- PuTiNa
Purohita Tirunarayana Narasimhachar (
Kannada :ಪುರೋಹಿತ ತಿರುನಾರಾಯಣ ನರಸಿಂಹಾಚಾರ )(commonly known as PuTiNa) is a playwright and poet of theKannada language . He was born into an orthodox Brahmin family inMelkote ,Mysore , soSanskrit was an important part of his education and upbringing, as was English, being the primary language of instruction at the time. He was also exposed to, and learned several other languages, including French and Tamil. This background in so many languages enabled PuTiNa to expand his intellectual horizons, and he did so, studying western literature extensively.PuTiNa's intellect was really cultivated in his college years at Maharaja College in
Mysore , where he was greatly influenced by his English professor TiNamSri, who recognized his talent for poetry; the formerPresident of India , Dr.S. Radhakrishnan , who was then a professor at the college; and the renowned Indian philosophy professor, Hiriyanna. However, despite his proficiency in such a multitude of languages and varied intellectual background, PuTiNa was most interested in the local language of Kannada.Many of his famous works are in a musical play/opera form hard to define by western standards, but they exhibit a literary mastery and a profound understanding of
Indian classical music and the concepts ofRaga andLaya . A few of his important works include Maledegula (Hill Temple), Gokula Nirgamana (Departure from Gokula), and Ahalye, an adaptation of the Ahalye myth that appears in theRamayana . His many accolades include:
* Central Sahithya Academy Prize for Hamsa-Damayanthi and Gitarupakas
* Honorary Doctor of Literature fromMysore University
* President of 53rdKannada Sahithya Sammelana , 1981, Chikmagalur
* Granthaloka award for Sriharicharite, 1989
* Pampa award, 1991
* Padmasri from the Government of India, 1991External links
* [http://thatskannada.indiainfo.com/sahitya/nri1/putina1.html An essay of PuTiNa's poetry]
* [http://www.sooryadance.com/html/call_of_flute/call_of_flute.htm A dance production based on PuTiNa's poetry]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
