The launch of author-columnist B. Chandregowda’s book Kalalamavana Kadedinagalu (Last Days of Kalamava) took the audience on a nostalgic journey through excerpts from his popular column ‘Bayaluseeme Kattepurana’, published in Lankesh Patrike over two decades.

The column, which appeared in Lankesh Patrike for over two decades, remains one of Kannada journalism’s most beloved series. Mr. Chandregowda, a retired officer from the Department of Public Libraries, crafted it as a series of lively conversations among characters — Kalamava, Jummi, Whatisse, Seera, and Ugri — who gather at a village canteen in Mandya district over tea and snacks.

The character Whatisse earned his name from his distinctive verbal tic of beginning remarks with “what I say.”

Sasvehalli Sathish, a lecturer and theatre director, highlighted the column’s enduring appeal. “It earned a devoted readership through its sharp yet accessible commentary on political and social issues,” he said. “In many ways, the expressions of these characters have become part of our everyday language, which explains how deeply it has influenced a generation of readers.”

Mr. Sathish, who played the role of Whatisse in stage adaptations of the column by Shivamogga’s theatre activists, recalled a particularly memorable performance in Vijayapura (Bijapura).

“After the show, a senior citizen stood up and compared our characters to the historic Anubhava Mantapa of the 12th century, drawing parallels between Kalamava and Allama Prabhu. That moment moved me greatly,” he said.

Mr. Chandregowda revealed that he wrote the book as a concluding chapter to the long-running column while spending six months with his son in New Jersey last year. “In solitude, far from home, I was deeply troubled by the social and political developments unfolding back in Karnataka. I instinctively returned to my characters and their voices,” he said.

The book revolves around the final days of Kalamava, the senior and morally upright figure in the village circle. As his friends visit him, they reminisce about old times and reflect on the rapidly changing world around them.

He also gave an update on people in his village, who influenced him to create the characters of the columns. Interestingly, a couple of them often took exceptions to using their names in the column, he recalled.

Poet Akshatha Humchadakatte, who formally released the book, praised its authentic portrayal of ordinary people. “The column captures the voice of the common person — with all its contradictions, selective loyalties, and innocent wisdom,” she said. “The characters may favour politicians from their own caste, yet they do not hesitate to criticise them when they falter. This honest ambivalence is the mark of the author’s creative insight.”

The book has been published by Prajna Book Gallery, Shivamogga.