:“I am not a November Kannadiga sporting artificial patriotism during the month of Rajyothsava. My passion towards my State is wholesome and my language repertoire is intrinsic to me,” says 50-year-old autorickshaw owner and driver Shivakumar from Dasarahalli, Magadi Road. His 4-stroke autorickshaw, registration number KA05 B-370, is curiously designed to showcase his love for Kannada. Sporting a huge flag in the front, Shivakumar’s aesthetically made up three-wheeler is also a library holding 260 Kannada books, magazines and newspapers that has exhibited 360 different-sized photos of Kannada writers, actors, reformers, poets and freedom fighters. “This is my style of ‘creating awareness’ amongst people to observe, reflect and think during the city drives,” says Shivakumar, who also offers mineral water to his passengers.
“I once gave a book to an ex-military passenger in my auto. He returned it promptly and said, ‘I learnt so much about Karnataka’s freedom fighters like Kittur Rani Chenamma and Vonake Vobhavva from you in the last one hour. Books are useful tools that kindle curiosities — have them for your collection,” Shivakumar recalled.
Knowledgeable speakerShivakumar’s auto library is a haven for interesting introductions to the Kannada literary world with a historical perspective. Let alone his continuous gyaan -talk on everything Kannada and Karnataka, his knowledge of ancient and modern poets, actors, freedom fighters, reformers and historical incidents is mind-blowing. Curious people gather to see his auto even as he stops in front of the Vidhana Soudha for a ‘Rajyothsava Special’. “If you want me to talk of history or literature, Karnataka is rich in everything. Only people have to get richer with curiosity, and have the patience to lend a ear,” said Shivakumar as he flagged off his talk.
He elaborates on the history behind the Cauvery and Mahadayi issues, descriptions of DVG (the popular acronym for writer D.V. Gundappa), poems by G.P. Rajaratnam and T.P. Kailasam, the recitation of vachanas (sayings) by Basavanna, Allama Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi, and lectures on freedom fighters such as Kempegowda, Sangolli Rayanna and the Mysore Maharajas, all of it with endless passion. “May be some talk on Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag and Puttanna Kanagal is what you want,” he guesses when he notices a silent crowd.
Multi-facetedBorn and brought up in Bengaluru, Shivakumar, who grew up in Yeshwantpur and studied up to Class 7 at the Vishwabharati Vidya Mandira. His love for Bhavageete (‘emotional poetry’) had him win prizes from poet Dodda Range Gowda. Apart from driving his autorickshaw for 25 years, he is a radio jockey at 90.4 FM, and he regularly talks about road-sense and civic issues for the C-Bangalore cable TV network. His two sons, the older of them pursuing a Masters in Science and the other into dance choreography, are also Kannada history enthusiasts.
Shivakumar is excited about the 14 awards he received from the Police Commissioner’s office over two decades for his ‘sincerity drives’. “I have returned several fancy mobile phones, and Rs. 5 lakh worth of gold left in my autorickshaw once,” he says. But the best service he renders is a 50 per cent discount on the meter for senior citizens, the differently-abled, and students during exams. “Pregnant ladies can travel free,” says Shivakumar, who has composed 1,500 couplets in Kannada.
