Samsa (writer)

A. N. Swamy Venkatadri Iyer (13 January 1898 - 14 February 1939), known by his pen name as Samsa, was an early 20th century's Indian historical playwright in Kannada language. His plays Suguna Gambhira, Vigada Vikramaraya and Bettada Arasu have been made into stage dramas and prescribed as textbooks in various universities in Karnataka.[2][3] He was called as Shakespeare of Kannada Drama.[4] An open air theatre in the premises of government owned Ravindra Kalakshetra, is named after Samsa.[5][6][7]

A. N. Swamy Venkatadri Iyer
Samsa
Born(1898-01-13)13 January 1898[1]
Agara, Yelandur, Kingdom of Mysore (now in Karnataka),
Died14 February 1939(1939-02-14) (aged 41)[1]
Mysore, Karnataka, India
Pen nameSamsa
Occupation
  • Teacher
  • playwright
  • novelist
LanguageKannada
NationalityIndian
GenreDrama (historical)
ParentsNarasimha Panditha
Gowramma

Personal life

Samsa was born as Venkatadri Iyer to Narasimha Pandita and Gowramma in Agara, Yelandur in erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore. He worked in various schools and offices as teacher and clerk across Mysore, Hassan, Mumbai and other places. He was known for his eccentric behavior. He remained unmarried and led a secluded life. He suffered from Persecution Complex and used to wander from one place to another.[8]

As writer

It's said that Samsa had written more than 23 dramas out of which only 6 are available.[9][10] He is regarded as the first historical playwright in modern Kannada literature. His plays were based on the administration and history of Mysore kings in the Kingdom of Mysore.[11] The language he used in dramas was Halegannada (lit. 'old Kannada').[12]

Plays
  • Suguna Gambhira
  • Birudanthembara Ganda
  • Vigada Vikramaraya
  • Bettada Arasu
  • Vijayanarasimha
  • Manthrashakti

Novels
  • Koushala
  • Sherlock Homes in Jail

Poems
  • Shreemanthodyana Varnanam
  • Samsapadam
  • Eeshaprakopana
  • Naraka Duryodhaneeyam
  • Acchumba

Death

Samsa committed suicide on 14 February 1939 in a small room of Sadvidya School, Mysore where he spent last years of his life.[13] He left a suicide note:

“I am leaving thirty one rupees, one anna and nine pies in the purse in my pocket; this amount is, after my death for my body to be cremated, which I wish to be cremated in some open place and without any religious ceremony whatsoever, as I have no faith in any religion”.[8]

Books on Samsa

Many writers have tried bringing things out from Samsa's secluded life. Notable works on him are:

  • "Samsa Kavi" (Biography) - G. P. Rajarathnam[14]
  • "Samsa Smarane: Jeevana Chithrana" - Aa. Na. Subramanyam [15]
  • "Neegikonda Samsa" (play) - Ki. Ram. Nagaraj[16]
  • "Samsa" (novel) - Prof. Maleyur Guruswamy [17][18]

References
  1. "Kannada kavi 'Samsa'". Kannadakavi.com (in Kannada). Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  2. "Samsa a native of Mandya". Deccan Herald. 8 Sep 2012. Retrieved 11 Sep 2020.
  3. Santosh Guddiyangadi (4 Apr 2013). "ಮಹಿಷೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತೆ ಸಂಸ" [Samsa again, in Mahishur]. Prajavani. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  4. Poonam Trivedi & Dennis Bartholomeusz, ed. (2005). India's Shakespeare: Translation, Interpretation, and Performance. Pearson Education India. p. 172. ISBN 978-8177581317. Retrieved 26 Oct 2020.
  5. Muralidhara Khajane (15 Oct 2014). "Raveendra Kalakshetra, Nayana, Samsa to get a facelift". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  6. "Kannada and Culture Department: Ravindra Kalakshetra - Samsa Open Air Theatre". kalakshetra.kannadasiri.co.in. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  7. "Samsa Bayalu Rangamandira". Times of India. 27 Jan 2019. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  8. Mamta Sagar (22 Feb 2015). "The troubled genius of an iconic Kannada writer". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  9. "ಸಂಸ" [Samsa]. Kanaja.com (in Kannada). Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  10. Firoz Khan (1 Nov 2019). "ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಮುಕುಟಮಣಿಗಳಿಗಿಲ್ಲ ಆಸರೆ" [Famous Kannada poets are not remembered]. Udayavani (in Kannada). Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  11. "Samsa". Sallapa (in Kannada). Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  12. Madur. "The classical novelist - Samsa". Karnataka.com. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  13. "Playwright Samsa". Bookbrahma (in Kannada). Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  14. "Samsa Kavi by G. P. Rajarathnam". BookBrahma.com. Retrieved 18 Nov 2020.
  15. A. N. Subramanyam. "'Samsa Smarane': Biography of Samsa". Nudi Kannada Total Kannada.com.
  16. "A legend in oral tradition". The New Indian Express. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 3 Nov 2020.
  17. "'ಸಂಸ' ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ" ['Samsa' novel published]. Prajavani (in Kannada). 4 Oct 2020. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  18. "'Samsa' novel released". Star of Mysore. 6 Oct 2020. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
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