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Narayana Kasturi (25 December 1897 – 14 August 1987) was an Indian writer, professor, and journalist.


Life

Kasturi Ranganatha Sharma was born in
Tripunithura Thrippunithura or Tripunithura (Malayalam:തൃപ്പൂണിത്തുറ) is a prominent historical and residential region in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. Located about 7 km (4 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura wa ...
in the Indian state of Kerala. Kasturi received his bachelor's degree in law, and his master's degree in arts from the
University College In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies f ...
,
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the largest and ...
, India. After his degree at the age of 21, he gained a lecturer position in a high school in the city of
Mysore Mysore ( ), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the ...
. After a few years, Kasturi began to "seriously contemplate on a career in Law." He received his bachelor's degree in law and master's degree in arts from the University College in
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the largest and ...
. After completing his education, he worked as a lecturer in a high school in Mysore and later as a lecturer in Maharaja's College of Arts. He also served as the Secretary of the Sri Ramakrishna Mission in Mysore for over 17 years. During this time, he came into contact with various spiritual leaders and was initiated into Japam. In 1948, he met
Sathya Sai Baba Sathya Sai Baba (born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju; 23 November 192624 April 2011) was an Indian godman, guru and philanthropist. At the age of 14, he claimed to be the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba and left his home saying "my devote ...
in
Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
and was requested by Baba to write his biography, which he agreed to and later published as "''Sathyam Sivam Sundaram'' Part I". He later became the editor of the magazine of the Sathya Sai Organization called "Sanathana Sarathi." In 1949, a University Order appointed Kasturi as the Principal of the Intermediate College in Davangere. He held the position for five years before retiring in 1954. After retirement, he was suggested by Sathya Sai Baba to go on a spiritual pilgrimage to North India with his mother and wife. In 1956, Sathya Sai Baba convinced Kasturi to accept the position of Producer of Programmes for the newly established All India Radio Station in
Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
. Kasturi enjoyed the post and during a visit in 1958, Sathya Sai Baba suggested he work at
Puttaparthi Puttaparthi (IAST: ''Puṭṭaparthy'') is a municipality and district headquarters of Sri Sathya Sai district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Puttaparthi mandal of Puttaparthi revenue division. The original name of Put ...
and start a monthly magazine called Sanathana Sarathi. Kasturi was responsible for ensuring the magazine was flawless and reached readers on time, with the help of volunteers. The process of typesetting, printing, collating, stapling, packing, and addressing was done by hand, and was seen as a labor of love for Sathya Sai Baba.


Death

Kasturi died at the age of 89 on August 14, 1987 at Sathya Sai General Hospital in
Puttaparthi Puttaparthi (IAST: ''Puṭṭaparthy'') is a municipality and district headquarters of Sri Sathya Sai district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Puttaparthi mandal of Puttaparthi revenue division. The original name of Put ...
due to natural causes. His cremation took place on the banks of the
Chitravathi River The Chitravathi is an inter-state river in southern India that is a tributary of the Penna River. Rising in Karnataka, it flows into Andhra Pradesh and its basin covers an area of over 5,900 km2. The pilgrim town of Puttaparthi is located ...
the following day. Upon his death, a mourning period was declared in Puttaparthi by
Sathya Sai Baba Sathya Sai Baba (born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju; 23 November 192624 April 2011) was an Indian godman, guru and philanthropist. At the age of 14, he claimed to be the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba and left his home saying "my devote ...
, including the closure of Prasanthi Nilayam and other institutions. Kasturi's wife, Rajamma, had died in 1985.


As author

Kasturi authored the work 'Sathyam Sivam Sundaram', which was translated into English as Truth, Goodness, Beauty'''. The first part of the book was published in 1960 and covers the first 34 years of the life of Sathya Sai Baba. Kasturi stated that he gathered information for the book from various sources, including Sathya Sai Baba's father and brother, as well as teachers from the schools he attended. The second part of the book was published in 1968, and the complete work was published around 1980. Kasturi stated that a significant amount of time had passed between the publication of certain parts of the book. Narayana Kasturi was a writer and journalist who wrote for the magazine Koravanji in the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for discovering and promoting the work of young writers, including Kefa, Bulla, Aa. Ra. Se, Na. Kasturi, C.K.N. Raja, Girani Ramsami, and T. Sunandamma. Koravanji was successful during its publication but ceased in 1967 due to financial constraints. Kasturi also wrote
hagiographic A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an wiktionary:adulatory, adulatory and idealized biography of a preacher, priest, founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religi ...
accounts of Sathya Sai Baba's life and his own autobiography,''Love is My Form'', Vol. 1 ai Towers Publishing. Bangalore. /ref> entitled "''Loving God: Eighty-five Years under the Watchful Eye of the Lord''" was published in 1982 by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications.Kasturi, Narayana ''Loving God. Eighty Five Years under the Watchful Eye of THE LORD'', 1982, Prasanthi Nilayam, published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications


References


Bibliography

*Kasturi, N., ''Sathyam-Shivam-Sundaram: The Life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba'', 4-volume series, *Kasturi, N., ''Easwaramma: The chosen mother'', *Kasturi, N., ''Loving God: Eighty-five years under the watchful eye of the Lord'', *Kasturi, N., ''Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume IX'', *Kasturi, N., ''Sathya Sai Speaks: Discourses of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Volume I'', {{DEFAULTSORT:Kasturi, Narayana Indian autobiographers Followers of Sathya Sai Baba 20th-century Indian biographers Indian magazine editors Hindu writers Malayalam-language writers Kannada-language writers 1897 births 1987 deaths Academic staff of the University of Mysore People from the Kingdom of Travancore Writers from Karnataka