Ex-monk tells moving life story

Forced into a monastic life, Vidyabhushana simultaneously pursued music and kept his spirits up. In a candid autobiography, he describes the joys and agonies of his life

Vidyabhushana, who gave up his monkhood to be a fulltime singer, released his autobiography in Kannada recently. It is already going into a second edition. ‘Nenape Sangeetha’ (Memory is Music), as it is titled, is a candid account of how he was pressured into the monastic life. The book describes his life and times at an orthodox Math in Dakshina Kannada for 30 years.

Vidyabhushana made news when he announced his decision to marry and become a householder in 1997. An accomplished singer who gave regular stage concerts, Vidyabhushana, is one of Karnataka’s most sought-after exponents of Haridasa compositions. He has hundreds of recordings to his credit, and has rendered, in classical ragas, the compositions of Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa, and a host of other saint-poets.

Soon after he gave up the pontiffship of the famed Kukke Subramanya Math, Vidyabhushana had narrated some incidents from his life in the literary blog Kendasampige, edited by the well-known writer Abdul Rasheed. The Kannada prose is elegant, and many called up Vidyabhushana to ask if he had told his story to a ghost writer and got it written.

“I wrote it myself. This is my first book,” he says. He read out the chapters to his wife Rama, and eventually checked the proofs as well and earnestly adds that he became emotional in this process. Writing an autobiography is a challenge as writers tend to glorify themselves, Vidyabhushana observes. “We have to overcome this inherent flaw and write with discipline. One has to filter out so many things and yet tell the truth,” he says. Vikram Hathwar, of Prakruthi Prakashana, who published ‘Nenape Sangeeta,’ says the book has been received well.

“We are soon going in for a second print,” he told Metrolife. Hathwar had read the episodes in Kendasampige, and requested Vidyabhushana to write a more comprehensive autobiography. “He agreed and we now have this book,” he says.

Readers are fascinated by the love-hate relationship Vidyabhushana had with his father, described in the book. “The anguish he went through when he was ordained as a monk touches the heart,” Hathwar says.

Vidyabhushana describes his father as “a good man.” “But I was scared of him. I was angry at him for pushing me into monkhood. I went through a lot of regret and anguish. But later it all transformed into love. When he died, I was heartbroken,” he says.

It was unusual for a monk to marry, and his decision to give up on his monastic role was not received easily. In the 24-chapter autobiography, Vidyabhushana lucidly describes the atmosphere in the Kukke Subrahmanya Math and his childhood with a devout father who wanted him don to the ochre robes.

Senior monks in Udupi advised him against giving up his position and becoming a householder. Vidyabhushana also explains how he came into contact with Rama, their courtship, and how he was torn between love and monkhood. His friendship with the well-known writer Lakshmeesh Tholpadi, who stood by him always, is one of the central themes in the book.

His scepticism about the ways of religious institutions also finds expression. Families of monks control the wealth, power, privileges and fame that comes with the monastic life, he says.

“Also, an innocent boy, with no psychological preparation or training, is initiated into monkhood when the health of a senior monk deteriorates. I don’t know what kind of a spiritual achievement this is,” he observes.

Vidyabhushana says his desires were ‘commonplace.’ “All I wanted was a loving wife, a warm home and money to get by. This is the aim of my life. Also, music and literature. That’s all.” He says he could have secured all these pleasures clandestinely, even while being a monk, but his conscience did not permit such hypocrisy.

The 152-page book is priced at Rs 180, and can be ordered at https://store.ruthumana.com/product/nenape-sangeeta/ and www. panchamionline.com too. You can also call 99161 02886 for copies.

Household name, 100 albums

Vidyabhushana, former pontiff of the Kukke Subramanya Math in Dakshina Kannada district, is known all over Karnataka as a singer of devotional music. He sings Haridasa compositions and Carnatic classical music. He gave up his pontiff’s position and married Rama, a girl from Ballari. He then embraced music as a full-time career. ‘Dasara Padagalu’ was his first album and ‘Thanu Ninnadu Jeevana Ninnadu’ is 100th album.