Vikram Hathwar - Craziness of Shivaram Karanth

Vikram Hathwar was born in 1982 in a small village called Beejadi in the Kundapura taluk. His life blossomed amidst the alleys of Shivajinagar, the rhythmic beats of the Chande in coastal Yakshagana, and the lap of the Tunga River in Thirthahalli. He has travelled and lived across cities like Bengaluru, Kushalnagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, New York, and London. By profession, he is a software engineer.

He has 4 Poetry Collections, 3 Short Story Collections, and 2 Essay Collections published.

Interests and Achievements

He is deeply interested in cultural discourse, literary criticism, philosophy, music, and cinema. He has delivered lectures at various seminars and forums. Additionally, he has written the story, screenplay, and dialogues for Kannada feature films. He is also actively involved in book publishing through his publishing house, 'Prakruthi' Prakashana.

He was awarded the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar for his short story collection 'Zero and One'. He is also a recipient of the award from the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. His short stories and poems have won prizes in various literary competitions hosted by several newspapers and periodicals.

Literary Style & Critical Acclaim

Critics have highlighted several unique features in Vikram Hatwar's stories, including a fresh linguistic style, distinct thematic management, the shifts brought about by the Information Technology era, and human relationships, dilemmas, and dualities in the context of globalization. His works capture modern human suffering, anxieties, struggles, and the searching nature of an evolving family system and shifting social values. 

He is recognized as a unique poet who genuinely explores his personal experiences without succumbing to the allure of commercial popularity or oversimplified conclusions. Prominent Kannada critics and contemporary poets note that his poetry has a distinct way of subtly shifting the vivid details of life to experience its deeper design, evoking an unconditional restlessness paired with an enveloping tenderness.

Outline: 

Dr. Shivaram Karanth – From Literary Persona to Literary Classic

Dr. Shivaram Karanth is a legendary Kannada writer considered one of the most versatile and celebrated intellectuals in the history of Indian literature. He is a great cultural and literary influence who reshaped the horizons of Kannada into the national & global platforms. This session on Shivaram Karanth outlines two aspects - his multi faced adventurous life, and insights into his one of the notable novel `audaryada urulalli’ (In the trap of generosity). 

Dr. Shivaram Karanth is Not Just an Individual: He is an Institution

Who is Shivaram Karanth? Which group can we categorize him into? Born on October 10, 1902 in Kota of Udupi District, Karnataka state, is he a writer? A freedom fighter? An artist? An environmentalist? A journalist? He was a man of action, an adventurous soul, a critic of society, and a lover of experimentation. Art, literature, dance, travel, critique—in each of these, Karanth left his own distinct mark. He was a person of straightforward speech and conduct, possessed a vibrant disposition, an enterprising spirit, a love for travel, and a deep love for nature. He would never utter or write a single word about anything that fell outside the realm of his own lived experience. On the whole, he is not just an individual; he is an institution, a symbol. 

Karanth loved his life; he was deeply influenced by life itself. He once said, "The influence of what is written might be on one in a thousand people, but the influence of life is on one in ten people." He also said - `baalveye belaku’ meaning `Life itself is the Light’. His life is beyond the comprehension of an ordinary person. Karanth's life was one of determination, commitment, and faith! 

Karanth's service to literature is highly commendable. He upheld life values in his works. Karanth has left an indelible footprint in the intellectual, rational, and emotional worlds. There is no field of literature that Karanth did not touch upon. Stories, novels, critical essays, science, travelogues, environment, musical dramas, plays—he tried his hand at every single field. Karanth also compiled the 'Sirigannada Arthakosha' (a Kannada dictionary), proving his excellence in the field of lexicography as well. Having traveled across the country and abroad, he authored extensive travel literature. From novels and plays to the world of science, and from children's literature to dictionaries. From Bharatanatyam to ballet, from travelogues to the world of folklore, and from cinema to research—there is no domain where this giant talent did not venture. 

He wrote 47 novels, 31 plays, 4 short story collections, 2 volumes of poems, 6 books of essays and sketches, 13 books on art, 9 encyclopedias, and over one hundred articles on various issues. Some of his remarkable works are:

Novels:

Chomana Dudi (Choma's Drum) 

Marali Mannige (Back to the Soil)

Bettada Jeeva (Man of the Hills)

Mookajjiya Kanasugalu (Dreams of a Silent Grandmother)

Alida Mele (After Death)

Chigurida Kanasu (Blossomed Dream)

Mai Managala Suliyalli (In the Whirlpool of Body and Mind)

Sarsammana Samadhi (Grave of Sarasamma)

Performing Arts: Yakshagana Bayalata, and Yakshagana 

Encyclopedias: 

Bala Prapancha (3 Volumes) & Vijnana Prapancha (4 Volumes)

Autobiography: Hucchu Manasina Hatthu Mukhagalu (Ten Faces of a Crazy Mind)

Karanth is not just a writer; he was a colossus of literature, appearing as a reflection of literature in its entirety. He is an ocean of "knowledge"; an ocean whose immensity, vastness, and depth cannot be measured. Karanth's words were like the scorching heat of the summer sun. There was the power of lightning in them. He possessed a mature, unshakeable, straightforward, and simple personality. 

Karanth was honored with the Jnanpith Award—the highest honor in the field of Indian literature—for his novel 'Mookajjiya Kanasugalu' (The Dreams of Mookajji). The Central Government also honored him by bestowing the 'Padma Bhushan' award. Additionally, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award, and the universities of the state have honored his legacy by conferring honorary Doctorates upon him. His novel `chomana dudi’ later made into a film won the national film award.

Karanth was not one to sit confined in a room and call for a revolution. He opposed preaching to others. Just as a bolt of lightning pierces through dense darkness, he strived to eradicate the darkness of society. Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi & in response to his call to the nation, Shivaram Karanth quit college and participated in non-cooperation movement in 1920. He married outside his caste. He helped arrange marriages for young women from the families of courtesans/sex workers. He condemned the injustices happening in society through newspapers. Opposing the Emergency, he returned the Padma Vibhushan award to the government. 

Just like the saying, "The shell may be hard, but the seed inside is soft," Karanth's words might have been like thunderbolts, but his heart was like that of a child. Karanth's interest in children was beyond words. Karanth was not someone who merely said, "Today's children are tomorrow's citizens." Instead, he worked tirelessly to mold today's children into excellent citizens. The three volumes of 'Bala Prapancha' (Children's World) and the four volumes of 'Vijnana Prapancha' (World of Science) that he created for young boys and girls have proved to be immensely useful works and have won everyone's admiration. He condemned bookish education, stating that it exploits children. He analysed a new model for children's education and actively worked toward implementing it. He brought out the latent emotions hidden in children's minds. He encouraged them to discard what was incomprehensible and choose subjects of their own interest. He provided inspiration and stimulation to children's thirst for knowledge. He became a child among children. 

In today's artistic scenario, Karanth’s voice is not a solitary one, but it is certainly a rare one. It was Karanth's firm belief that the primary quality of all great art is simplicity. He believed, "Art exists for the expression of emotions. It should do only that effectively. Ornamentation and technique are secondary. Art does not exist to scare others by displaying one's scholarship." He maintained that the work of art should elevate the soul of art, not showy embellishments or affectations. 

Highly influenced by Yakshagana, Karanth actively worked in this folk art form as well. Karanth holds the credit for making costumed Yakshagana performers dance beyond the borders of India. He brought recognition and status to the art of Yakshagana at the international level. He ran a children's troupe (Makkala Mela) in Saligrama. He introduced new dance skills, facial expressions, and props into this art form, bringing about significant changes. He also rendered valuable service to sculpture, music, dance, theatre, and painting. 

Karanth’s service to the film industry is substantial. The fame of the story of 'Chomana Dudi' will keep his name immortal forever. Having an interest in photography, Karanth even contested in political elections. 

Journalism was also one of the thousand faces of Karanth’s "crazy mind". He ran magazines like 'Vasanta' and 'Vicharavani'. He established the 'Harsha Publications'. Right from composing typesets to printing, photography, binding, illustrating, book publishing, and marketing—Karanth was an expert at everything. 

Karanth expressed deep concern over the deteriorating environment. He awakened those who were indifferent toward nature. Through his writings, he jolted people's thinking capacity awake. He warned about the dangers arising from the establishment of the nuclear power plant in Kaiga. He made the government and nuclear scientists aware of their responsibility. He wrote articles protesting human destructive activities across the Himalayas, Tehri, Garhwal, Ganga, Narmada, Tungabhadra, the Western Ghats, and the coastlines. 

There are no boundaries to Karanth’s selfless service. A popular saying among people regarding him is: "There is no leaf that a goat does not eat, and there is no field that Karanth has not touched".  When we look at Karanth’s capabilities and service in various fields, one wonders: "Is this Karanth just a person or an institution?" 

Karanth is a collective of institutions; a single ray made of a billion stars. He lived and showed the ways and virtues of life. Even in his advanced age, his mind never sought rest or retirement. When we observe all of this, only one question flashes in our minds: "Is such an achievement truly possible by a single human being?!" He is widely renowned as the "Bhargava of the Seashore" (Kadala Teerada Bhargava), a personality like Karanth is an asset and pride to any nation.

Theme of the Novel ‘audaryada urulalli’ (In the trap of generosity)

This novel is a biographical fiction largely inspired by the real-life tragic downfall of the prominent freedom fighter and philanthropist, Karnad Sadashiva Rao. Once one of the wealthiest men in the coastal Karnataka region, Rao gave up his fortune, social status, and personal comforts to support the Non-Cooperation movement and the Swadeshi cause. Karanth uses his life to deconstruct what happens when extreme generosity and unyielding political ideals clash with harsh economic realities.

Dr. Shivaram Karanth’s Preface (edited) to the 3rd reprint of novel 

This novel was first written and published in 1947, before independence. By the time it was printed, India must have achieved independence. Among the novels I have written, this is the biggest one. After this, I did not write novels larger than 300 to 400 pages. The scope of the subject matter determines the volume of the writing.

This work is a symbol of my own life experiences—from jumping into the Non-Cooperation Movement around 1921 until the dawn of independence—and the social figures, institutions, customs, and policies that surrounded it. It was born out of the memory of three friends who wandered with me in the beginning. It reflects the Non-Cooperation Movement that flashed and disappeared in Kundapura Taluk.

It is also filled with my frustrated dreams. Here, you will find the life of Karnad Sadashiva Rao, who is worthy of eternal respect, as well as portraits of the individuals who were responsible for suppressing him and who later flaunted their power in politics. Here is also a depiction of certain institutions that were born and raised in our district under the guise of philanthropy. Today, across the entire country, I see a growing crop of such "philanthropic" institutions—ranging from medical colleges to kindergartens—established solely for the purpose of public extortion!

Here is the story of a flood disaster that occurred in Kundapura and Udupi taluks during my youth, which left public life devastated. I have depicted the history of the unforgettable memories and agonies of the people of Sirsi and Siddapur, who lost their homes after being caught in a political storm, and the hardships and miseries their children endured.

When I observe the public filth, immorality, and selfishness that have grown collectively in recent decades, I realize I had identified their sprouts even during the early days of the Non-Cooperation Movement. The only difference is that the scale at which they grew subsequently is mammoth in size and astonishing in speed. I am one who has seen the various faces of that magnitude and has tasted its bitterness several times, even from close friends. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I am tasting it even now.

Saligrama 4.5.1982 Shivaram Karanth