Novelist R.K. Narayan’s bungalow in the city which escaped demolition to pave the way for a new residential building, is set to receive a new lease of life as the ground-breaking ceremony for its restoration was held on Saturday.
The district in charge Minister, V. Srinivas Prasad, performed the ‘guddali puja’ for the restoration work and said that the bungalow which is on Vivekananda Road in Yadavgiri where the celebrated writer lived for greater part of his life in Mysuru, would be restored in three months.
Narayan’s bungalow was in the process of being demolished four years ago when the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) stepped in and prevented any further damage to the structure and declared that it would be converted into a memorial. The family members were taken into confidence and the authorities took over the plot of land after paying due compensation and the title of the property was transferred to the MCC.
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MCC Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath said the long-tem plan was to convert the site into a memorial on the lines of Shakespeare’s residence at Startford-upon-Avon in England. “Funds for the memorial work have been released by the State Finance Commission and restoration work is expected to cost around Rs. 34.9 lakh in the first phase,’’ he added.
The first phase work includes repairing the demolished portion, including the ceiling, restoring the structure and landscaping the vacant plot surrounding the building. In the second phase, the MCC will collect materials belonging to the writer from different sources and exhibit them. “Family members have promised to lend some of the memorabilia and the entire work will be executed by the MCC,” said Mr. Betsurmath.
Narayan churned out many of his novels revolving around the fictitious town of Malgudi from this bungalow but left Mysuru for Chennai in the early 1990s.
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