Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (RD/SB)

Mangalore, May 12: The Konkani translation of 190 Vachanas by Stephen Quadros Permude, which was published by Konkani Prachar Sanchalan in the form of a book, will be released during a function scheduled to be held at Sandesha, Bajjodi here on Saturday May 14 at 5.30 pm.

Renowned Kannada and Konkani writer Jesuit priest Fr Prashant Madtha will deliver the keynote address. Go Ru Chennabasappa, president of All India Sharana Sahitya Parishad will release the book.

Vachana literature is a rich corpus of literature in Kannada. This form was used for the first time by Veera Shaiva saints of 12 – 13 century AD in Uttar Karnataka. As such Basavanna and his other contemporaries popularized this form of writing in Kannada.

The form of writing, in the 20th -century has come to be closely linked with what is called the social revolution of that period in Karnataka led by the vachana writers, such as Basaveshwara, Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu and Siddaramaiah. The fact has been attributed to the popularity of the movement.

More than 230 Vachana writers (vachanakara) have been recorded of which more than 30 were women. About 20,000 vachanas have been published so far.