Mysuru: The renovated house of Indian-English writer R K Narayan at Yadavagiri in the city will be inaugurated as a heritage building this month end.
As the 110th birth anniversary of the writer who took his readers on a journey to a fictitious village called ‘Malgudi’ in his famous book ‘Malgudi Days’, the house will be renovated and opened.
Narayan was born his Tamil Nadu and died in Chennai, but he had made Yadavagiri, Mysuru his home.
The house was partially pulled down by a builder; however, due to pressure from writers and activists in the city, the work was stalled half way through.
Succumbing to demand from the activists and writers to purchase the house and develop into a heritage structure, the Mysuru City Corporation and the Government took up the restoration work, which is almost complete.
MCC Commissioner C G Betsurmath, who is also the Heritage Commissioner, is quoted in Deccan Herald saying the monument was being developed on the lines of Shakespeare’s memorial in the United Kingdom. The 421-square metre structure on 1003.48-square metre land has been renovated from where its demolition was stalled. It has cost Rs 29.50 lakh, while the garden will be developed at a cost of Rs 5.40 lakh.
Narayan’s father Krishnaswamy migrated to Mysuru and thus Narayan completed his degree from Maharaja’s College in 1930. Then, he took to writing, and went on to become a celebrated writer.
His family was residing in a house in Lakshmipuram, but Narayan started constructing the present house in 1948 and it was completed in 1953. Later, he resided in this house for over two decades.
