Southern States - Karnataka   

Basava Jayanti celebrations begin today

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE May 3. The 898th birth anniversary of the 12th Century social reformer, Basaveshwara, will be celebrated on a grand scale in the city on Sunday and Monday. A host of Lingayat organisations and more than 60 Basava Balagas will be organising seminars, processions, shows, and speeches by eminent personalities on the occasion. Unlike the previous years, the Government, the district administration, and the Department of Kannada and Culture have joined hands with Lingayat organisations to celebrate the anniversary.

A procession carrying the portrait and writings of Basavanna and other 12th Century sharanas will be taken out from the Shivarathri Rajendra Circle on Sunday. The head of Madivaleshwara Math, Basavalinga Swamy, will flag off the cultural march. Heads of different Lingayat maths will also participate. The procession will culminate at the Kalamandira, where a music concert will be held. The music troupes will render vachanas of sharanas in Hindustani and Carnatic styles. The celebrations will begin at 4 p.m. with the head of Balehonnur Math, Renukaveerasomeshwara Swami, declaring open the festivities. The Minister for Revenue, H.C. Srikantaiah, will release an audiocassette, Sharanara Vani, sung by Basavalingaiah Hiremath. The Union Minister for Textiles, Basavana Gowda Patil Yatnal, will release a book, Adarnjaya Sharanaru, by H.B. Devaraj Sarkar. The Minister for Cooperation, H. Vishwanath, the Minister for Horticulture, M. Shivanna, the Minister for Sugar and Animal Husbandry, M. Mahadev, Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, MP, Rajashekar Murthy and a host of MLAs from the district are expected to attend the function. On Monday, the celebrations will begin with Vachana Sangeeth by Shashidhar Kote from Bangalore followed by a seminar on the subject, "Superstitious beliefs and approach of sharanas.'' Chandrahas Patil, K.S. Bhagwan, Basavaraj Sabrad, and Meenakshi Bali will participate in the seminar. Siddeshwara Swami of Gnanayoga Ashram from Bijapur will deliver a special lecture on "Sharana Dristhiyalli Basavannanavuru.'' In the afternoon, a panel discussion has been arranged on the social revolution of Sharanas. G.S. Siddalingaiah, litterateur, will be preside over the discussion, which will be coordinated by the Director of Kannada and Culture, C. Somashekar.

The Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, will deliver the valedictory address. The Minister for Kannada and Culture, Rani Satish, the former Minister, M.P. Prakash, and the Chairman of Kannada Development Authority, B.N. Idinabba, will attend. As part of the valedictory function, the organisers have arranged a drama, Jangamadedege, on the life and difficulties faced by Basaveshwara. Artistes from the Shivasanchara run by Sanehalli Math will present the show. The organisers have also arranged a drama at Jaganmohan Palace on May 6 and 7. Drama troupes from Shivasanchara will perform the plays, Kalagnyani Kanaka, and Soruthiudi Maneya Mallige.

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