Anasuya Shankar

Anasuya Shankar (1 September 1928 – 29 July 1963), popularly known by her pen name as Triveni, was an Indian writer of modern fiction in Kannada language. Her novels have been made into feature films, most prominently, Belli Moda (1967) and Sharapanjara (1971) – both directed by Puttanna Kanagal and featuring actress Kalpana. Her small stories collection Samasyeya Magu won the Devaraja Bahadur Prize in 1950. Her novel Avala Mane earned the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1960.

Anasuya Shankar was born on 1 September 1928 in the Chamarajapuram suburb of Mysore, in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore of British India (in present-day Mysore, Karnataka), to B. M. Krishnaswamy and Thangamma. She was also called Bhagirathi. She had a younger sister Aryamba Pattabhi, who went on to become a writer as well. Other writers in her family were uncle B. M. Srikantaiah and cousin Vani.

She graduated with a gold medal in her Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharani's Arts College in Mysore. In 1947, she was awarded the Siddegowda gold medal for excellence on political science. She married S. N. Shankar (1925–2012) in 1951, an English professor at Sarada Vilas College, Mysore.

Anasuya adopted the pen name Triveni out of respect for Mahatma Gandhi, whose ashes following his death, were immersed in the confluence of the three Indian rivers of Ganges, Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati, known as the Triveni Sangam. Anasuya died of pulmonary embolism on 29 July 1963, 10 days after giving birth to Meera, at the Mission Hospital in Mysore.

Triveni published her first novel Apasvara in 1953. After that, she published 20 novels and 3 short story collections. Her novels mainly contained stories based on the psychological issues faced by women, their emotions and frustrations. Her Tavareya Kola won the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Novels

• Apaswara (Disharmony, 1952)
• Sotu Geddavalu
• Bekkina Kannu (Cat's Eye, 1954)
• Modala Hejje (The First Step, 1956)
• Keelu Gombe (The Puppet, 1955)
• Apajaya (Defeat, 1956)
• Kankana (Sacred Bond, 1957)
• Mucchida Bagilu (Closed Door, 1956)
• Baanu Belagitu
• Mukti (Bliss, 1952)
• Hrudaya Gita
• Avala Mane
• Tavareya Kola
• Vasantagaana
• Kashi Yatre
• Sharapanjara (Cage of Arrows, 1962)
• Hannele Chiguridaga (When the Old Leaf Turns Green Again, 1963)
• Avala Magalu
• Belli Moda
• Doorada Betta (Distant Hill, 1955)

Collection of Short stories

• Hendatiya Hesaru
• Yeradu Manasu
• Samasyeya Magu

Films based on her novels

• Poocha Kanni - 1966 Malayalam movie directed by Puttanna Kanagal was based on the novel Bekkina Kannu.
• Belli Moda (1967)
• Hannele Chiguridaga (1968)
• Sharapanjara (1971)
• Kankana (1975)
• Mukti (1977)
• Hoovu Hannu (1993)