Mounesh Vishwakarma
Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Aug 3: The two-day 19th district Kannada Sahitya Sammelana organized under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada Sahitya Parishad at Polali was off to a colourful start on Saturday August 2.

The grand procession of Kannada Bhuvaneshwari was inaugurated by zilla panchayat member Jayashree K A. Gentic trustee Chera Surya Narayana Rao garlanded Bhuvaneshwari.

Taluk panchayat member Gunavathi lit the lamp. Kariangala gram panchayat president D Chandrashekar Bhandari hoisted the national flag.

The parishad flag was hoisted by S Pradeep Kumar Kalkoora, district Kannada sahitya parishad president. Polali Rajarajeshwari temple managing trustee Dr M Manjayya Shetty hoisted the conference flag.

"Language should unite everyone and not cause hatred. Everybody should be proud of their language," said B Ramanath Rai, district in-charge minister of Dakshina Kannada district, after inaugurating the conference.

He opined that the literary conference upheld the grandeur and superiority of Kannada language. He also said that the importance of a language increases with its use.

"Though the emergence of a united Karnataka is our desire, the inclusion of several parts of Kasargod has not been possible due to several reasons. We regret it," he added.

He also mentioned the language dispute in Belgaum and the dispute regarding Cauvery river water
and hoped that language would not cause disputes.

"Disputes between people cause communal tension. In this regard the people of Dakshina Kannada should stress on communal harmony and show that we indeed are intelligent. We should honour Bhuvaneshwari and the whole society," he opined.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that Tulu was the mother of the people of Dakshina Kannada and Kannada the foster mother. "Only the people of Tulunadu have given so much respect to foster mother," he said.

Dr Kinnikambala Padmanabha Rao, renowned computer scientist and the president of 19th district Kannada literary conference said, "If writings are released from the enchainment of script, it is possible for us to be world readers."

He upheld the importance of script and the ways in which the script was helpful in the development of the language.

He suggested not to remove anything from the Kannada script and add a few more vowels instead.

"Kannada script is not the property of native Kannadigas alone. It is being used by Tulu, Byari, Kodava,
Konkani, Havyaka languages. No language is complete or purely classical. As some people love the language, some others love the script," he added.

He said that it was inevitable to search for a new script beyond all the existing scripts. He also said that those who did not know much about languages were manufacturing government sponsored technology which was not of any benefit.

T S Manje Gowda, district organizer of Bharath Seva Dal compered the programme.

The felicitation programme of the scholars was held for the first time.

Senior scholar Kodimajalu Anantha Upadyaya, senior law scholar Nuyi Srinivasa Rao, senior dramatist Sadananda Suvarna, Yakshagana scholar Dr M Prabhakar Joshi, senior Bhagavatha Agari Raghuram Bhagavatha, senior researcher professor A V Navada, senior Janapada scholar Dr Palthadi Ramakrishna Achar and Madhav Bhat were felicitated by P Jayarama, managing director of Karnataka Bank.

Ramakrishna Tapovana, president Swami Viveka Chaitanyananda, senior author Arya Laxmi Narana Alva, Ulipadi Guthu Taranatha Alva, Ulipadi Guthu Rajesh Naik, businessman Sesappa Kotian, zilla panchayat president Asha Thimmappa Gowda, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy president Janaki Brahmavara, Konkani Sahitya Academy president Roy Castelino, Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim, Udupi district Kannada sahitya parishad president Nilavara Surendra Adiga, district deputy director of instruction Jayashekar Moses, Kannada and culture department deputy director Chandrahas Rai, Bantwal education official Sheshashayana Karinja, Bantwal taluk panchayat executive officer Cyprian Miranda, Kariagala grama panchayat president Chandrashekar Bhandari, Puttur Kannada sahitya parishad president Varadaraja Chandragiri and others were present.

Ammunje Higher Primary School children sang a folk song. Polali Sri Vidyavilas Aided Higher Primary school children sang a traditional song.

Retired principal professor G Shanker welcomed. Bantwal Kannada sahitya parishad president Jayananda Peraje proposed the vote of thanks. Ramachandra Rao compered the programme. Rajesh Ekkar and Umesh K R were also present.

Sandhya S Pai, managing editor of Taranga weekly magazine who was supposed to inaugurate the conference was unable to attend and hence minister B Ramanatha Rai inaugurated the conference.

The procession consisted of coloured umbrellas, doll dance, recital of artistes and Bhuvaneshwari in chair. The procession went via Polali bridge and the conference podium. A large number of literature lovers walked in the procession. B C Road dolls were attractive.

Nadoja professor K P Rao, zilla Kannada sahitya parishad president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, Ulipadiguthu Ramanatha Marla, Ammunje Guthu Shankera Shetty, Polali Vasudev Bhat, Arkula Subraya Achar, H F Odeyar and school children added charm to the procession. Swami Vivek Chaitanyananda however did not come on to the dais and preferred to be a part of the audience.