Fans, dignitaries pay tributes to S L Bhyrappa in Mysuru, fondly recall Kannada writer

Mysuru: Several fans and dignitaries paid homage in Mysuru on Thursday to literary giant S L Bhyrappa who passed away in an hospital in Bengaluru due to age related ailments on Wednesday.

His body, which was brought from Bengaluru by 3.40 pm and was kept at Kalamandira campus on Vinoba road in Mysuru for public viewing on Thursday evening.

It was later shifted to a cold storage unit at JSS hospital around 6 pm. His body would be taken to residence in Kuvempunagar from 8 am on Friday.

After religious rituals at home, his last rites would be performed at the crematorium near the foot of Chamundi Hill around 11 am, according to family sources.

Mysuru district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa paid homage and offered condolences to his sons Udayshankar and Ravishankar and his family.

He informed, "As per CM's directions, S L Bhyrappa's last rites would be performed with full State honours. We will discuss with his family and decide where his memorial should be built."

MP Basavaraj Bommai, MLCs A H Vishwanath, K Shivakumar, former MP Pratap Simha, T V Venkatachalashasthri, Retired Prof P V Nanjaraj Urs, Adichunchanagiri mutt Mysuru branch seer Someshwaranatha swamy, and others paid homage.

Mysuru district minister H C Mahadevappa, ex MP Pratap Simha offer tribute to S L Bhyrappa at Kalamandira premises in Mysuru on Thursday evening.

Several dignitaries and fans recalled Bhyrappa fondly, after offering tributes to him.

Mysuru district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa said, "His death is a huge loss to the literary world. Born in a poor family, he knew the realities of life and presented them to his writers as they were. He awakened and guided society through his works."

MLC A H Vishwanath said, "His literary works were liked by young and old alike. He did not get awards like Jnanapeeta award. This is the insult to literary world. His name will remain eternal through his literary works," he said. 

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai said, "He has established his own unique place among the creative personalities of the era. No matter to what height he grew, he never forgot his village or his roots."

MLC K Shivakumar termed him as Star Novelist, said that some of his novels are translated to 42 languages. He had opened a library in his mother's name at his native. Government would take up some work to keep his name eternal, he said. 

Protest over last rites

A few people, claiming to be veteran Kannada novelist S L Bhyrappa’s fans, staged a protest at the Kalamandira demanding that his last rites should be performed by his caretaker, not his children.

They claimed that Bhyrappa had written a will, in which he had stated that his children should not perform his last rites. They circulated a few photocopies of a document, claiming it to be the will. They urged that his caretaker, a woman, should perform the cremation. They said it was his last wish and it should be fulfilled. Later, the police detained them. Bhyrappa’s family sources said that they will file a case against the protestors. They claimed that the photocopies were fake and asked how a fan could procure their personal documents.