At home with Kuvempu, the poet of Malnad
We still had a long day ahead of us and this perfectly suited my scheme of things. Agumbe was a short distance away and we had time. I decided a visit to Kuppali, the ancestal dwelling of Kuvempu the national poet would add flavour to our journey. Sensing my enthusiasm, my wife reluctantly agreed.
Just 18km from Teerthahalli off the Koppa Road, I found the drive one of the most pleasant and scenic drives in the region and the roads are splendid. It is not be missed if you happen to be anywhere near Teerthahalli.
The sprawling house where the poet spent his childhood and his last years, is a sight to behold.
It must have been totally cut off from civilisaton in the yester years and my wife could not help wondering why anyone could choose to build so big a house and stay in such isolation. It is so even today. I put it to her that as there were many families and numerous children staying there, they would have had no dearth of company and the young poet must have had a wonderful time playing hide-and-seek or running around the big plantation at the back or exploring the woods around. My wife gave me a look which only a wife can give her husband.
The house was teeming with two bus loads of college students and we had difficulty navigating our way through the numerous rooms in the house. It is extremely well maintained and on a quiet day with few tourists, you could probably imagine hearing the joyful laughter of children at play and the chatter of the women folks as they went about their daily chores.
View of the inner courtyard from the verandah above. 
There was nobody on the large verandah on the first floor with Kuvempu's favourite easy chair in a corner and I could almost feel the poet's invisible presence when I approached it. Although the experience unsettled me momentarily, I stood by the chair a few minutes feeling the cool floor and the peace radiating the air as I quielty hummed his soulful lyrics of the song from the old Kannada movie "Miss Leelavathi".
"Doni Sagali, munde hogali, dooratheerava serali" May the boat sail, Go forth, and reach the distant shores.
Please refer this site for more information on Kuvempu and his life:
:-: Official website of Sri Kuvempu :-: