H.L. Nage Gowda

H.L. Nage Gowda was a prominent Kannada folklorist and author.

H.L. Nage Gowda was born on February 11, 1915 in Heraganahalli village in Nagamangala Taluk in Mandya district, Karnataka. 

On completion of B.Sc., and L.L.B., and passing the Mysore Civil Services competitive examination in 1941, he was selected for the Gazetted post. He has served in various positions.

Somebody who came from the thick of rural life and went on to become an IAS officer had complete access to a luxurious life in the city. But somehow, they didn't have an effect on him.

Starting from the 1970s, Nage Gowda wrote a number of literary works in Kannada. He wrote several novels, two collections of poetry, collections of short stories and essays, and a travelogue.

From “Nanaguve geejagana hakki” and “Kathe-Vyathe” written in his younger days to the latest work “Malenadina Valmiki” the essence of his writings are rural innocence, curiosity, simplicity, and intense love towards life. “Nannuru” filled with light humour tickles and refreshes the minds of readers. 

Novel  Doddamane ("The big house") won critical acclaim for its portrayal of the culture of rural southern Karnataka, and was one of the works that won him the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award.

‘Sonneyinda sonnege” depicting the rural culture are the best works of Gowda. 

“Bhoomige banda gandharva” is a rare novel portraying the life of renowned musician Bhairavi Kempegowda. 

“Sarojinidevi” which gives an unexaggerated, real and interesting life sketch of Sarojinidevi is marked by his beautiful narrative style.

 “Bettadinda battalige” or “Coffeeya kathe” writen by him when he was the Deputy Commissioner of Chikmagalur is very interesting. 

He set up the Karnataka Janapada Academy in 1979. An academy devoted to the study and propagation of traditional folk arts in Karnataka.The core capital for this was the funds that he garnered from friends and what he got as retirement benefits. 

With the money he bought 15 acres of land on the Bangalore-Mysore highway and started Janapada Loka.  In 1986, he started work Janapada Loka, a museum of the folk arts located in Ramnagaram, around 53 kilometres from Bangalore, which opened to the public in 1994. 

He wanted to turn this dream place into Disneyland. He collected ancient and contemporary objects from different cultures and put them on display here. To prevent it from slipping into a perfunctory display, he organised exhibitions, and made it come alive like a village, vibrant with all its arts and crafts. Based on the model of a village in its true spirit, he set up Janapada Loka.

Nage Gowda's work received significant recognition in his lifetime. He won a number of awards, including the Rajyotsava Award, the Pampa Prashasti, the Nadoja Prashasti and the Sandesha Award. He served in the Karnataka State Government as a member of the Legislative Council from 1995 until 2001. In 2002, Serpentine Road in Bangalore was renamed Dr H L Nage Gowda Road in his honour. 

H.L. Nage Gowda died on September 22, 2005 at his residence. As a mark of respect, the annual Rajajinagar cultural festival, the Rajajinagar Habba was dedicated to his memory and was organised around a theme of folk arts.

                                                                                                     Source : Internet