Mangaluru: The three day long 20th district Kannada literary conference began in Kateel on Friday August 28 with a Bhuvaneswari procession at the Mahakali Brahmamugera Temple in Gidigere. The procession started at Gidigere Temple, proceeded via Degree College Road, Ajaru Road, main bus stand, temple Car Street and concluded in the vicinity of Kateel Pre-University College.
The procession was flagged off by Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat member Ishwar Kateel while Sarojini of the Mennabettu Grama Panchayat offered flowers. Suresh Shetty Ekkaru, of the Ekkaru Grama Panchayat commenced the conference by lighting the lamp.
The procession was magnificent, with each detail taken care of with diligence. There was a tableau that depicted the Mysuru ‘Dasara’, a tiger dance, Scouts and Guides and Bharathi Seva Dal members, walked along side each other in process, percussionists and musicians too depicted their arts. Women carried ‘Poornakumbha’ pots, while the Bhagavad Geetha and feather palm novels were plaed on a chariot, and the literary works of ‘Jnana Peetha’ awardee were carried on a palanquin.
A flower decked vehicle ferried conference president Dr N Sukumara Gowda, minister K Abhayachandra Jain, executive president Harinarayanadasa Asranna, and district president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, and conference president Dr Gowda and in the procession.
The national flag was hoisted by Kondemoola grama panchayat president Geetha Poojarthy while the Parishad flag was hoisted by district president S Pradeep Kumar Kalkura and the Conference flag was hoisted by Mangaluru taluk panchayat member Baby Sundara Kotian.
Lots of Publishers are displaying their works at the Kateel Pre University College premises. Self Help groups too have displayed their wares. People showed a lot of interest in both the literary works and the products of the self help groups.
The union law minister Sadananda Gowda said that no single organisation can claim that Kannada language belongs to it. He said that Kannada belonged to all Kannadigas and Kannada will only prosper with a conducive atmosphere for the development of the language. He was addressing the the gathering at the inaugural function.
Karnataka legislative council chairman D H Shankaramurthy said ” The attitude of people that they are superior if they speak in English should vanish first. Kannada should be encouraged in the legislature fist. There is no threat from anywhere to Kannada. It is rich enough to place the challenges.”
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Minister K Abhayachandra Jain, Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, temple manager Ningayya, committee member Bhuvanabhirama Udupa, Jayaram Poonja, Sainath Shetty, Dayananda Kateel, and Bharath Seva Dal district organizer T S Manjegowda were also present.
