DR PANCHAKSHARI HIREMATH (Indian Poet, Writer, Critic and Freedom fighter) LIFE AND WORKS CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMPARATIVE LITERATURE WORKS OF DR PANCHAKSHARI HIREMATH WORKS ON DR PANCHAKSHARI HIREMATH Prof. Panchakshari Hiremath born in 1933 at Bisarahalli, Raichur Distt. (Now Koppal) Karnataka State,India. He has been a resident of Dharwad since 1950s and is married to Mrs. Shantadevi Hiremath, have three children. Dr.Panchakshari Hiremath is a Patriot , Freedom fighter, Internationalist and multi-lingual writer of Karnataka, India. He is a well-known poet, short story writer, essayist, critic, translator, orator, and editor whose works have been extensively translated into many Indian and foreign languages. Starting his literary pursuit at the tender age of ten Dr. Panchakshari has to his credit more than 50 titles. His first collection of poems appeared in 1959 and he made a distinct mark of his own in almost all the branches of literary forms. Those whose influences have made Dr.Hiremath what he is today are his mother, and His Holiness Sri Mrutyunjaya Mahaswamiji, the Saranas, Saints, Kalidasa, Chandidasa, Jayadeva, Omar Khayyam, Galib, Iqbal and Tagore. Having come under the impact of such great souls and poets, it is but natural that Dr.Hiremath should, at sixty five, still love life so deeply and have faith in a human community. Dr.Panchakshari does not belong to any literary school or sect. He is among those very few who advocate that there should be no narrow groupism in literature. An idealist and a romanticist by temperament, Dr. Panchakshari Hiremath always longs to see the essential beauty and meaning of life which transcend the apparent ugliness and disorder in it. All his works amply testify to this pious dream. A combination of romantic ebullience and philosophical speculation is the characteristic feature of his literature. He is a discerning scholar of ancient and modern Kannada language and literature. CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMPARATIVE LITERATURE Dr.Panchakshari is well known for his unique style and endearing expressiveness in Kannada, Urdu and Hindi. A selfless soul with enormous love of labor, Dr. Panchakshari has widely translated the works of Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, and Gujarati authors like Krishna Chandra, Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Premachanda, Muni Rupachandra, Kartarsinh Duggal, Jayadeva, Rabindranath Tagore and Abid Surti etc. into Kannada. Himself a multilinguist Dr. Panchakshari has rendered great service to Comparative Literature neglected so much in India. Some of Dr. Panchakshari’s own works have been translated into Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, Nepali, English, Spanish, French and German. Dr. Panchakshari has some 'firsts' to his credit. He is the first to introduce, with a critical appreciation of poets like Chandidas (Bengal) Lalleswari and Sheik Nooruddin Noorani (Kashmiri) Vallathol and G.Shankara Kurup (Malayalam) Mirza Ghalib and Mohammed Iqbal (Urdu) Amrita Preetam and Prabhajot Kaur (Punjabi) who otherwise had remained mere names to the Kannada readers. And again he is the the first to acquaint Kannada readers with the sweet charm of Urdu literature. More than anything else Dr.Panchaskshari is a poet to the core and so his prose resounds with lyrical melody. Though prominently a Kannada poet, Dr. Panchakshari writes occasionally in Urdu and Hindi. AIR Delhi and Dharwad have broadcast his talks in these languages. Dr. Hiremath has carved for himself a permanent niche on the literary scene. The Central Sahitya Akademi and the National Book Trust have got some celebrated works translated by him and published them. Dr. Panchakshari has been writing ceaselessly for over forty years, Dr. Panchakshari has translated several Russian, Georgian and Uzbek poems into Kannada for the Kannada version of the Soviet Land. Notable among the poets translated are Alexander Pushkin, Alexendar Bloke Iraki Abashidze. Yerkin Vokhidov, Ramz Babajan, Samuel Marshak, Lev Oshanin,Evgeni Dolmotovsky and Zulifiya. He was also invited by the Soviet Land to contribute a poem on Lenin on the occasion of his 113th birth anniversary. All India Radio Stations in Dharwad, Delhi and other places and Telivision Stations have broadcast several of his poetry readings, talks and interviews. Radio Egypt has interviewed him. Dr.Panchakshari is not a man of mere ivory tower. Inspired by the clarion call of the nation, he took active part in the revolutionary political movement launched to integrate Hyderabad state to Indian territory. Its lasting mark is cast on his left leg at the hands of disruptive forces. HONORS AWARDS AND RECOGNITION’S Dr. Panchakshari has got the proud privilege of being honored by eminent spiritual personalities and organizations in India and abroad. In 1985, the renowned World University at Arizona, USA honored Sri Panchakshari with a D.Litt., in recognition of his contribution to literature. Prof. Hiremath has been honored by the State Sahitya Akademi for his services to literature. Dr. Hiremath has been awarded the prestigious Soviet award. ‘The Soviet Land Nehru Award’ for his poetry collection ‘Mitra Desada Kavitegalu’ (Poems of Friendly Nation). It is noteworthy that he was the sole recipient of this award from South India that year. AWARDS (A partial List) D.Litt. (USA) Soviet Land Nehru Award Karnataka State Sahitya Akademi Award Sri Moorusavirmath Literary Award Karandikar Literary Award His story “When the Dry Leaf Ruffles” has been included in the book Asian Literature published from Korea. Dr. Hiremath is one of the only five writers selected from India for being represented in this book. It is an honor that Dr.Panchakshari Hiremath has brought to Kannada. He also figures as a prominent entry in International Who is Who published from Cambridge. England and also Marquis Who’s Who from Chicago. Dr. Panchakshari who knows several languages has participated in national and international conferences, seminars and poet-meets. The renowned scholar and President Central Sahitya Academi Dr.V.K.Gokak has described Dr.Panchakshari as one who has successfully turned a sterile land into a fertile one, and that his work has generally contributed to national integration. The editor of Navanita the official periodical of the Bhavan’s University has written that Dr.Panchakshari has through his able translations built up a literary and cultural bridge. For thirty one years, Dr.Hiremath has served in the Institute of Kannada Studies of the Karnatak University Dharwad,in various capacities. He retired from service in 1993. As a teacher of rare abilities he has always endeared himself to his students with his lectures sharing with them his rich knowledge, wisdom and experience. Dr.Hiremath instills a rare concern for life in today’s youth and radiates a feeling for a world community and pure love-not generally found among teachers of today. The reason is obvious- Dr.Hiremath himself loves life profoundly and is extremely sensitive to the beauty of life. Dr. Panchakshari has traveled the length and breadth of India from the serene Rameshwaram to the formidable Himalayas. He has had a close look at the variety that is India and has attuned himself to the pulse of her people. He traveled widely in Maharashtra in 1981 on behalf of Karnataka Sahitya Academi under its scheme of meeting writers of other linguistic groups and discussing with them about literature.. He participated in Kavi Sammelans and delivered lectures on Kannada literature and culture. Dr. Panchakshari was guest of Nepal in 1984 as an inviof Nepal Sahitya Samiti. His lectures on the literature and culture on India created much interest among the Nepali writers. He made friends with all their leading men of letters. The Royal Nepali Academi honored him. The Press in Nepal wrote highly of him. Dr.Panchakshari visited the Tribhuvan University and also places of historical and tourist interest like Pashupathinath Temple, Swayambhunath Temple and National Museum and Lumbini the birth place of Lord Buddha. Dr.Panchakshari was invited to participate in the World Poets Meet held at Corfou, Greece in 1985. Famous poets, artists, Nobel Laureates and critics from forty countries participated in it. Dr.Panchakshari’s poetry as well as the paper he presented fascinated the participants, for he introduced to them the essence of Indian Culture and thought. He took this opportunity to travel over the whole of Europe, and widely in Italy, Greece and Eypt, where he could meet a number of writers and visit places of historical importance. Radio Egypt broadcast his poems and interviewed him – a great honor to an Indian. Well-known Arabic writers and representatives of the press arranged an ‘at home’ in Dr.Panchakshari’s honor. He was received at the Indian Embassy in Egypt by the Indian Ambassador Shri Sudarshan Kumar Bhutani and his colleagues. Dr.Panchakshari also visited the Academy of Arts, American University, Al Azhar University, Alexandria, the National Museum and the pyramids. Dr. Hiremath was invited by the Royal Thai Government to the Tenth World Conference held at Bangkok in November 1988. He presented paper ‘Poetry as a Vision of Humanity’ and also participated in a Poets Meet and recited his poems. Poets, writers and critics representing around fifty nations had given Bangkok the appearance of an international family. After the week long conference. Dr.Hiremath visited historical, cultural and other places of interest in Thailand. On his way back home he also visited Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. He was a guest at several Indian Associations and Institutions and the International Sri Sivananda Ashram. In Malaysia and Singapore, delivered lectures on religion, culture and literature of India, and also recited his poems. Dr. Panchakshari Hiremath was invited to participate in the Fifteenth Word Poets Conference held at Taipei, capital of the Republic of China, in August 1994. He presented a paper nature and poet and also recited his poems at the poets meet. On his way to China he halted in Hong Kong for four days at the invitation of the Chinese poets there. He delivered three lectures ‘’Veerashaiva and the Panchacharyas’’. The Sarana’s Kranti and Indian Poetry and tradition under the auspices of various literary organizations. On his way back to India he delivered two lectures on Tulasidas’s Ramacaharit Manas under the auspices of Indian Associations in Malaysia. Prof. Hiremath visited the historical places, national and archaeological museums and universities in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. At Taipei he had long discussion with poets who had come from all over the world, about the glorious tradition of Indian poetry. Prof. Hiremath was felicitated warmly by poets intellectuals and in institutions in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. It is a matter of pride that a Kannada poet from India should earn such love and admiration abroad. WORKS OF DR PANCHAKSHARI HIREMATH POETRY Chaityakshi Nee Rudranagu Bayake Ee Manake Bayala Baninalli (Tr. from Hindi) Gaali Gandha Belakina Heppu Hakuva Tavaka Bhooma (Tr. from Hindi) Ondu Mattu Ondu, Eradu (Tr. from Hindi) Aashe Tumbida Usirugalu(Tr. from Hindi) Mitra Deshada Kavithegalu (Russian poems) Indhradhanussu STORIES Ennaleka Kashmirada Hovu (Tr. from Urdu) Gulabiya Hoovu (Tr. from Urdu) NOVELS (Translations) Magga Chellida Belaku (Tr. from Hindi) Nari (Tr. from Hindi) Kattaleyondige (Tr. from Hindi) Jaragavada Rani (Tr. from Urdu) Ivan- e- Ghazal(Tr. from Urdu) Borban Club (Tr. from Urdu) Kappu Hottage(Gujarati) CRITICISM/ESSAYS Kavi - Kavya - Darshana Kavi – Kavya – Kalpane Kavi - Kavya - Chintana Kavindra Ravindraru Kasmirada Mahayogini Lalleswari Hadinaru Prabandhagalu Cheluvina Alegalu Urdu Sahitya-Ondu Parichaya Galib (Tr. from Urdu) Bhoodana Gnana Peetha Prasasti Vijeta Firaq Gorkhapuri BIOGRAPHY Hanagal Kumara Swamigalu Sri Vijaya Mahanta Shivayogigalu Punya Chittaru Harsha HISTORY Mukti Kshetra Ulavi Puratana Lucknow (Tr. from Urdu) TRAVELOGUE Bharata Darshana LITERARY LETTERS Ee Baduku Bangara Enentha Madhuravee Baduku CHILDREN’S LITERATURE Chocolate Mattu Itara Kathegalu Neeti Kathegalu Darodegarana Maga (Tr. from Hindi) Bharatada Arasaru Mattu Sri Samanyaara Kathegalu (Tr. from English) Eidaga (Tr. from Urdu) EDITED R.C.Bhusanuramath Mani Mukura Prabhe Gavi Deepti (With others) Shivayoga Shivalinga Deepti Shivadeva (With others) Padmashri(With others) DRAMAS (Translations) Hattu Hindi Laghu Natakagalu Panchali Shapatha Mooru Panjabi Natakagalu Chitrangada ENGLISH VERSIONS Yuga Purusha Tr. by Vijayalakshmi Wodeyar Swami Vijaya Mahantesh Tr. by Dr. Basavaraj Naiker Ulavi- The Abode of salvation Tr. by Prof.C.N Hiremath Waves of Love Tr. by Dr.C.V.Venugopal Sing the Song of Life Tr.by Dr.C.V. Venugopal WORKS ON DR PANCHAKSHARI HIREMATH Panchakshari Hiremath Krutigalu – A Study – Prof. A H Masapathi Vachana Panchakshari – Yellappa Halakurki Vatsalya (Felicitation vol.)Ed. Dr C V Venugopal and Dr Basavaraj Naiker Dr. Panchakshari Hiremath ‘Mrutyunjaya Krupa’ Jayanagar DHARWAD - 580 001 KARNATAKA STATE INDIA Telephone : +91 836 772071 E-mail : jayadevh@hotmail.com