Kuppali, also known as Kuppali (ಕುಪ್ಪಳಿ), is a small village in Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is famous for being the childhood home of the renowned Kannada poet Kuvempu. Kuvempu The celebrated Kannada poet and writer Kuvempu belonged to this village and was very attached to it. Indeed, this pen-name Kuvempu (Kannada: ಕುವೆಂಪು) pays homage to the author's home, created as it is from the first letters from his full name "Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa" (Venkatappa being his father's name). Kuppalli is also the birthplace of Poornachandra Tejaswi, the son of Kuvempu and a famous Kannada writer himself. It is also the place where Kuvempu and Poornachandra Tejaswi have been cremated. The childhood home of Kuvempu at Kuppali has been converted into a museum by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishtana (a trust dedicated to Kuvempu). This trust has undertaken immense developmental works in Kuppali to showcase Kuvempu and his works to the external world. Kuvempu's early life and education Kuvempu was born in Hirekodige, Koppa taluk, of Chikmagalur district to a native Kannada family. He was brought up in Kuppalli. His education started at his home by an appointed teacher from Dakshina Kannada. He joined Anglo Vernacular school in Thirthahalli to continue his middle school education. He lost his father, Venkatappa Gowda, when he was only 12. Kuvempu finished his lower and secondary education in Kannada and English in Thirthahalli. He moved to Mysore for further education and completed his high school from Wesleyan High School. He pursued his college studies in Maharaja's College of Mysore, and graduated in 1929 with a major in Kannada. Kavishaila Kavishaila is a rock monument made of megalithic rocks and dedicated to Kuvempu. It is on the top of a small hill in Kuppali. Arranged in a circular fashion, the rocks have been placed to resemble the Stonehenge in England. At the centre of this rock monument is the place where Kuvempu was laid to rest after his death and a memorial has been constructed at that location. Near this monument, is a small rock where Kuvempu used to sit and discuss about literature and other topics with his other litterateur friends. A rock containing the etched signatures of Kuvempu, B. M. Srikantaiah and T S Venkannaiah is present near the monument. Poornachandra Tejaswi later engraved his signature on the same rock. Granite slabs containing engraved poems and quotes