Ever a resolute rationalist and atheist, the playwright, actor, litterateur and humanist, Girish Karnad had informed his family that there were to be no ostentatious rituals, processions, state funerals or VIP visits after his death. So, instead of ceremonial chants, mourners who came to pay their last respects were met with readings of his immense body of work.

Until his last months, he was as active as his failing health would allow, showing up for protests with placards in hand and oxygen cylinder in tow. After a brief public viewing at a crematorium in Bayapanahalli, his mortal remains were quietly consigned to the electric furnace.

“Never again will we see such a ‘Meru Vyktitva’ (crown jewel) of art, literature, cinema, theatre and above all a staunch humanist walk among this generation. Late Girish Karnad had done a great service through his books, plays, cinemas and thoughts not just to Karnataka but also to the world community of art and culture,” says Jayamala, State Minister for Kannada and Culture, and a film artiste herself. “I had the honour of sharing space with him on the occasions of various film-related functions when I was the chairperson of the Karnataka Chamber of Film Industry. His views on many socio-cultural aspects were highly humanistic and sometimes surprised me with thoughts that went beyond my comprehension, but later when I mused over his thought did I understand him. I knew him for more than 45 years ever since I came to Bangalore in 1975. I had read many of his translation works and saw many of his films including ‘Kaadu’ and ‘Ondanondu Kaladalli’ which had important messages.”

S Narendra, the child artiste in Karnad’s first film ‘Kaadu’ has similar thoughts. Released in 1973, Kaadu is considered one of the first experiments in Kannada-language parallel cinema and also served as legendary villain Amrish Puri’s debut film. “I did not know the greatness of this man even for years after I had acted as a child artiste in Kaadu. I remember at one point in time, he came to me and gave me the first acting tip of my life which I cherish even today. Later during my collegiate levels, I acted in many plays, guided and directed by him – Mruchyakataka, Sattavara Neralu, Hejjegalu, and Thale Danda. Karnad’s insights had given me a deep understanding of theatre and, despite coming from a family of teachers, I took a keen interest in theatre. I can not tell how many youngsters like me Dr Karnad had influenced during his lifetime and brought into theatre, film and literature.”

One of them is Chaitanya KV, a filmmaker and director of screen and theatre, who considers Karnad his mentor and encapsulated his life in a 20-minute documentary for the state’s Department of Information and Public Relations.

Between overseeing the final arrangements for his ‘guru’, Chaitanya is all praise for his qualities as a director. “He adapted himself to any situation, as I learnt when he travelled with me to many places during the shoot [of the documentary]. During this period I learnt a lot about him and I found that he had an open mind and anybody could disagree with him on any point, and argue with him. Despite being a great director himself, he saw the light in other’s arguments and was open to suggestions and corrections from the junior-most colleagues on a project.”

“After reviewing the documentary he gave me a pat,” he says, remembering it as a high honour.

Remembering Karnad’s passion for rationalism, Professor Narendra Nayak, President of the Federation of Indian Rationalists Associations, said, “I had shared a few occasions with Karnad and he was very vociferous about the Anti Black Magic Act, otherwise known as Anti Superstition Act. Karnad, a few my other rationalist friends and I were a delegation that visited Chief Minister to discuss this and I could see the reverence people in government had towards him; it speaks volumes about the person.”

Outside his life in theatre, film and literature, Karnad’s views on socialism and denunciation of the religious Right had earned him enough critics, and even enemies, in Karnataka. He was reportedly on the hit list of the Right-wing group that had gunned down Gauri Lankesh. On the anniversary of her shooting, which coincided with the nationwide crackdown on Left-leaning intellectuals and activists, he turned up in solidarity with a board around his neck that read ‘Me Too Urban Naxal’.

In his own hometown in Uttara Kannada, a place of deep-rooted Right-wing activism, he was loved and hated in equal measure. Anand Joglekar, a staunch Right-wing activist from Gokarna, says, “I do not consider Karnad’s views on the Right-wing ideology as realistic. He had toyed with our sentiments for too long, but why? Was it to please some leftist regimes elsewhere in the world? Why would he openly call himself an Urban Naxal? Was it to challenge the right wing or was it a stepping stone to success?” he asks, accusatorily of the Padma Bhushan and Jnanpith awardee.

“Karnad and I are on the same page on the hit list,” Nayak said, “Karnad was on the top of that list, but the right wingers will not have him. Karnad led a valiant fight against detractors of democracy, science and logic,” he said.

The author is a Mangalore-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters