Raleigh (North Carolina, USA): The All America Tulu Association (AATA), in collaboration with ILESA and Florida Tulu Koota, proudly inaugurated the Tulu Lipi learning class of 2023 – “Bale Tulu Lipi Kalpuga” virtually on Sunday, July 30th. The virtual event witnessed an overwhelming response from participants worldwide, marking a significant step towards preserving and promoting the revered Tulu script.
The inauguration ceremony resonated with the importance of preserving and learning Tulu Lipi. Esteemed guests and speakers offered their valuable insights, further highlighting the cultural significance of this ancient script.
Vidyashree S, a distinguished Tulu Lipi teacher and co-editor of the renowned Poovari Tulu magazine, shared insightful information about Tulu’s history and the historical journey of Tulu Lipi. She emphasized the script’s role in enriching our understanding of Tulu culture and history and applauded AATA’s commitment to promoting and preserving the language.
Manohar Kamath, the esteemed Registrar of Tulu, Konkani, and Byari Saahitya Academy, also emphasized the importance of speaking the mother tongue and learning Tulu Lipi. He praised AATA for its unwavering dedication to promoting the language and pledged the support of Tulu Sahitya Academy to AATA in this endeavour. Kamath also released a Tulu Lipi practice book authored by Sathish Agpala, who is also a Tulu Lipi instructor, he designed this book to facilitate an effective and easy practice book for the learners.
Prashanth Kumar, a director of AATA and the founder of USA Shivalli Kutumba, shared his insightful perspectives on the historical use of Tulu Lipi in writing on palm leaves. He emphasized the pivotal role of Tulu script in preserving the essence of Tulu culture and language. Kumar also announced a promising collaboration between the Shivalli Kutumba organization and AATA to further promote the Tulu language and culture.
Shreevalli Rai, the esteemed president of AATA, passionately spoke about their interest in Tulu Lipi classes and the importance of learning the Lipi. Expressing her joy at seeing over 90 participants registered from all over the world, Rai shared her own journey of attending the Tulu Lipi classes a year ago, now being fluent in reading and writing the script. Her significant role in decoding numerous Tulu Lipi shlokas preserved on palm leaves has made her a perfect guide for these classes.
Bhaskara Sherigar, the visionary founder president of AATA, provided an insightful overview of the Tulu Lipi curriculum and schedule, reaffirming the efficiency of the program from his own experience of becoming fluent in Tulu Lipi within a short period. Janaki Shetty beautifully conducted the program as the Master of Ceremonies, Mohanchandra KP extended a warm welcome to the guests. Kum. Vibha Arun beautifully renditioned an invocation song, Sudarshan Shetty expressed heartfelt gratitude to all attendees and organizers in his vote of thanks and Prasanna Laxman served as the program moderator.
The eagerly awaited Tulu Lipi learning classes are scheduled on Saturday, promising an enriching journey into the world of the Tulu language and its script. Preserving regional languages is crucial for upholding our cultural heritage, and initiatives like the Tulu Lipi classes offered by AATA in collaboration with ILESA and Florida Tulu Koota stand as a beacon of hope in keeping this beautiful language alive for generations to come.
Report By:- Ranjani Asaigoli, Raleigh North Carolina, USA
