Y.S.G.- a pen picture

Y.S.G - A PEN PICTURE
My revered father Sri Y.S.Gundappa (Y.S.G.) was born in Anekal (Bangalore District) on 12th June, 1905. His parents Sri Subrahmanyaiya and Smt. Gowramma were from an orthodox and pious family. The family shifted to Bangalore in the year 1913. By the year 1919, Sri Y.S.G. had already started composing devotional songs (i.e., Devaranamas). He got his primary school education in Tipu Sultan’s palace premises. He completed his middle school in the present Fort High School premises. He passed S.S.L.C. Examination from Malleswaram Government High School. His academic education ended with his attending classes for ten months for entrance examination.

Sri Y.S.G. was appointed as a clerk in Hosakote Taluk Office (Bangalore District) with a monthly salary of Rs. 25/-. As he was interested in teaching profession, he requested the Amaldar (at present Tahsildar) to get him appointed as a teacher. Accordingly, he became a teacher with a monthly salary of Rs. 15/-. Due to his dedication and devotion as a teacher, he got National Award on 22 Nov., 1963, by the then President of India Dr. S. Radhakrishnan. Consequently, he was felicitated in Chintamani Town Hall on 26th January, 1964. On this occasion Sri N.S. Rama Rao, Head Master of Chintamani Municipal High School read the following lines about Y.S.G.

WHO IS Y.S.G. ?
Y - Young in spirit
S - Simple and sociable in habits
G - God fearing
U - Upright in dealings
N - Nice and neat in work
D - Dutiful in service
A - Active throughout
P - Punctual always
P - Perfect in everything
A - Adjustable to one and all
is our beloved Y.S.G.
Sri Y.S.G. has thanked in a poem (Kritajnatheya Kusumagalu meaning Flowers of Gratitude on page 281) all those who helped him in his achievement. Consequently, in the year 1966, he was honoured by the state government and other organizations such as Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.

His literary activity, which started in the year 1919 with the composition of devotional songs, gradually spread to other areas. ‘Sri Kavi Kinkara’ (meaning Servant of Poet) was his pen name. Most of his compositions are dedicated to the Family Deity Sri. Champakadhama Swamy. Every year he was publishing New year (Ugadi) greetings in the form of poems and sending them to his friends and relatives.
Following is the list of books written by him. He was a contributor of articles and poems to various periodicals.

I BOOKS
1. Gaana Rasaayana (Devotional songs) 1925
2. Karmasesha ( Story ) 1926
3. Ahimsaa Paramodharma (Story) 1930
4. Tholaraayana Sabhe (Drama) 1930
5. Dhruva Baala (Drama) 1932
6. Bhraathrubhakthaagrani Lakshmana 1935
Murthy (Story)
(This was prescribed as a text book in
Madras State. It was recommended for libraries
in Mysore and Bombay States.)
7. Baalaka Bhandaara (Multiplication tables) 1938
8. Goliya Myme (Drama) 1942
9. Maguvina Myme (Drama) 1946
10. Baala Kabir (Drama) 1946
11. Kaasina Gantu (Drama) 1947
12. Sadguru Geethe (Devotional Songs) 1950
13. Bangaaradangaalu (Collection of selected 1984
works of Y.S.G., published by Geleyara Balaga,
Chintamani.)

Books at Sl. No. 4, 5 & 9 were recommended for primary and middle school libraries in Mysore State.

II. Dramas enacted by Sri C.B. Mallappa’s Sri Chandramouleshwara Drama Company during 1935-38.

1. Mamatha Moksha
2. Adrista
3. Vidhivilaasa

III. Poems and articles were contributed to various Kannada periodicals and dailies.

An epic on Bhagawan Buddha, composed in Bhamini Shatpadi, (Stanza with six lines) is so far not published.

Sri Y.S.G. was encouraged in his literary activities by literary stalwarts in Kannada literature such as M.R. Sreenivasa Murthy, Bellave Narahari Shastri, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (Recipient of Jnana Peetha Prashasthi), C.K.Venkataramaiah and others. Incidentally, M.R. Sreenivasa Murthy was Y.S.G.’s teacher.

Sri. Y.S.G. was an active participant in many cultural and literary organisations. On 12 April, 1948, he started a study circle in Chintamani which was named as ‘Sahitya Koota’ (meaning Literary Gathering). From 19 January, 1957, every Saturday, evening programmes are being arranged in Sahitya Koota. The Saturday Evening Programme is a model for punctuality, a good literary taste, discipline and cultured behaviour. The programme is given by not only literary giants but also common people interested in literature. Bhagawan Sri Parthasarathy is the Deity of the Koota and ‘Kaalaaya Tasmai Namaha’ (meaning Salutations to the Time Spirit) is the slogan. On occasions when Sri Y.S.G. had to go out of town, he was arranging the person to preside over the function and the singer or speaker for the evening. He was preparing the pamphlets for the function and distributing personally. Due to his perseverance and the momentum he gave, the Saturday programmes are still continuing without any break. The poem Bhikshukana Yaathre (meaning Beggar’s pilgrimage) on page 294 gives a picture of his struggle to arrange these programmes. When he was sick and physically exhausted, he attended the 2159th Saturday programme on 13th June, 1998, and this became his last Saturday on this earth. Some of his disciples and admirers are continuing the Sahitya Koota. (I have joined in June 2002 after my retirement from service.)