachandra Tejaswi
, the son of Kuvempu and a famous Kannada writer himself. It is also the place where Kuvempu
and Poornachandra Tejaswi
have been cremated. The childhood home of Kuvempu at Kuppali has been converted into a museum by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishtana (a trust dedicated to Kuvempu). This trust has undertaken immense developmental works in Kuppali to showcase Kuvempu and his works to the external world.
Kuvempu was born in Hirekodige, Koppa taluk, of Chikmagalur district
to a native Kannada family. He was brought up in Kuppali. His education started at his home by an appointed teacher from Dakshina Kannada
. He joined Anglo Vernacular school in Tirthahalli to continue his middle school education. He lost his father Venkatappa Gowda when he was only 12. Kuvempu finished his lower and secondary education in Kannada and English
in Tirthahalli. He moved to Mysore for further education and completed his high school from Weslian high school. He pursued his college studies in Maharaja College of Mysore, and graduated in 1929 with a major in Kannada.
Kavishaila is a rock monument made of megalithic rocks and dedicated to Kuvempu. It is on the top of a small hill in Kuppali. Arranged in a circular fashion, the rocks have been placed to resemble the Stonehenge
in England. At the centre of this rock monument is the place where Kuvempu was laid to rest after his death and a memorial has been constructed at that location. Near this monument, is a small rock where Kuvempu used to sit and discuss about literature and other topics with his other litterateur friends. A rock containing the etched signatures of Kuvempu, B. M. Srikantaiah
and T S Venkannaiah is present near the monument. Poornachandra Tejaswi
later engraved his signature on the same rock. The scenery around this place is breathtaking. Granite slabs containing engraved poems and quotes of Kuvempu have been placed near the monument
Watch video clip here
http://www.weedioh.com/Video.aspx?VideoId=2479
Kavimane is the ancestral house of Kuvempu. Kavimane means House of the poet in the Kannada language. Nestled in the midst of green forests of Malnad
, the house presents a scintillating view. It is a three-storeyed tiled house including the ground floor and is the house where Kuvempu spent most of his childhood. This house has now been renovated and converted into a museum. The architecture of the house is what is locally called as Thotti Mane, in which the house consists of a central square area resembling a Thotti (pond) that is open to sky and surrounded by a courtyard. This house is open on all days of the year from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. There is an entry fee of 5 Rupees for adults and for children over the age of 10. Photography inside Kavimane is prohibited.
Watch video clip here
http://www.weedioh.com/Video.aspx?VideoId=2480
and 80 km. from the district headquarters, Shimoga. From Shimoga, one has to take the National Highway NH-13 (Shimoga - Thirthahalli road) to reach Kuppali. From Bangalore
, one has to take the National Highway NH-206 to reach Shimoga and then take the above mentioned route. There is an overnight bus run by KSRTC
from Bangalore to Kuppali. The total distance from Bangalore to Kuppali is around 350 km. From Mangalore
, one can take NH-13 to reach Kuppali. The distance from Mangalore to Kuppali is 161 km. Kuppali is around 10 km from Koppa town.
Thirthahalli
Thirthahalli is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga District of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.- Etymology :...
taluk of Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is famous for being the birthplace and childhood home of the renowned Kannada
Kannada literature
Kannada literature is the corpus of written forms of the Kannada language, a member of the Dravidian family spoken mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and written in the Kannada script....
playwright and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Kuvempu
Kuvempu
Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
. Indeed, this pen-name Kuvempu (Kannada: ಕುವೆಂಪು) pays homage to the author's home, created as it is from the first letters from his full name "Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa" (Venkatappa being his father's name). Kuppali is also the birthplace of Poornachandra Tejaswi
Poornachandra Tejaswi
Kuppali Puttappa Poornachandra Tejaswi was a prominent Kannada writer and novelist who has made a great impession in "Navya" period of Kannada literature and inaugurated the bandaya or "protest literature" with his short-story collection Abachoorina Post Offisu.At early stages of his writing...
, the son of Kuvempu and a famous Kannada writer himself. It is also the place where Kuvempu
Kuvempu
Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
and Poornachandra Tejaswi
Poornachandra Tejaswi
Kuppali Puttappa Poornachandra Tejaswi was a prominent Kannada writer and novelist who has made a great impession in "Navya" period of Kannada literature and inaugurated the bandaya or "protest literature" with his short-story collection Abachoorina Post Offisu.At early stages of his writing...
have been cremated. The childhood home of Kuvempu at Kuppali has been converted into a museum by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishtana (a trust dedicated to Kuvempu). This trust has undertaken immense developmental works in Kuppali to showcase Kuvempu and his works to the external world.
Kuvempu's early life and education
Chikmagalur District
Chikkamagaluru is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Chikkamagaluru is where coffee was first cultivated in India. The mountains here which are a part of the Western Ghats are the source of rivers like Tunga and Bhadra. Chikkamagaluru district also contains Mullayanagiri; which is the...
to a native Kannada family. He was brought up in Kuppali. His education started at his home by an appointed teacher from Dakshina Kannada
Dakshina Kannada
- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
. He joined Anglo Vernacular school in Tirthahalli to continue his middle school education. He lost his father Venkatappa Gowda when he was only 12. Kuvempu finished his lower and secondary education in Kannada and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in Tirthahalli. He moved to Mysore for further education and completed his high school from Weslian high school. He pursued his college studies in Maharaja College of Mysore, and graduated in 1929 with a major in Kannada.
Kavishaila
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
in England. At the centre of this rock monument is the place where Kuvempu was laid to rest after his death and a memorial has been constructed at that location. Near this monument, is a small rock where Kuvempu used to sit and discuss about literature and other topics with his other litterateur friends. A rock containing the etched signatures of Kuvempu, B. M. Srikantaiah
B. M. Srikantaiah
B M Srikanthaiah was one of the most influential authors, writers and translators of Kannada literature.-Early life and education:He was born in Sampige village, Tumkur District Gubbi taluk...
and T S Venkannaiah is present near the monument. Poornachandra Tejaswi
Poornachandra Tejaswi
Kuppali Puttappa Poornachandra Tejaswi was a prominent Kannada writer and novelist who has made a great impession in "Navya" period of Kannada literature and inaugurated the bandaya or "protest literature" with his short-story collection Abachoorina Post Offisu.At early stages of his writing...
later engraved his signature on the same rock. The scenery around this place is breathtaking. Granite slabs containing engraved poems and quotes of Kuvempu have been placed near the monument
Watch video clip here
http://www.weedioh.com/Video.aspx?VideoId=2479
Kavimane
Malnad
Malenadu is a region of Karnataka state in South India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, roughly 100 kilometers in width. Malenadu covers portions of the Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu and Hassan districts....
, the house presents a scintillating view. It is a three-storeyed tiled house including the ground floor and is the house where Kuvempu spent most of his childhood. This house has now been renovated and converted into a museum. The architecture of the house is what is locally called as Thotti Mane, in which the house consists of a central square area resembling a Thotti (pond) that is open to sky and surrounded by a courtyard. This house is open on all days of the year from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. There is an entry fee of 5 Rupees for adults and for children over the age of 10. Photography inside Kavimane is prohibited.
- Ground floor: As one enters the house, one can see a big hall with various articles displayed in the courtyard. Prominent among them is the mantapa within which Kuvempu's marriage was solemnised. Next to the Mantapa is the laminated Lagnapatrike, the invitation card used for inviting guests to Kuvempu's marriage. Large wooden boxes used for storing rice and other grains can also be seen in the main hall. Next to the hall, is the Baananti Kone, which is a room dedicated for caretaking of mothers who have just given birth to a child. A wooden Tottilu (cradle) used for putting the baby to sleep is a rare item present there. The kitchen is a revelation in itself and consists of utensils and other articles hardly seen in kitchens today. Some of the items include a big kadigolu, a ladle like utensil used for churning curd into buttermilk, a sarigolu which is a steam pot used for making idlis and a sambar marriage which is a box containing various compartments used to hold items that make a sambar. An interesting innovation in the kitchen is that of a Hoge Atta, which is an opening in the roof used to let out smoke generated by firewood in the kitchen. The Hoge Atta is made of wood with openings to let out smoke. Since MalnadMalnadMalenadu is a region of Karnataka state in South India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, roughly 100 kilometers in width. Malenadu covers portions of the Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu and Hassan districts....
region is a high moisture area, there are good chances that perishable food items will not stay for long. These items are placed on the Hoge Atta so that the smoke can prevent moisture from destroying these items. Another room contains a lot of photographs taken of Kuvempu's childhood and also of important events in his lifetime. A small room serves a shop where one can purchase books authored by Kuvempu and cassettes and CDs based on his work. A 10% discount is provided over the actual price of the items purchased here. - First floor: The first floor can be reached by a wooden staircase and consists of a room that contains the various articles used by Kuvempu during his lifetime like his pen, razor, comb, walking stick, umbrella etc. Various awards and citations conferred to him are also present; the prominent among which are the Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
, Padma VibhushanPadma VibhushanThe Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
and the huge Karnataka Ratna awards. Some of the other articles that can be seen here are a taalapatra (writings on palm leaf) and Baluvali suttuga, which is a huge wooden stick like item given to the groom as a gift during his wedding. - Second floor: The second floor houses the entire collection of books written by Kuvempu, including one of Sri Ramayana DarshanamSri Ramayana DarshanamSri Ramayana Darshanam is the most famous work and the magnum opus by Kuvempu in Kannada based on the Hindu epic Ramayana. It earned him many distinctions including the Sahitya Akademi and the Jnanapeeth award in 1967....
, probably his most famous book, which he reverently dedicated to Shri TS Venkannaiah, his teacher, published in his own handwriting. Laminated doctorate certificates conferred by various universities to Kuvempu can also be seen here.
Watch video clip here
http://www.weedioh.com/Video.aspx?VideoId=2480
By road
Kuppali is around 18 km from the taluk headquarters, ThirthahalliThirthahalli
Thirthahalli is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga District of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.- Etymology :...
and 80 km. from the district headquarters, Shimoga. From Shimoga, one has to take the National Highway NH-13 (Shimoga - Thirthahalli road) to reach Kuppali. From Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, one has to take the National Highway NH-206 to reach Shimoga and then take the above mentioned route. There is an overnight bus run by KSRTC
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation or KSRTC is the state owned road transportation company in Karnataka.-About:KSRTC was set up in the year 1961 under the provisions of Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950. It is wholly owned by the Government of Karnataka. The Government of India is also...
from Bangalore to Kuppali. The total distance from Bangalore to Kuppali is around 350 km. From Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, one can take NH-13 to reach Kuppali. The distance from Mangalore to Kuppali is 161 km. Kuppali is around 10 km from Koppa town.