Scholar, senior writer and folklore expert Amrut Someshwara passed away at his residence near Someshwara-Kotekar in Mangaluru on January 6. He was 88. He is survived by his wife and two sons. The last rites will be performed on January 7, sources in his family informed.
Mr. Someshwara had more than 100 works to his credit, including about 40 Yakshagana scripts written both in Kannada and Tulu. He had retired as Head of the Department of Kannada at Vivekananda College in Puttur, Dakshina Kannada district. He was a visiting professor in the Department of Kannada of Mangalore University.
His literature became a subject for research (Ph.D.). Two research works (Ph.D.) have been produced on his work. Of them, one is by Sampoornananda Balkuru on his work in Yakshagana, and another is by Nitin N. K. on local culture and social thinking in Mr. Someshwara’s literature.
Mr. Someshwara was the recipient of Bhasha Samman award of (Kendra) Sahitya Akademi (2016), Gaurava Shree award of Karnataka Sahitya Academy (2020), Karnataka Rajyotsava award (1999), Folklore Expert award by Karnataka Janapada Academy (1994), Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy award (1998), Parthi Subba award of Karnataka Yakshagana Academy ( 2010), Karnataka Sahitya Parishat Centenary award (2015), besides about 30 other awards.
K. Chinnappa Gowda, scholar and former vice-chancellor of Karnataka Folklore University, told The Hindu that Mr. Someshwara is probably the second writer from Karnataka’s coastal belt who wrote on all spheres of literature after Jnanapith Award winner Kota Shivarama Karanth. He also wrote songs for cinema.
Mr. Someshwara’s three published volumes — on Tulu dramas, Tulu paddanas (sung narratives) and Yakshagana prasangas — are worth contribution to literature. The writer came up with a Malayalam-Kannada dictionary, Mr. Gowda said adding that Mr. Someshwara translated Finnish national (oral) epic ‘Kalevala’ into Tulu.
“Mr. Someshwara is a pioneer to be remembered for his collections related to Tulu folklore studies,” the former vice-chancellor said and added that the late writer’s work serve as reference books. “Mr. Someshwara shared his deep knowledge with young researchers, including from abroad.”
More than a century-old performing troupe of Yakshagana theatre Shree Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Krupaposhita Yakshagana Mandali performed many Yakshagana ‘prasangas’ written by Mr. Someshwara. Among them, ‘prasangas’ like ‘Kayakalpa’, ‘Sahasra Kavacha Moksha’, ‘Tripura Mathana’, and ‘Amara Vahini’ became a hit, winning accolades.
