Karnataka - Mangalore   

Gilivindu project — a memorial to a poet

MANGALORE: The house where the late Kannada poet M. Govind Pai lived in Manjeswaram, about 20 km from here, is to emerge as an important cultural and research centre when the “Gilivindu project” is implemented. Manjeswaram is in Kasaragod district of Kerala but is close to the hearts of Kannadigas.

The Rashtrakavi Manjeshwar Govind Pai Memorial Committee has proposed to convert the premises into a national cultural centre where study, research and workshops are to be held in fine arts and performing arts such as painting, drawing, dance and Yakshagana.

A ‘desi’ touch to all the buildings on the premises is proposed so that visitors recall the intrinsic architecture of the region. The proposal aims to go beyond creating a mere memorial for the poet and instead explore and make rich cultural contributions. It will have a library called ‘Saraswhata’ and a room to preserve manuscripts to be called ‘Kanthapathra,’ besides an archive called ‘Mahithi Kosha.’

The Gilivindu complex (meaning a group of parrots; it is the name of a collection of poems by Govind Pai), will have ‘Bodhiranga,’ an open-air theatre; ‘Bhavanika,’ an indoor theatre with ‘Bannada Mane’ being its dressing room; ‘Manasollas’ is the place for exhibiting artworks while ‘Parthisubba-Yakshadegula’ will be the place for folk and Yakshagana artistes to showcase their talents. A part of the premises, to be called ‘Nalanda,’ will be earmarked for study and research. The indoor stadium will be 7,500 sq ft in size. The total complex will have a landscaped area of 21,707 sq ft. The life and achievements of the poet will be displayed in ‘Nalanda.’

The poet Govind Pai (1883-1963) was a frontline writer of modern Kannada literature, a thinker, historian, and a polyglot. His literary works ‘Golgotha,’ ‘Vaishakhi,’ ‘Yesukrishta mattu Gauthama Buddha’ and ‘Shri Gommata Jinasthuthi’ are highly acclaimed. The then government of Madras Presidency bestowed him with the title of ‘Rashtrakavi.’

The newly constituted Rashtrakavi Manjeshwar Govind Pai Memorial Trust has sought Government support to build the memorial. The trust is headed by Chairman of the Central Administrative Commission and former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily.

Mr. Moily told presspersons here on Sunday that the trust has urged the governments of Kerala and Karnataka to grant Rs.50 lakh each for the project. The trust has also urged the Centre to grant Rs.1 crore for the project. Mr. Moily said the project has got the support of Manjeswaram MLA C.H. Kunhambu, who has been appointed as a trustee. Mr. Kunhambu was also present at the meet.

He said the trust had decided to hold the 125th birth anniversary of the poet on March 23. Besides Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Union Minister for Culture Ambika Soni and Kerala Education Minister M.A. Baby had been invited to the function. Kannada poet G.S. Shivarudrappa, who has been conferred with the title Rashtrakavi recently, will also be invited.

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