I resisted responding to plagiarism charges against U R Anantamurthy in the comments section of Churumuri, simply because any debate on this issue seemed pointless. All of us would simply assert our positions and then we agree with those who agree with us. Ever since Samskara was published in the early 1960s, such plagiarism talk has been widely prevalent. As I have been dragged into this debate now, I must say though that the burden of proving these charges rests on the accusers, and we are yet to see any substantial evidence. I have expressed my admiration of URA in the past, but that admiration has never been an uncritical acceptance and I have disagreed
with him often, and publicly too. But neither my neutrality isn’t the point here.
Kaavya V’s plagiarism charges stuck because people identified the passages she has imitated or copied and pointed out the source texts. People actually read some books, compared notes and took the trouble of proving their case. In our Kannada instance, I have heard talk of Hebrew novels (and Eastern European novels too) from which URA is supposed to have stolen stories, themes and passages. But until today, I have never seen anyone naming a novel or pointing out a passage. To say ‘plagiarism … forms the platform of that author’s oeuvre’ for any writer (not just URA) is just to make an empty statement.
So, let me make a concrete suggestion. Being the ‘uncommon elitist intellectual type’ that I am, I have access to virtually any published work. So if anyone were to name the book(s) from which URA is even suspected to have plagiarized his novels, then we could find it and READ the damn book together and come to some conclusion. Also if a school of thought like existentialism and an author like Kamu are supposed to have inspired URA, then make the case for how it constitutes plagiarism!
Let me also state that I think both PUTINA and Adiga (who is my favorite modern Kannada poet) are great poets and if they haven’t received the recognition or the awards they deserve, then that doesn’t lessen their greatness as writers. Nor do awards make URA a better writer. In my book, if we spend all our time focusing on awards and worldly recognition that authors and artists have not received or debate about roads and circles that aren’t named after them, then we lose sight of why we should value a cultural figure.
So how about an open discussion on what we like in a writer and why is (s)he culturally significant? While we are at it, how about some parameters for such a conversation and not mythical stories of stolen awards and plagiarized novels! Believe me, I also have an inexhuastible supply of stories on every single Kannada writer and we could spend a lifetime trading such stories. That would be fun but doesn’t add to the quality and standard of our public discourse.
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No sir, PUTINA and Adiga not getting the Jnanpeeth will not lessen their greatness. I completley agree with you on that. But then whenever I go to any Kannada literature related functions (especially in America), I see 7 photographs - Kuvempu, Bendre, Karanth, Masti, Gokak, URA and Karnad. I don’t know about you, but that really hurts me. Maybe, you are above all this, I am NOT. I wouldn’t stretch the limit and go as far as Pampa and Ranna or even Muddana. But, when they put up 7 photographs, I know what their inspiration was. I think we are doing a dissrevice to Kannada literature by NOT putting PUTINA and Adiga (and DVG) with them. No sir, I am NOT asking them to put up Bhyrappa’s picture there. I hope you get the point. I bet more than 50% of my classmates have never read anything in kannada - not even ‘Sudha’ or ‘Taranga’. So, for most people Jnanpeeth is the only scale to measure the writers. People who do not read need not measure any writer, you may say. But as human beings it is our basic duty to accept the greatness of achievers. I still say that URA and GK are both VERY good writers, EXTREMELY good writers actually. But, I honestly don’t believe they deserved the Jnanpeeth. The reason being, there were writers in Kananda who deserved it more than URA and GK. Now, if you want to argue on that point and if you think that URA and GK were more deserving than PUTINA and Adiga at that time, then I don’t have an argument.
Now, let’s come up with a fictional story. Let us say PUTINA was considered for Jnanpeeth award. Let us also suppose that he ahd a very good chance to win. Now, let us bring in URA and make him the chairman on National Book Trust. Let URA accidentally tell the Jnanpeeth committee that none of PUTINA’s works have been translated to other languages. And, let URA carry his bio-data with hi. Remember, this is a ‘fictional story’. Now, let us suppose URA wins the award. And, now the numbver # 1 paper in Karnataka ‘Prajavani’ goes to PUTINA and asks him for his opinion on URA”s win. What else can a great man like PUTINA say than “It’s good for Kannada that the next generation is winning the awards”. Oh, and I wonder why ‘Prajavani’ went and specifically interviewed PUTINA after URA won the award. I also wonder why URA went to PUTINA’s house a few days after winning the award. Maybe we should write a letter to Dr. Karan Singh (or whoever) to find out if the ‘fictional story’ was afterall not a ‘fiction’.
Infact, when Girish karnad won the award, his first reaction wa s”Oh ! Vijay Tendulkar deserved it more”. At least, that’s ‘modesty’.
Anyway, you may respond to my post with a “Back off young jedi ! You still need to read a lot more”. So, let that come….
This is turning out to a intresting and emotional debate .Well I am too small in front of you folks …let the discussion begin and enlighten few mortals like us.
I respect both of your opinions ..
Prakash,
Thanks…but again I am just another mere mortal like you. Definitely not as well read as PDCS. But from whatever facts I have and however much knowledge I have gained through reading, I try to reason out things. Yes, emotional I am. But, I try to be righteous too
well, i don’t think being emotional and righteous is necessarily a drawback to an engaging conversation. i would rather see some passion and genuine engagement, instead of dry, boring ‘haralenne’ discussion. let me come back with a proper response later today. i got to catch up on some work.
should add one other thing though. i dont’ want to tell anyone to back off. me think of meself as a young jedi too. there is much to learn and more wisdom to acquire.
No responses yet…
Sorry, I have been quite preoccupied with work and visiting friends from back home all weekend. Anyway, I am not sure how I should respond to the question of awards and I can only return to my original question and make a small point about plagiarism.
A couple of days ago, my friend Girish wrote me an interesting email. If he had sent that as a comment to my earlier URA plagiarism response, I wouldn’t have had to write this note. Briefly and simply, he did a google search for plagiarism and Samskara.
What turned up?
Syllabi for courses in US universities. Here is my point. Every year, Samskara and Suryana Kudure are taught in literally hundreds of courses (especially in those on South Asian civilization) and people actually read these books. Hebrew, French and German reading people. Which reminds me of a joke that elder Kannada writers are never tired of repeating. Each time they hear about URA’s works being translated into European languages, they wonder how could that be, since it would resemble an (eponymous) original.
My point here isn’t about the popularity of Samskara but to say it is read by a bunch of people. Bharatipura too. And so, some folks should have figured out something by now. speaking of popularity, Yendamuri Virendranath is probably the most popular novelist in Kannada. I like to read his stuff too. Well, we can debate how we judge an author but our question isn’t about the quality of a work. It’s far more simple, actually. If Samskara or any other work is plagiarised, then let us prove it. otherwise, jokes are fine but to take them seriously would be to be unfair to an author.
Prithvi ..
As I read the news daily , the kannada literary world is against each other out of professional jealousy .These daily bickerings aint good for the kannada Sahithya jagathu
It just sums up to pettiness .Beyond the issue of “SO CALLEd” plagiarism ..It is the issue of religious,political affliation that has been detrimental to the development in recent times.
Fighting for Government aids for promotion and publishing of Kannada books,Fighting for awards,recognition .Not able to Unite for common cause etc etc .
We always find Chimu ridiculing URA or URA ridiculing DEJEGOW or P.Tejaswi making comments on someone else. etc etc…
I best way to promote is all PuTiNa lovers should start encouraging people to buy more of his books .The best way to do it is to write nice reviews .The same way with the Fans of URA .Once the reviews are read by people like us would certainly be intrested to know further more and might buy original books.
In this way we can all help the literary world .
Let me know if you have better ideas.
Prithvi..why dont you start a review sections of some of the best books that you have read and provide links to purchase them..And you can have discussion on the same??
Prakash, these are great ideas and I agree with you wholeheartedly. the bottom line is just reading more and then writing on what we like.
I am hoping to write more on Kannada literature, at least get something out on what I am reading and writing at the moment. but i am really weighed down by some projects i desperately need to finish in the next month or so. as a result, even my sundays with Rajkumar feature has also suffered. anyway, I have to finish an article on A K Ramanujan’s Kannada poetry and I was hoping to do a series of entries on navya poetry. there are some novels sitting on my desk, on which I have been meaning to write. Raghavendra Patil’s Teru is a really interesting novel and needs be looked at closely. also, we got to write in Kannada. i need to figure out a couple of technical hurdles. anyway, all this will hopefully happen soon.
Way to go Bro. **Thums up**
Looking forward..
“Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi” (oh I love it
),
Hmmm…..I was expecting more in your response. It seems like you just wrote somethign in a hurry.
That said, my ONLY point is URA and GK did NOT deserve Jnanpeeth. Again, there were people who deserved it more.
I don’t know if I am failing miserably in trying to put my points across. Again, both URA and GK are very good writers. Come on, GK even attended my wedding an year ago
Let me say it again - Jnanpeeth should not have been awarded to URA or GK because there were people who deserved it more. If you agree with thsi point, then we don’t have an argument. If not, then I compeltely disagree with you.
P.S: If you look at my post on ‘churumuri’ as well, I was really stressing on URA’s politics and NOT plaigiarism. And honestly, that’s what I am more interested (or disinterested) in - his politics.
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