Chaduranga

M. Subramanya Raje Urs (Chaduranga)

M. Subramanya Raje Urs was born in Kallahalli village in Hunsur Taluk of Karnataka on January 1, 1916 to parents Mudduraje Urs and Maradevi Urs.  He had his basic schooling at Royal School, Mysore. Next few years of his education were completed at Intermediate College, Bangalore before his return to Mysore for his B. A. degree at Maharaja College. For his post graduate education he went to Pune, but couldn’t complete the tenure as planned. He was swept away by Gandhian ideals and readily took the plunge into the Indian Independence movement which was by then gaining traction, across the country. He even relocated back to his fond village of Kallahalli to take up agriculture and farming, in keeping with Gandhian ideals. He was greatly inspired by the works of A. N. Krishna Rao, Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar, T. R. Subba Rao, Tolstoy and Gorky.

Chaduranga the thespian

Portrait Photograph of Chaduranga in his younger years

He had picked up many a lesson with respect to Cinematography and movie making, while in Pune and put these to good use in his later years. He was the chief script writer for the famed Kannada movie ‘Bhakta Kumbara’. He co-directed the English movie ‘Maya’ as well. His column titled ‘Random Shots’ was a regular feature in the English magazine ‘Motion Pictures’. The Kannada movie ‘Sarvamangala’ written, produced and directed by Chaduranga received the State Movie Award as well.  Another Kannada movie ‘Uyyale’ which featured his script writing, won him the best script writer award. His documentaries on poet laureate Kuvempu and dramatist of note Venkatalakshmamma are among his better remembered biopics.

Chaduranga's works

"Vyakthi - Abhivyakthi" - Book on Chaduranga

Novels

1. ‘Sarvamangala’ (1950)

2. ‘Uyyale’ (1960)

3. ‘Vaishaka’ (1982)

4. ‘Hejjala’ (1998)

Short Stories

1. ‘Swapna Sundari’ (1948)

2. ‘Shavada Mane’ (1950)

3. ‘Inuku Nota’ (1950)

4. ‘Bangarada Hejje’ (1951)

5. ‘Meenina Hejje’ (1958)

6. ‘Kwate’ (1992)

7. ‘Mrugaya’ (1998)

8. ‘Singabombe’

Plays

1. ‘Kumara Rama’ (1966)

2. 'Ilibonu’ (1972)

3. ‘Bimba’ (1990)

Anthology of Poems

1. ‘Waves’

Cinema

1. 'Bhakta Kumbara’ (script writer)

2. ‘Maya’ (co-director)

3. ‘Uyyale’ (script writer)

4. 'Kuvempu’ (Documentary)

5. 'Venkatalakshmamma’ (Documentary)

Recognition

Chaduranga in his later years

His novel ‘Vaishaka’ earned him the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award in 1982.  He was awarded the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, twice in 1978 and 1994. His alma mater – University of Mysore conferred on him a Honorary Doctorate in 1993. He presided over the 63^rd All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, held at Mandya in 1994.

Legacy

M. Subramanya Raje Urs passed away on 19 October, 1998 at the age of 82 years.

References

1. ‘Chaduranga (Life and Work)’ (Kannada)

2. ‘Chaduranga’ by G. R. Thippeswamy (Kannada)

3. ‘Vyakthi - Abhivyakthi: Chaduranga’ by D. A. Shankar (1988)