Date:01/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/01/stories/2005040101510300.htm

Karnataka - Madikeri

Writer sees harmony between Kannada, Kodava

By Our Staff Correspondent

MADIKERI, MARCH 31. Increased literary activities in Kannada and Kodava since the Eighties in the district is ample proof of the love of the people for both the languages, the president of the Kodava Thakk Eltkarada Koota (Kodava Writers' Forum), Ulliada M. Poovaiah, has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a poets' meet organised in connection with the late Monnanda K. Chengappa Endowment Lecture here on Wednesday.

The programme was organised at the Bharat Scouts and Guides building by the Zilla Sahitya Parishat, the Kodava Thakk Eltkarada Koota and Bharat Scouts and Guides, Madikeri unit.

Holding poets' meets (kavi ghostis) after the Eighties created awareness among the people about literary activities, Mr. Poovaiah said. The first-ever Kodava kavi ghosti was organised at Ammathi in Kodagu in 1980, he recalled.

The koota, which started its activities a few years ago, has brought out over 50 books so far in Kodava. Programmes such as this will help both Kodava and Kannada reinforce each other, he said. Mr. Poovaiah recited one of his poems to open the meet.

Twenty-five poets from all over Kodagu participated in the meet. Noted writer Edurkala Shankaranarayana Bhat, Annamma, K.T. Vatsalya, T.S. Prasad, Milan, Manju Gopinathan, B.N. Ravi, Kasturi Govindammaiah, Maranna Dilip Kumar, B.A. Shamsuddin, P. Suguna Kumar, K.A. Thangavelu, Kamala Kariyappa and T.P. Srinivas read poems in Kannada.

Nagesh Kalur, Chekkera Tyagaraj, Kalachanda Palangappa, Muddiada Kusha, Palera Rani Appanna, Dotty Poovaiah, Kalimada Motaiah, Inanda Dhanu, Radha Ponnappa, Anu Cariappa and Preetu Ganesh recited poems in Kodava.

Poets commended

Kotraswamy, who spoke on the performance of the poets, lauded them for their understanding of their subjects. The harmony between Kodava and Kannada will enhance the quality of both languages, he added.

The president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat taluk unit, K.T. Baby Mathew, appealed to people to enrol as members of the parishat to make it more active.

The Commissioner of Bharat Scouts and Guides, Kodagu unit, Meenakshi Poonacha; the secretary of the Zilla Sahitya Parishat, B.A. Shamsuddin; and the former president of the Karnataka Kodava Academy, Chiriyapanda Raja Nanjappa, were present.