BANGALORE: After receiving the prestigious Saraswati Samman for his epic novel Mandra, author Dr S L Bhyrappa has spilled the beans on the circumstances that lead him to write it.
Speaking at a programme organised in his honour on Sunday, Bhyrappa said, “My first love is music, which is followed by literature. A mix of this is what resulted in Mandra. I always dream of becoming a musician in my next life, if I have one,” he said.
The writer attributed music for the fact that Mandra was so well received by critics. “We must understand that music cannot be a subject for critics. Intellectuals can be critical about literature, but not about music. Ithink this is why no one criticised Mandra,” he said.
‘Literature needs to grow’
“Music grew due to concerts and musical discourses, where learned and interested patrons of music are present to further the atmosphere. Literature needs to grow in a similar manner. Private organisations need to involve those who are really into literature, and invite good writers to encourage this,” he said.
He added that a writer should always focus on his writing, without bothering about the cynics.
“After I wrote Vamsha Vruksha, I got a lot of feedback, but I continued to write.Feedback will come and go, but a writer has to go on writing without bothering about critics,” he said.