Muddled Muff's Musings (Mankutimmana Kagga)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Mankutimmana Kagga (rendered in English as Muddled Muff's Musings) is a collection of sprightly yet profound verses which dwell on concepts such as the meaning of life, truth, beauty, happiness, the human experience and allied themes in an intimate and relatable manner. It is a literary classic which has enjoyed immense popularity among erudite folk and the common populace alike. Its gentle, non-preachy and self-deprecatory tone has endeared it to generations of readers since its first publication in 1943. It has deservedly garnered love and regard as "Kannada Bhagavad Gita" and "Gundopanishad".

D. V. Gundappa (1887-1975) was a litterateur, journalist and philosopher who is regarded as one of the stalwarts of modern Kannada literature. He is the celebrated author of other notable works such as Marula Muniyana Kagga, Jivanadharmayoga (which won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1967), Vasantakusumanjali, Antahpuragite and Jnapakachitrashale. He established Gokhale Institute of Public affairs in 1948 which continues to nurture the wisdom and spiritual conscience of the public as envisaged by DVG. DVG as he is popularly known, has translated and adapted literary classics from other languages to Kannada and enriched its corpus - Umarana Osage (Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat) and Macbeth (of William Shakespeare) are notable examples. He also wrote philosophical essays and political commentaries.

In the woods of Kannada literature, DV Gundappa, fondly known as DVG, is equated with the eternal tree of life, Asvattha. Asvattha is a well-known tree since the Vedic Age. It is often termed yajna vrksa, the tree that symbolises yajna (reverence, sharing, cosmic ritual). The Dharmasastras count it as a ksattriya tree that represents righteousness, valour and just governance. Indian villages invariably have an Asvattha tree that brings people together-its shady platform provides the perfect space for worship, celebration, entertainment and relaxation. Several disputes are resolved on this platform. Asvattha is a tree that yields oxygen in abundance. The very form of this tree is symbolic-it represents the harmony between the ancient and modern, sacred and secular, stability and dynamism. Its trunk is robust and branches are widespread. Its leaves that constantly flutter in the wind have earned the name Caladala for the tree. During spring, these tender leaves of a pleasing pink hue appear like a tower housing the hearts of people. In this sense, Asvattha embodies the hearty aspect of creation. All these qualities of the tree are applicable to DVG.

DVG's immortal work Mankutimmana Kagga can be equated to the pair of aranis (sacrificial firewood) that produce the fire of yajna upon churning. A discerning student of this work can use its radiance to lead a life of yajna. Mankutimmana Kagga will soon celebrate its Sahasra-candra darsana, a ritual conducted to mark the completion of eighty lunar years.