My Poet, My Pride – Kuvempu

Who is your favorite historical figure?

. “ಭಯವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ನುಡಿ, ಅಜ್ಞಾನವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ನುಡಿ, ದ್ವೇಷವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ನುಡಿ.”
“Speak without fear, speak without ignorance, speak without hatred.”

In pages worn and ink now pale,
I found a fire, steady, hale.
Not a warrior with sword or steed—
But a pen, a dream, and fearless creed.

He spoke of Rama not in gold,
But as a man—strong, kind, and bold.
He made the hills and winds recite,
Verses born from Malnad’s light.

No glitz, no fame, no trending name,
Yet all of Kannada danced in his flame.
He made our language stand up tall,
Not second to any tongue at all.

In Kuppali, where rain still sings,
His spirit floats on sparrow wings.
A swing still waits, a lamp still glows,
Where silence speaks and stillness flows.

I walked those stairs, I touched that door,
Where words were born forevermore.
I swear I heard the forest sigh,
As if it missed its poet guy.

He taught me caste is but a lie,
That truth must soar, not crawl or cry.
He asked us all to just be kind—
To lead with soul, not stay confined.

“Be a Vishwamanava,” he said,
“Let narrow thoughts be left for dead.”
He didn’t just write, he showed the way—
And I follow him, even today.

If you ask what language shaped my skin,
It’s the one Kuvempu planted within.
And if one day I find my voice,
I’ll let it echo his wise choice.

His iconic works:
– Malegalalli Madumagalu – his magnum opus set in the Western Ghats 
– Kanooru Heggadithi – a powerful novel of tradition and rebellion 
– Shri Ramayana Darshanam – his modern epic in Kannada 
– Nenapina Doniyali – a memoir-like collection of reflections 
– Sanyasi Mattu Itara Kathegalu – short stories with philosophical depth 
– Malenadina Chitragalu – vivid sketches of Malnad life